Strawberry Poke Cake

This gorgeous strawberry poke cake is pure summer magic that will make everyone at your table smile! Kids and adults absolutely love how every single bite bursts with fresh strawberry flavor. The best part is how the sweet strawberry sauce soaks right into the tender cake, creating the most amazing texture you’ve ever tasted.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Prep Time: 25 minutes, Additional Time: 1 hour 25 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes, Serves: 18 people, Yield: 1 cake.

Nutrition Profile: Nut-Free, Low-Sodium, Soy-Free.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 277 Calories, 8g Fat, 47g Carbs, 6g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Baking spray with flour: This makes your life so much easier than greasing and flouring by hand! Look for brands like Pam for Baking or Baker’s Joy at the store.

Whole milk: You’ll need 1 cup, and it should be at room temperature if possible. The richness of whole milk makes this cake extra tender and delicious.

Unsalted butter: Just ½ cup that you’ll melt with the milk. Room temperature butter works best for easy melting.

All-purpose flour: You’ll need 3 cups, and make sure to sift it with the baking powder for the fluffiest cake ever!

Baking powder: 4 teaspoons is what gives this cake its perfect rise. Make sure yours is fresh for the best results.

Large eggs: 6 eggs at room temperature blend much better than cold ones. Just set them out about 30 minutes before you start baking.

Lemon extract: 1½ teaspoons adds the most amazing bright flavor that makes the strawberries pop even more!

Salt: Just ½ teaspoon to bring out all those sweet flavors. Don’t skip this little flavor booster!

Vanilla extract: You’ll use 1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon divided between the cake and strawberries. Pure vanilla extract tastes so much better than imitation.

Sugar: 2¼ cups total, divided between the cake batter and strawberries. Regular granulated sugar works perfectly here.

Fresh strawberries: 2½ pounds of the prettiest, ripest strawberries you can find! This is what makes the whole cake special, so choose the best ones.

Unflavored gelatin: One envelope helps thicken the strawberry sauce so your cake doesn’t get soggy. It’s like magic!

Fresh mint: 1 tablespoon chopped adds such a fresh, beautiful touch on top. Plus it makes the cake look so pretty!

Greek yogurt or whipped cream: For garnish if you want to make it extra special. Whole-milk vanilla Greek yogurt is my favorite!

How to Make Strawberry Poke Cake

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray your 13×9-inch baking pan with that flour baking spray. Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often until the butter melts completely. This takes about 4-5 minutes, then set it aside to cool slightly. Sift your flour and baking powder together in a medium bowl and set that aside too.

Step 2: In your stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, lemon extract, salt, and 1 tablespoon vanilla on medium speed for about 1 minute. Gradually add 2 cups of sugar, beating on medium speed until it’s all mixed in. Then increase to medium-high speed and beat until the mixture gets fluffy and lighter in color, about 2-3 more minutes.

Step 3: Slowly add that warm milk and butter mixture, beating on low speed until everything comes together. Remove the bowl from the mixer and place it on your counter. Using a spatula, gently fold in the flour mixture in 4 batches, being careful not to overmix. You can use a whisk at the end to make sure everything is evenly combined.

Step 4: Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.

Step 5: While the cake cools, trim your strawberries and cut them lengthwise into ¼-inch thick slices. Put them in a medium bowl and toss with the remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla and ¼ cup sugar. Let them sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour to get all juicy and sweet.

Step 6: Drain the strawberries and save those delicious juices! Set aside 3 cups of the prettiest sliced strawberries. Put the remaining strawberries, all those reserved juices, and the gelatin in your food processor or blender. Process until completely smooth, about 1 minute. You should have about 2 cups of gorgeous strawberry sauce!

Step 7: Here comes the fun part! Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes about ½ inch apart all over the surface of your cooled cake. Pour that beautiful strawberry sauce over the cake, letting it fill all those holes. Chill the cake for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Step 8: Arrange your reserved 3 cups of strawberry slices in pretty rows over the chilled cake. Sprinkle with the chopped fresh mint for that gorgeous finishing touch. Add dollops of Greek yogurt or whipped cream if you want to make it extra special, then serve and watch everyone’s faces light up!

Easy and Quick Strawberry Poke Cake Version

Want to save some time? You can absolutely use a box of white cake mix instead of making the cake from scratch! Just prepare it according to the package directions, bake it in your 13×9-inch pan, and then follow all the same steps for the strawberry sauce and topping. You’ll still get that amazing fresh strawberry flavor soaking into every bite, and nobody will ever guess you used a shortcut!

Serving Ideas

This strawberry poke cake is absolutely perfect for summer potlucks, birthday parties, or any time you want to impress your family and friends! It’s sweet enough to be a complete dessert all on its own. If you want to serve it with something extra, try a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a glass of cold milk for the kids.

Storage

You can keep this cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and honestly, it tastes even better the next day when all those flavors have had time to meld together! Just add the yogurt or whipped cream right before serving to keep everything looking fresh and pretty. The cake actually improves with time as the strawberry flavors get even more intense.

Substitutions

No lemon extract? No problem! You can use an extra ½ teaspoon of vanilla instead. If you can’t find unflavored gelatin, you can skip it, but your cake might be a little more moist. You can swap the Greek yogurt for regular whipped cream, or even try cream cheese frosting if you want something richer. Fresh mint not available? A little lemon zest sprinkled on top is absolutely beautiful too!

Pro Tips

• Room Temperature Ingredients: Let your eggs and butter come to room temperature for the best mixing and texture. Cold ingredients don’t blend as well!
• Don’t Overmix: Once you add the flour, mix just until combined. Overmixing makes tough cake, and we want this super tender.
• Pick Perfect Berries: Choose strawberries that are bright red and smell sweet. They should give slightly when you press them but not be mushy.
• Make It Pretty: Arrange your strawberry slices in neat rows for the most gorgeous presentation. Take a picture before you serve it!
• Chill Time Matters: Don’t skip the chilling time! This lets the strawberry sauce really soak in and set up properly.

FAQs

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

You bet! This cake is actually perfect for making ahead. You can make it up to a day in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Just wait to add the yogurt or whipped cream until right before you serve it. The flavors get even better overnight!

What if I don’t have a stand mixer?

No worries at all! You can absolutely make this with a hand mixer. Just be patient and beat the eggs and sugar a little longer to get them nice and fluffy. It might take an extra minute or two, but you’ll get the same delicious results.

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Sure! Thaw them completely first and drain off any extra liquid before you start. Frozen berries work great for the sauce part, but for the pretty topping, fresh strawberries will look much better and have better texture.

How do I know when the cake is done baking?

The top should be golden brown and spring back lightly when you touch it. But the best test is sticking a wooden toothpick or cake tester right in the center – it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If there’s wet batter on it, give it a few more minutes!

What size holes should I poke in the cake?

Use the handle end of a wooden spoon to make holes about the width of a pencil. You want them deep enough to go most of the way through the cake, but not so big that they make the cake fall apart. Space them about ½ inch apart all over the surface.

I’d love to hear how your strawberry poke cake turns out! Drop a comment below and let me know if your family loved it as much as mine does. Happy baking, friends!