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Incredibly light and tasty, this strawberry poke cake will be the star of any gathering! It’s airy, soft, and brings that fresh strawberry taste into every single bite!

Delicious and easy cake recipes are always a good idea! Try out my favorites like this Oatmeal Cake, this Mississippi Mud Cake, and this super delicious Honey Bun Cake! They will all be a hit with your entire family!

The side view of a slice of poke cake on a plate.

What is Strawberry Poke Cake?

Strawberry poke cake is a unique cake that is cooked, poked, and then filled with… JELLO! It’s so delicious! The combination of the light and airy cake and then the delicious and sweet flavor of strawberry jello. It is topped with some whipped cream and fresh strawberries! It makes a fantastic dessert!

This strawberry poke cake recipe is unique enough that you will probably be the only one bringing it to the party but easy enough that everyone will be asking for the recipe! My kids love baking this cake with me because they think poking all of the holes in the cake is so much fun!

Ingredients in Strawberry Jello Poke Cake

Would you believe me if I told you that this cake has only a few ingredients?! That’s how easy it is! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

  • White Cake Mix: Prepare this according to the package
  • Strawberry Jell-O: You can always switch up this flavor!
  • Boiling Water: You mix the boiling water with the jello powder before adding it to the cake.
  • Cool Whip: You will want to make sure that your cool whip is thawed so that it can spread easily on the top of the cake.
  • Strawberries: Fresh strawberries garnish the top so that you can have that delicious and fresh flavor in every bite!

How Do You Make a Poke Cake?

Making a strawberry poke cake is so simple. It’s the perfect make-ahead dessert! You just need to make sure to leave some time to let the jello set!

  1. Bake the Cake: Prepare the cake mix according to the package and bake according to the instructions for a 9×13 baking dish. Let cool completely.
  2. Make the Jello: In a small bowl, combine the jello and boiling water until all the jell-o has been dissolved.
  3. Add Jello to Cake: Use the back of a wooden spoon or a wooden skewer to poke holes in the cake. Pour the jello mixture over the top of the cake. Cover and chill in your fridge for at least 4 hours.
  4. Add Toppings: Before serving, slice up the strawberries, spread the thawed whipped topping over the top and top with sliced strawberries.
4 pictures showing how to make the cake, add the jello and then spread on the topping.

Do I Have to Use White Cake Mix?

No, not at all! You can use any cake flavor that you want as the base instead of just making this a strawberry poke cake with white cake every time. I just like to use white because then the color of the jello shows and looks so nice! But any cake mix flavor that you love will work.

The top view of a strawberry poke cake in the cake pan, topped with cool whip and sliced strawberries.

Change up the Flavor

You can not only change up the flavor of the cake mix but you can change up the flavor of the jello! Try any other fruit flavors like raspberry or blueberry. Top the cake with those fruits to go with the jello flavor and you have a whole new cake!

The side view of a slice of strawberry poke cake being taken out of the pan with a silver cake server.

How to Store Leftovers

Strawberry poke cake tastes great as leftovers! Cover your cake with some plastic wrap or slice it up and put it in an airtight container. Then, store it in your refrigerator. It will last up to 3 days!

A piece of strawberry poke cake on a plate with a gold fork cutting a bite.

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Strawberry Poke Cake

By: Alyssa Rivers
Incredibly light and tasty, this strawberry poke cake will be the star of any gathering! It's airy, soft, and brings that fresh strawberry taste into every single bite! 
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Chill Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 12 People

Ingredients 

  • 1 Box White Cake Mix Prepared according to the package
  • 1 3- Ounce Box Strawberry Jell-O
  • 1 Cup Boiling Water
  • 1 8- Ounce Container Cool Whip Thawed
  • 1 ½ Cup Sliced Strawberries

Instructions 

  • Prepare the cake mix according to the package and bake according to the instructions for a 9×13 pan. Let cool completely.
  • In a small bowl, combine the Jell-O and boiling water until all the jell-o has been dissolved.
  • Use the back of a wooden spoon or a wooden skewer to poke holes in the cake. Pour the Jell-O over the top of the cake. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.
  • Before serving, spread the thawed cool whip over the top and top with sliced strawberries.

Nutrition

Calories: 234kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 359mgPotassium: 78mgFiber: 1gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 39IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 121mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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5 Comments

  1. Why do poke cakes recipes today NEVER call for the the instant pudding that recipes years age always called for. It makes a BIG difference in the cake, it makes it less mushy and more firm and more delicious. I would NEVER make poke cake without the instant pudding added.

    1. Then don’t make it that way. It’s not the end of the world. There’s different ways of making things!