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Strawberry Poke Cake from Scratch

This Strawberry Poke Cake from scratch is a moist vanilla cake with sweet strawberry gelatin, and creamy cool whip. It is a classic small batch dessert topped with fresh strawberries. This recipe has been revised, retested, and is highly improved to 5 star quality!

Make this yummy chilled dessert for an impressive romantic date night dinner or a small spring or summer get-together with a couple friends.

What is a poke cake? It is a cake that you poke holes in after baking. The holes are then filled with a liquid or other filling. This one is filled with instant strawberry gelatin dissolved in boiling water to infuse extra flavor into every bite.

Strawberry Poke Cake from Scratch on a plate.
Strawberry Poke Cake from Scratch

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How to make Easy Strawberry Jello Cake

Preheat the oven to 335 degrees F.

Line a 6-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Spray with non-stick spray and set aside. Click for a 6-inch square cake pan.

Combine the room-temperature milk, vegetable oil, almond, and vanilla extracts in a bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

Place the room-temperature butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and cream until smooth.

Sprinkle in the sugar and then mix on high with the paddle attachment until light and white, about 5 minutes. Click for a paddle attachment.

butter and sugar creamed together in kitchenaid mixing bowl with scraper paddle.

Add the egg whites, one at a time, to the butter mixture while mixing on low and let fully combine after each addition before adding the next. If your egg whites aren't at room temperature, they will curdle the batter.

Add in ⅓ of the flour mixture to the egg and butter mixture and mix on low until just combined.

Then add in ½ of the milk mixture, then ⅓ of the flour mixture, then the rest of the milk mixture, and then the rest of the flour mixture. Let mix until just combined.

cake batter mixed together in bowl.

Add the cake batter to the prepared cake pan.

cake batter in a cake pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center.

Remove from the oven and let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan.

cake baked in a pan.

While the cake is still warm, poke holes in the cake with the end of a wooden spoon about ½" apart. I did four rows with four holes each for this size pan.

cake with holes poked into it.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the very hot (or boiling water) and Jello mix. Whisk until fully combined.

strawberry jello and hot water mixed in a measuring cup with a whisk.

Pour Jello evenly over the warm cake, pouring slowly and evenly to cover the whole cake, which fills the holes.

Homemade Jello Cake in a 6 inch pan.
Homemade Jello Cake

Cover cake with foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until cooled.

When the cake is cooled, run a knife around the edges to loosen and remove from the pan. Discard the parchment paper.

Spread whipped topping evenly over the entire top of the cake and down the sides if desired.

Cut the cake into 4 pieces, serve, and enjoy!

a slice of Easy Homemade Strawberry Poke Cake with Jello with rest of cake still in the pan and a bowl of strawberries.
Easy Homemade Strawberry Poke Cake

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Homemade Strawberry Poke Cake on a plate.

Strawberry Poke Cake from Scratch Recipe

In this gorgeous and easy Homemade Strawberry Poke Cake, moist vanilla cake, sweet strawberry gelatin, and creamy cool whip come together to create a classic small batch dessert topped with fresh strawberries. This recipe has been revised, retested, and is highly improved!
4.67 from 6 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Chill 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 396 kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ cup milk (room temp)
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • teaspoon salt
  • 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter (room temp)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 large fresh egg whites (at room temp)
  • 3 Tablespoons packaged strawberry Jello mix
  • cup very hot water (or boiling)
  • ½ cup whipped topping

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 335 degrees F.
  • Line a 6-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Spray with non-stick spray and set aside.
  • Combine the room temperature milk, vegetable oil, almond and vanilla extracts in a bowl and set aside.
  • In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
  • Place the room temperature butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and cream until smooth. Sprinkle in the sugar and then mix on high with the paddle attachment until light and white, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the egg whites, one at a time, to the butter mixture while mixing on low and let fully combine after each addition before adding the next. If your egg whites aren't at room temperature, they will curdle the batter.
  • Add in ⅓ of the flour mixture to the egg and butter mixture and mix on low until just combined.
  • Then add in ½ of the milk mixture, then ⅓ of the flour mixture, then the rest of the milk mixture, and then the rest of the flour mixture. Let mix until just combined.
  • Add the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center.
  • Let cool 10 minutes in the pan.
  • While cake is still warm, poke holes in the cake with the end of a wooden spoon about ½" apart.
  • In a small mixing bowl, combine the very hot (or boiling water) and Jello mix. Whisk until fully combined.
  • Pour Jello evenly over the warm cake, pouring slowly and evenly to cover the whole cake, which fills the holes. Cover cake with foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until cooled.
  • When cake is cooled, run a knife around the edges to loosen and remove from the pan. Discard the parchment paper.
  • Spread whipped topping evenly over the entire top of the cake and down the sides if desired.
  • Slice the cake into 4 equal pieces and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 396kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 5gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 145mgPotassium: 179mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 33gVitamin A: 494IUCalcium: 85mgIron: 1mg
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Hi and welcome. I’m Zona and I have a passion for recipes. I share recipes, tips, tricks, and resources to help you cook for two. Eat, drink, and enjoy!

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a slice of Homemade Strawberry Poke Cake.
Homemade Strawberry Poke Cake
4.67 from 6 votes (6 ratings without comment)
Recipe Rating




Sher

Saturday 27th of April 2024

I am so having fun on your site. The kids are on their own and I keep making stuff for an army!

Bonnie

Friday 1st of July 2022

I just made this and used orange jello. Found recipe for an Orange Cream Poke Cake. Used your cake recipe. They use Vanilla Pudding, Jello and Whip for the frosting. The Grandkids loved it. They want to try other flavors.

Zona

Friday 1st of July 2022

Sounds delicious Bonnie, I love orange cream too!

BH

Friday 27th of August 2021

Do you use 1/8 c cold water or 1/4 c. Recipe says 1/8, directions say 1/4.

Betty

Sunday 13th of August 2023

@Zona, The recipe actually says 1/3 cup very hot water🤔

Zona

Friday 27th of August 2021

Hi BH, I'm very sorry for the confusion. The boiling water is 1/4 cup and the cold water is 1/8 cup. I edited the directions just now to correct it. Thank you!

Sharon K House

Wednesday 30th of May 2018

This recipe is a keeper! This will be one of our favorites during the heat of summer. It is light, cool and refreshing.

Zona

Wednesday 30th of May 2018

Thank you Sharon! We love it too!