Easy Strawberry Poke Cake: Summer’s Favorite Dessert!

Strawberry Poke Cake is my favorite cake to serve when the weather gets warm! My MawMaw’s Strawberry Poke Cake is moist, fluffy, and full of sweet, strawberry flavor. Finish it off with whipped topping and fresh strawberries for a perfect mix of rich and refreshing! It’s creamy and full of strawberry deliciousness.

Strawberry Poke Cake

My MawMaw Light made the BEST Strawberry Poke Cake, and it’s so easy. This is her recipe!

I am perfectly aware that almost everyone has a Strawberry Poke Cake recipe.

It’s probably the most popular flavor out of all the poke cake recipes (and there’s a lot of them!). But this one, my friends, is my grandma’s recipe, so that means it’s the best!

MawMaw Light was a great cook, but she was an even better baker. If she offered you a piece of cake, well honey—you better be prepared to eat, because she’d slice half that cake and plop it on your plate!

I have no problem eating half this cake. At all. It is SO good! If only my metabolism would keep up—eating half a cake was so much simpler when I was 12!

Not only is this super yummy, but it’s also super easy to make.

What Is Strawberry Poke Cake?

Strawberry poke cake is a sweet, delicious dessert that’s as simple as it is pretty!

It starts with a basic white or yellow cake. After baking, you poke holes all over it using a fork or the handle of a wooden spoon (I normally use a fork, but some like bigger holes—you choose!).

Next, you pour strawberry-flavored Jello over the cake, letting it seep into the holes.

This makes the cake super moist and loads it up with even more strawberry flavor!

Then you spread whipped topping over the cake, making it light and creamy. To finish, top with some fresh strawberries.

Love Strawberries? You’ll also enjoy my Strawberry Upside Down Cake and Strawberry Pie!

Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Poke Cake Recipe

• Perfect Summer Dessert: This easy strawberry poke cake recipe is just what you need when the weather warms up. It’s cool, refreshing, and packed with sweet strawberry goodness. Serve it at family gatherings, BBQs, or just because—it’ll be the talk of the table!
• Simple Ingredients: It’s super simple to whip up this delicious cake. All you need is a white cake mix, strawberry gelatin, some boiling water, and a tub of Cool Whip.
• Easy to Make: Using a box cake mix makes this dessert a breeze. Just bake the cake, poke holes, and pour in the prepared strawberry Jell-O. It’s as simple as “poke, pour, and chill”!
• Light and Fluffy: With a layer of whipped topping spread across the top of the cake, every bite is soft and creamy. It’s a dessert that feels light but it’ll surely satisfy your sweet tooth every time!
• Make-Ahead Friendly: Letting the cake chill in the fridge for a couple of hours or even overnight lets those flavors soak in perfectly. It’s even better the next day!

More Desserts to Love

• Red Velvet Cookie Cake
• Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
• Whoopie Pies
• Gooey Butter Cake
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients for Strawberry Poke Cake

• White Cake Mix:  Using a store-bought cake mix is easy, convenient, and gives you the perfect texture for this poke cake.
• Strawberry Jell-O: The strawberry-flavored gelatin soaks into the cake, adding sweet, fruity strawberry flavor.
• Boiling Water: You’ll need this to dissolve the strawberry gelatin.
• Cold Water: After dissolving the Jell-O, the cold water helps cool it down a bit so it’s ready to pour over the cake.
• Cool Whip: This creamy whipped topping goes on top of the cake once it’s chilled. It’s light, fluffy, and the perfect contrast to the sweet, moist cake underneath. You can’t skip it!
• Fresh Sliced Strawberries (optional): I always top it with some fresh strawberries. They make the cake look pretty, and who doesn’t love fresh strawberries?

How to Make Strawberry Poke Cake

1. Prepare the Cake: Start by making your white cake mix. Follow the package directions to pour the batter into a 9×13 cake pan. Bake it up just right, then let the baked cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.
2. Poke the Holes: Once the cake is warm but not too hot, it’s time to poke holes. Use a fork or the handle of a wooden spoon to make smaller holes all over the top of the cake, about ½ inch apart.
3. Mix the Jell-O: In a medium bowl, dissolve the strawberry Jell-O in boiling water. Stir it until it’s smooth, then add the cold water to cool it down a little bit.
4. Pour and Chill: Carefully spoon the Jell-O mixture over the top of the cake, letting it soak down into the holes. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and pop it into the fridge for a couple of hours (3-4 is best) to let it set up.
5. Frost the Cake: Once the cake is chilled, spread a tub of Cool Whip evenly over the top of the cake. This creamy whipped topping is my son’s favorite part!
6. Add Fresh Strawberries (Optional): Garnish with fresh strawberries on top. They make the cake look fancy and taste even better.
7. Serve and Enjoy: Slice it up and serve!

Frequently Asked Questions

If a poke cake is new to you, then you might have some questions. Well, I’ve got answers!

What’s the Best Way to Poke Holes in a Cake?

An easy way to poke holes in a cake is to use a fork or the end of a wooden spoon. A wooden spoon makes big holes and a fork makes smaller holes.

Both methods help get the strawberry Jell-O to soak in. Just make sure your cake is cool before you start poking!

Why Is My Poke Cake Soggy?

If your Jell-O cake is soggy, you might’ve added too much liquid or poured the Jello while the cake batter was still warm.

A room temperature cake absorbs the liquid better, so be sure to let it cool completely before adding the Jell-O.

Does a Poke Cake Need to Be Refrigerated?

Yes, a poke cake does need to be kept in the fridge. Cover the cake with aluminum foil or plastic wrap before putting it in the fridge.

A cold cake also tastes even better, especially when it’s a strawberry Jell-O poke cake recipe!

How Long Can Poke Cake Be Unrefrigerated?

A poke cake shouldn’t be left out for more than 2 hours. If you’re serving this easy dessert recipe at a party, keep an eye on it or pop it back in the fridge after serving.

How to Store Cake

To store your strawberry poke cake, cover it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge. This helps it stay fresh and keeps the flavors just right.

It’ll stay good for about 3-4 days, but I reckon it’ll be gone long before then!

Print Pin

Strawberry Poke Cake

Ingredients

• 1 package white cake mix
• 1 package strawberry jello 3oz
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 large tub Cool Whip
• fresh sliced strawberries to garnish optional

Instructions

• Prepare and bake cake mix as directed on the back of the package as directed for a 9x13 pan. Cool in pan for 15 minutes then prick with a fork at 1/2 inch intervals.
• Dissolve the gelatin boiling water. Add cold water and spoon over the cake in pan. Chill for 3-4 hours. Frost with Cool Whip. Refrigerate. Serve pieces with fresh sliced strawberries if desired.