Strawberry poke cake is a soft and fluffy homemade white cake made extra fun with a strawberry jello mix poured in. This gives such a nice effect, both on taste and visually. This summery cake is topped with sweetened whipped cream and strawberries, is so easy to make and such a pleasure to eat! Perfect for the Fourth of July!
Layla and her strawberry requests strike again. You’ll remember them previously from this Strawberry Shortcake recipe . We were making a Father’s day cake and she demanded it be a white cake with strawberries. I knew just what recipe I wanted to use for the base. I had previously made a Nescafe cake from a fellow Instagram food blogger (Rawanshehs) and it turned out great. Light, fluffy, very easy and I just knew it would adapt really well to this recipe. I was right! I omitted the coffee in the batter, upped the vanilla extract, did without the caramelized almonds and instead of soaking the cooked cake with coffee, I soaked it with strawberry jello. Now the recipe is kid friendly and the epitome of summer.
The method:
You’ll cream the eggs with the sugar and vanilla for a full 5 minutes, preferably using a whisk attachment. This gives a fluffy thick batter with lots of lift and spring. You then slowly add the vegetable oil as well as your milk and yogurt. You’ll see the batter get a little looser at this point. In order to not undo all that work, you mix together your dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then fold them in very gently with a spatula, retaining as much air as you can.
What makes this strawberry poke cake so moist and fluffy?
The vegetable oil and the yogurt. Both excellent ways of keeping a cake moist with a fine crumb. Free free to substitute the yogurt for sour cream which has the same effect! As mentioned, the creaming process of the eggs with sugar also plays a big role in the texture.
Strawberry Poke Cake
Ingredients
For the white cake:
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- pinch salt
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp yogurt
- 1/2 cup full fat milk
For the jello mix:
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 packet strawberry jello mix
For the whipped cream topping:
- 250 ml whipping cream (1 cup)
- 2 tbsp icing sugar (or regular)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For garnish:
- whole, halved, or sliced strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350F) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch pan with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or with a handheld mixer, combine the eggs, vanilla, and sugar by mixing on medium speed for 5 minutes or until thick and creamy.
- While mixing, add in the oil by drizzling it in slowly, followed by the yogurt and milk.
- Using a spatula, fold in the flour until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- When cake comes out of the oven, allow it to cool for 20 minutes, then prepare your jello mix by stirring the jello powder into the boiling water until gelatin dissolves.
- Poke your cake all over with a wooden skewer or toothpick (holes should be about 2-3 cm apart) then pour the hot jello mix on top evenly. Cool completely, for about 1 hour.
- While cake is cooling, prepare your sweetened whipped cream by combining the whipping cream, icing sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium high speed with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form, about 2 -3 minutes.
- Spread the whipped topping evenly on the cake as thick as you'd like, then garnish with strawberries. Store in the cake until serving.
Notes
For more summer inspired dessert recipes:
Did you make this? Tag @everylittlecrumb or hashtag #everylittlecrumb and I’ll share your images!
Wy have I never had poke cake before?!! This sounds delicious and looks gorgeous, can’t wait to try this x
Thanks Michelle! The poke-d bits get a little more flavor and moistness . So good!
How beautiful!!! Love it! Such a fresh look and sure it’s got a taste just as fresh! Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks Michelle ! Appreciate the kind comment
Looks so delicious! I love Poke cakes – such a great and creative way to infuse different flavors into cakes. Delicious!
Thanks Natalie! Love your blog name 😊
What a pretty cake! Definitely agree this would be perfect for July 4th! On my list of treats to make for the barbeque for sure! Looks deliciously moist, easy and fast to make! Yep added to list!! 🙂
Glad to hear that Cathy! Hope you get around to making it and love it 😍
This cake looks amazing and I am sure it tastes just as delicious. I hope to give it a try sometime soon:-)
It’s so simple but such a hit! I really
hope you try it and love it thanks Lorraine!