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Strawberry Poke Cake

Experience the irresistible flavors of moist strawberry cake, strawberry pie filling and creamy whipped topping in every slice of this easy and luscious Strawberry Poke Cake!

TAKE YOUR ORDINARY POKE CAKE UP A NOTCH

You guys know how much I love poke cakes. I’ve made so many different versions for so many years, my friends call me the poke cake queen – ha! And this latest Strawberry Poke Cake does NOT disappoint either! It’s so simple and may look like your average poke cake, but the strawberry pie filling totally sets this poke cake up to a whole new level. There is sooo much strawberry flavor oozing from this cake, both figuratively and literally. This cake is flat-out insane!!

A plate with a serving of Strawberry Poke cake and a fork in front with a bite of it.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I use a different cake mix?

Certainly! If you aren’t ready for all the overload of fantastic strawberry flavor and want to dial it back just a bit, go ahead and trade the strawberry cake mix out for a white cake mix or a vanilla cake mix in its place.

How far should I space the holes?

I know it can be tempting to just go crazy and poke holes everywhere. But, try to be strategic about it and poke in rows. This makes cutting the cake easier too, so you don’t start cutting through the holes and making a big mess. I aim to have the holes be about 2-inches apart.

What other flavor combinations can I use with this?

If you haven’t done so, take a second and search for poke cake in the search bar of my site. You’ll see an insane amount of poke cake recipe combinations. Oreo Poke Cake, Boston Cream, and Carrot, to name just a few. But I think using this recipe with the strawberry pie filling with a chocolate cake would be amazing – hello chocolate covered strawberry vibes!

Do I have to chill the cake a second time?

I prefer to do so. It gives the strawberry pie filling some time to chill and set up with the rest of the cake. But, if you’re in a pinch for time, this is an optional step and you can just serve once you’ve added the filling and whipped topping. It will still taste fantastic!

What other toppings can I add?

While I love the cake just the way it is, you can add some finely diced strawberries on top of the whipped topping. Maybe try some chocolate shavings or sprinkles to bring some more texture to the dessert.

How to store leftovers?

When you aren’t serving this cake, you need to refrigerate it. The Cool Whip will start to lose texture and will become watery, so always refrigerate this cake when you aren’t serving it. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Additionally, you can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.

A slice of homemade strawberry poke cake sitting on a white plate.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

  • strawberry cake mix, plus ingredients needed to make cake: eggs, oil and water
  • strawberry Jell-O 
  • boiling water
  • cold water
  • strawberry pie filling
  • whipped topping
Strawberry Cake mix, egg, vegetable oil, cool whip, strawberry pie filling, strawberry jell-o mix, and water.

HOW TO MAKE A STRAWBERRY POKE CAKE

Prepare the strawberry cake mix per the directions on the back of the box. Once it is done baking, place it on the counter and let it cool for 5 minutes.

A strawberry cake in a baking dish.

Take a spoon or utensil with a wooden handle and poke holes into the cake all over about 2 inches apart.

Strawberry cake with holes poked in it.

Add the strawberry jello and boiling water to a large, heatproof bowl and whisk until the gelatin is dissolved. 

Strawberry jello mix in a bowl with water.

Add the cold water to the bowl and whisk to combine.

Whisk in a bowl of red gelatin.

Pour the jello all over the cake, focusing on the holes the most. Place the cake into the fridge for 2 hours. 

A strawberry cake with holes in it and jello poured in.

Carefully spread the strawberry pie filling over the cake. There are big chunks of strawberries in the filling, so try and space them out so you get some on each slice.

Strawberry pie filling on top of a cake in a baking dish.

Spread the whipped topping on top of the cake and place in the fridge for at least another hour to chill.

Whipped topping on a cake in a baking dish.

Then slice and serve.

A fork standing in a slice of strawberry poke cake.

CRAVING MORE RECIPES?

Close up looking at a single serving of strawberry poke cake with a strawberry on top.

Strawberry Poke Cake

If you like Poke Cakes, this Strawberry Poke Cake will be right up your alley. Made with only a few ingredients, this cake has tons of flavor!
5 from 11 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Chill Time: 3 hours
Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 15.25 ounce box strawberry cake mix plus ingredients needed to make cake: eggs, oil and water
  • 3 ounces box strawberry Jell-O
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • ½ cup cold water
  • 21 ounce can strawberry pie filling
  • 8 ounce tub whipped topping Cool Whip

Instructions

  • Prepare the strawberry cake mix per the directions on the back of the box. Once it is done baking, place it on the counter and let it cool for 5 minutes.
  • Take a spoon or utensil with a wooden handle and poke holes into the cake all over about 2 inches apart.
  • Add the strawberry jello and boiling water to a large, heatproof bowl and whisk until the gelatin is dissolved.
  • Add the cold water to the bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Pour the jello all over the cake, focusing on the holes the most. Place the cake into the fridge for 2 hours.
  • Carefully spread the strawberry pie filling over the cake. There are big chunks of strawberries in the filling, so try and space them out so you get some on each slice.
  • Spread the whipped topping on top of the cake and place in the fridge for at least another hour to chill, then slice and serve.

Notes

  • I like to chill this cake a second time so the strawberry pie filling gets cold with the cake, but this is an optional step, you can serve it immediately after adding the cool whip.
  • Be mindful of the hole spacing when poking the holes on your cake. 
  • This would work with almost any flavor combination. Strawberry Pie filling with a chocolate cake??
  • Keeps in the fridge covered for up to 1 week. Freeze for up to 3 months.
  • You can change the cake mix to a vanilla or yellow cake mix if the strawberry cake mix on top of the other strawberry ingredients is just too much for you.
  • Please keep in mind that the required eggs, water, and oil will vary from cake mix to cake mix. These ingredients were not factored into the nutritional information. 
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 303mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Recipe Rating




4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This cake is beatiful and very delicious. Fun to make. I topped the cool whip with more fresh strawberries.