Strawberry Poke Cake

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Strawberry poke cake is the easiest way to elevate a standard sheet cake. Tender vanilla cake gets infused with fresh strawberry sauce and finished off with a creamy whipped topping!

Strawberry poke cake is full of fresh strawberry flavor, so easy to make and perfect for the summer months!

Here’s why I love this recipe:

As someone who’s always looking for easy baking recipes, this one lands at the top of my list! It’s looks (and tastes) like it’s made from scratch, plus it’s great for just about any occasion you can think of!

I like taking a shortcut by using boxed cake mix in this recipe.

Ingredients you’ll need:

For the cake:

Store-bought cake mix: White, yellow or any vanilla flavored cake mixes will all work.
Oil: This is added to most box cake mixes (along with water).
Eggs: Eggs are usually called for while baking boxed cake but follow whatever the back of your box says!

For the strawberry sauce:

Fresh strawberries: I like using fresh because they’re juicy and easy to chop!
Sugar: To sweeten the strawberry sauce.
Lemon juice: To add brightness and make the strawberry flavor pop!
Cornstarch: This helps thicken the strawberry sauce to the perfect consistency.
Vanilla extract: For flavor because everything tastes better with a little vanilla!

For the whipped topping:

Cream cheese: Softened. This is important so that it incorporates smoothly.
Heavy whipping cream: This is what gives the topping it’s airy texture and volume.
Powdered sugar: To sweeten the topping. Granulated works as well but powdered sugar melts into the mixture better.
Vanilla extract: For even more depth of vanilla flavor!

Poke cake gets its name from literally poking holes in the cake for the filling to seep through!

I’m no stranger to a baking shortcut and I’m definitely not too good for a boxed cake mix- so that’s what I’ve used to make this simple recipe as approachable and convenient as possible, but feel free to whip up your favorite homemade vanilla cake recipe as well!

The strawberry sauce in this strawberry poke cake is the perfect consistency for sinking down in the holes of the cake without being too messy.

How to make easy strawberry poke cake:

Bake the cake: You can use yellow or white boxed cake mix for this recipe. Simply bake according to box instructions.
Make the strawberry sauce: While the cake bakes, grab a medium saucepan and combine chopped strawberries with sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch and vanilla extract. Simmer the mixture over medium heat until it’s slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Reserve 1 cup of the strawberry sauce for topping.
Poke the cake: Let the cake cool for 5 minutes, then use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes 2 inches apart, going about ¾ of the way through the cake.
Spread on the strawberry sauce: Use the back of a spoon to spread the strawberry sauce all over the warm cake. You’ll want to focus on making sure each hole gets a little bit of strawberry sauce.
Chill the cake: Transfer the cake to the fridge for 30 minutes to chill. This lets the strawberry sauce set and preps it for adding the whipped topping.
Make the topping: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add softened cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip until the mixture reaches stiff peaks. Lightly fold in the remaining strawberry sauce.
Add the whipped topping: Dollop and spread the topping all over the chilled cake. This can be as messy or as neat as you like!

It's important to make sure a little strawberry sauce gets into every hole in the cake! This will ensure each bite is as delicious as possible!

If you like strawberry shortcake, I know you’ll love this strawberry poke cake! It’s practically the same thing in cake form, with a little more cream cheese flavor in the whipped topping for extra decadence!

Most poke cakes call for some sort of jello to seep into the holes, but this strawberry sauce is divine and has enough liquid that you don’t even need the jello!

I like reserving a little strawberry sauce tot fold into the whipped topping for a marbled look.

My top tips for the best strawberry poke cake:

Bake the cake according to box instructions. Water, oil, and eggs are all you need to add to the cake mix before baking.
Let the cake cool for 5 minutes before poking holes. This allows the cake to trap majority of the steam and prevents it from becoming dry.
Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke the holes. I like using the end of a wooden spoon because it happens to be the perfect shape and size.

For the strawberry sauce:

Simmer the strawberry sauce until it coats the back of a spoon. You’ll want the strawberry sauce to be a perfect balance between runny and gooey so that it’ll seep into the holes of the cake, yet still hold its shape. You can check this by stirring the sauce, then running your finger along the back of the spoon and if the line remains visible, it’s thick enough. If it doesn’t, the sauce needs to be cooked a little longer.
Poke the holes 2 inches apart. I know it can be tempting to poke holes everywhere, but it really does work out better if you place the holes about 2 inches apart in rows. This way you can easily control where the strawberry sauce is going into the cake, plus the cake hold together better once it’s cut since there aren’t holes everywhere.
Spread the strawberry sauce on the cake while it’s still warm. This helps the sauce run deeper into the holes- making for a prettier poke cake!

For the topping:

Use softened cream cheese in the whipped topping. This will make it much easier to incorporate into the cream. If it’s not softened enough, you’ll end up with a lumpy topping.
Use an electric mixer to whip the cream topping. This will save you so much time and headache! The topping needs to be whipped to stiff peaks which only takes a few minutes to accomplish with an electric mixer. When it comes time to fold in the strawberry topping, switch to a rubber spatula so that you can get that pretty swirled look!

Once the strawberry poke cake is cooled, you can spread on the creamy whipped topping.

FAQ:

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

Sure! You can make this cake the day before, cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge overnight. It can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Can I swap the strawberry sauce for store-bought strawberry pie filling?

The store-bought strawberry pie filling is slightly too thick to seep into the holes of this cake so I would recommend sticking to a homemade version to better control the consistency.

What’s the purpose of poking holes in the cake?

Poking holes in the cake is what makes it a poke cake! Not only do the holes give this cake a fun look when you cut into it, the holes are also what allows the strawberry sauce to really penetrate the cake. I find the holes work best when they are poked about ¾ through the cake. This way the sauce stays inside the cake and doesn’t all just seep to the bottom of the pan.

How should I store leftovers?

It’s important to store this cake in the fridge so that the whipped topping doesn’t spoil on the counter. You can cover any leftovers and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Strawberry poke cake will remind you of strawberry shortcake with bursting strawberry flavor in every bite!

Looking for more strawberry recipes? Try these out!

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