Description
This Strawberry Poke Cake is a delightful and easy-to-make dessert featuring a moist white cake infused with sweet strawberry gelatin, creamy cheesecake pudding, fresh strawberries, and a light whipped topping. Perfectly chilled and layered, it offers a refreshing and flavorful treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 box white cake mix (prepared according to package instructions, 18.25 ounces)
Gelatin Layer
- 3 oz strawberry gelatin
- 1 cup boiling water
Pudding Layer
- 3.4 oz cheesecake pudding mix
- 1 ½ cups milk
Topping
- 8 oz whipped topping (thawed)
- 2 cups strawberries (sliced, divided into 1 cup for layering and 1 cup for topping)
Instructions
- Bake the Cake: Preheat your oven and prepare the white cake mix according to the package instructions. Pour the batter into a 13×9 inch pan and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.
- Poke the Cake: Once cooled, use a fork to poke holes evenly all over the top of the cake. This allows the gelatin to soak in and flavor every bite.
- Prepare and Pour Gelatin: Dissolve the strawberry gelatin in 1 cup of boiling water, stirring until fully dissolved. Carefully pour the warm gelatin over the cake, ensuring it fills the holes for maximum flavor infusion. Let it set briefly.
- Make Pudding Layer: In a bowl, mix the cheesecake pudding mix with 1 ½ cups of milk until smooth and slightly thickened. Pour and spread the pudding evenly over the gelatin layer on the cake.
- Add Strawberry Layer: Sprinkle 1 cup of sliced strawberries evenly over the pudding layer to add fresh fruit flavor and texture.
- Top with Whipped Cream and Strawberries: Spread the thawed whipped topping evenly over the strawberry layer. Finish by garnishing with the remaining 1 cup of sliced strawberries on top.
- Chill Before Serving: Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours to allow all layers to set and flavors to meld beautifully before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Be sure to allow the cake to cool completely before poking and pouring gelatin to prevent melting.
- For best results, use fresh, ripe strawberries for topping and layering.
- This cake can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated, making it a great make-ahead dessert.
- If desired, substitute the white cake mix with a homemade vanilla cake batter for a fresher from-scratch option.
- Ensure the whipped topping is fully thawed before spreading to avoid clumps.
