Strawberry Poke Cake

Strawberry Jello Poke Cake ~ Quick & Easy, But Impressive for Guests! This cake Starts with a box mix and is topped with strawberry Jell-O, vanilla pudding and Cool Whip! Jello Poke Cake is the Perfect Comfort Food Dessert. It’s a quick and easy dessert recipe that is perfect for entertaining guests.

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A piece of Strawberry Poke Cake on Plate

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An Impressive Jello Poke Cake Recipe!

I’ve been thinking I should make this recipe for awhile but I’ve never got around to it. It’s a frequent visitor at meals when I go to other people’s houses. So I made a phone call to my hubby’s stepmom one Sunday morning and requested the recipe.

I needed something simple and fast to make for a dessert and this fit the bill. My mom had hemmed a pair of jeans for the hubby and decided that for her “pay” she wanted to come over for Creamy Chicken Enchiladas. This is the one recipe she refuses to make saying that it’s my “treat” recipe when she’s craving it. I was thinking about making Strawberry Pretzel for dessert, but opt’d instead for this Jello Poke Cake

What is a Poke Cake?

It’s a cake that you poke holes in after baking it. Then those holes get filled with a liquid or filling. Popular items to fill the cake with are condensed milk like in this Gooey Cinnamon Carrot Poke Cake or pureed fruit, chocolate cream or pudding like this Strawberry Jello Poke Cake!

Why is poke cake soggy?

Making your holes in the poke cake to close together can cause the cake to be soggy.

Ingredients for Strawberry Poke Cake with Jello

box white cake mix
strawberry jello mix
instant vanilla pudding
cool whip
milk

Easy stuff right? This is so easy to make I know you’ll love this recipe!

How to Make Strawberry Jello Poke Cake

Following the directions on the box, bake the cake.
When the cake is done baking, poke holes in it with a the handle end of a wooden spoon, place in the fridge to chill.
Prepare Jell-O with 1 c. boiling water and 1/2 c. cold water. Mix until jello mix is dissolved. Pour over the cake and refrigerate.
Prepare the vanilla pudding mixture. Mix vanilla pudding with milk. Let it sit until soft set.
Smooth over the top of your Vanilla Poke Cake. Top with the cool whip.

How do you make a hole in a poke cake?

To make the perfect sized holes in your poke cake use a handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes through the cake. Make the holes about 1’’ apart.

Does Strawberry Jello Cake Need to Be Refrigerated?

Yes! You’ll refrigerate it to get the Jello to set up in the cake and then after that it will need to be refrigerated since there is cool whip on it and you won’t want that to spoil. That is, if there’s any leftovers!

How long does a poke cake have to be refrigerated?

Yes, the Cool Whip layer and vanilla pudding layer need to be refrigerated so the entire cake will need to be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Strawberry Poke Cake Recipe FAQs

This Poke Cake is really pretty easy to make. You essentially just take a box cake mix and add a little bit to it. You don’t even have to make your own frosting.

I’ve listed some tips and tricks below to make this cake. If you have any additional questions make sure to comment below and we will do the best to answer them!

Can I Change the Flavor of This Cake?

Yes! You can really use any flavor of Jello that you want to mix things up. We love it with orange too!

Do I have to use a white box cake mix?

No, you could also use a white cake mix or a strawberry cake mix to up the strawberry flavor. These two cake mixes are great options in this easy poke cake recipe.

Where did poke cakes originate?

The poke cake originated in the 1970s when Jell-O published a print advertisement to increase sales of their product. This advertisement showed this dessert as a way to combine convenience foods including cake mix, Jell-O and Cool Whip as an easy dessert.

Can you freeze Jello Poke Cake?

Yes! You’ll want to do this after adding the jello and before the vanilla pudding and cool whip layer. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap before freezing it will last one month.

Then defrost it and finish making the cake!

How can I thaw a frozen poke cake?

Place the cake in the refrigerator and allow to thaw overnight. After it has thawed add the vanilla pudding layer and Cool Whip to the top of the cake.

More Poke Cake Recipes!

White Chocolate Gingerbread Poke Cake – Delicious, Moist Gingerbread Cake Layered with White Chocolate Pudding and Cool Whip!
Gooey Cinnamon Carrot Poke Cake – Amazingly Moist Cake Stuffed with Carrots, Coconut, Pineapple, Topped with a Buttermilk Glaze and Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting!
Pineapple Cake – an easy cake mix cake doctored with pineapple juice, crushed pineapples, and a fluffy white topping with coconut!
Oreo Poke Cake – chocolate cake topped with Oreo pudding, Cool Whip and crushed cookies!
Christmas dessert doesn’t get any more quick and easy than this Christmas Poke Cake!

Honestly what’s not to love about a poke cake? This cake is easy to make because it comes from a box and topped with light airy toppings, Strawberry Jello Poke Cake is the ultimate comfort food dessert! And if you end up loving this recipe, then give these Strawberry Brownies or Strawberry Pie Bars a try next.

More Recipes to Try

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

4.78 from 88 votes

Strawberry Jello Poke Cake

Vanilla Poke Cake – Quick & Easy, But Impressive for Guests! This Light Cake Starts with a Box Mix and is Topped with Strawberry Jell-O, Vanilla Pudding and Cool Whip! Strawberry Jello Poke Cake is the Perfect Comfort Food Dessert!

Prep:25

Cook:30

Total:55

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servings

Ingredients

▢ 1 16.25 oz box white cake mix (prepare with ingredients on box)
▢ 1 box .3 oz strawberry jello mix sugar-free
▢ 1 ox box instant vanilla pudding mix sugar free
▢ 1 container 8 oz cool whip
▢ 1 1/2 c. water
▢ 2 c. milk

Instructions

Prepare your cake as it calls for on the box. When the cake is done baking poke holes in the cake with a the handle end of a wooden spoon. Place in the fridge to chill for 3-4 hours.
Prepare Jell-O with 1 c. boiling water and 1/2 c. cold water. Mix together until jello mix is dissolved. Pour over the cake. This will seem like a lot of liquid but the cake will absorb it and it won’t become mush.
Place the cake in the fridge while you prepare the vanilla pudding mixture. Mix the vanilla pudding with 2 c. milk. Let it sit until soft set. Smooth over the top of your cake. Top with the cool whip.

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Nutrition Information

Serving: 1, Calories: 226kcal (11%), Carbohydrates: 44g (15%), Protein: 3g (6%), Fat: 3g (5%), Saturated Fat: 2g (13%), Cholesterol: 7mg (2%), Sodium: 644mg (28%), Potassium: 96mg (3%), Sugar: 21g (23%), Vitamin A: 105IU (2%), Calcium: 150mg (15%), Iron: 0.8mg (4%)

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.