Poke cakes became super popular in the 70s when Jell-O ran a sales campaign promoting them as the perfect dessert for the busy housewife. It’s made with three convenient foods: boxed cake mix, Jell-O gelatin, and Cool Whip. How modern! 😆 Later, Jell-O promoted a similar campaign for pudding poke cake using chocolate, vanilla, and butterscotch puddings instead of jello over sheet cakes. This food fad was all the rage at pool parties and potluck dinners, but it eventually fell out of favor. Fortunately for you and me, it’s gaining popularity once again because hey, it’s still easy and delicious, exactly the kind of dessert every busy housewife needs in her recipe repertoire. 😜
Recipe Ingredients
Box Cake Mix – I like the white cake mix for this recipe because the red jello stripe looks so pretty against the white cake, but you could use yellow or even chocolate too. You can also whip up your own homemade cake mix if you prefer.Gelatin – Strawberry jello poke cake calls for, you guessed it, strawberry jello. But, again, you can use any flavor of jello you like!Whipped cream – Now, you could use Cool Whip as your topping, but I much prefer homemade whipped cream to the top of this jello poke cake recipe. It’s so worth it! 😋Fresh strawberries – These are optional as a topping for your cake, but they look and taste great, so I definitely recommend using them.
How to Make Strawberry Poke Cake
Bake the Cake
Make the Cake – Mix the cake mix and other ingredients listed on the box (usually water, eggs, and oil) in a large bowl using a hand mixer. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Then, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. (Photos 1-2)Bake the cake mix according to the package instructions in a 13×9-inch cake pan. (Photos 3-4)Cool – Remove the baked cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 15 minutes.Poke – Then, poke all over the top of the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon or a chopstick, creating small holes. (Photo 5)
The Gelatin and Topping
Start the Gelatin – Boil water in a small saucepan, then whisk in gelatin until it’s completely dissolved. Next, whisk in the cold water. (Photo 6)Assemble the Cake – Pour gelatin over the cake slowly, ensuring it gets in all the holes. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. (Photo 7)Add Toppings – Top the cake generously with whipped cream. Add fresh strawberries on top to decorate. 🍓 (Photos 8-10)
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can make this cake three days in advance. Follow the recipe instructions to a T, and then store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to serve it.
Serving and Storage Instructions
As noted in the recipe, you have to chill this cake for at least three hours to make sure the jello is completely set before you cut the cake and serve it. Store cake leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container. They’ll stay good for 3-5 days, though I daresay your family will wipe out any leftovers long before then. 😉
What Goes with Strawberry Poke Cake
I love to indulge in sweet cakes with a strong cup of coffee or ginger tea. Sometimes I add an extra dollop of homemade whipped cream to my slice of cake and my coffee because it’s just that good! You could also serve this cake with lemon curd or a chocolate sauce. I sometimes use my chocolate gravy from my Southern chocolate gravy and biscuits recipe for this. 😁
More Easy Cake Recipes to Try
Conclusion
Ok, so maybe this cake recipe is a little dated, but vintage is the rage. What flavor combinations do you plan on trying out? Drop your best one in the comments section below. ❤️
