Strawberry Poke Cake
A truly delicious and flavorful poke cake recipe featuring a strawberry cake base, drenched in sweetened condensed milk, topped with real strawberries, and finished with whipped cream. Also called Strawberry Delight, this recipe is easy peasy, tested 9+ times by Sophie.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 95
- Total Time: 110
- Yield: 24 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake, Assemble
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
15.25 oz. Strawberry Cake and ingredients to make cake as box instructions say
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
16 oz. unsweetened frozen whole strawberries thawed
8 oz. Cool Whip Topping thawed
Instructions
1. Bake cake according to package directions. You can use any Strawberry cake mix – Duncan Hines, Pillsbury and Betty Crocker all have Strawberry Cake Mixes.
2. Once cake is fully cooked, let stand on counter 10 minutes to slightly cool down before next steps.
3. Time to make the holes! Use a wooden handle spoon to poke little holes into the warm cake. A wooden spoon handle tends to work the best and is the perfect size.
4. Pour sweetened condensed milk onto the top layer of cake, focusing on filling the holes with the sweet milk. Do best to cover the entire cake.
5. The milk should soak into the cake.
6. Let stand until cake is room temperature before going on to next step.
7. Pour thawed strawberries over cake, including any strawberry juice from bag.
8. Top poke cake with whipped topping and serve. For a presentation that is more attractive, use a piping bag and frosting tip to make little stars on the cake. You can also do dollops with a spoon or use a can of spray whipped cream for ease.
9. Keep cake refrigerated and covered if not serving.
10. Makes 24 slices.
Notes
What can you use to poke a cake?
Aside from a wooden handle, a fork can also do the job. Just poke much closer and more often than the large deep holes that a handle provides. As long as the liquid can get inside the cake, it works! We recommend a wooden spoon handle for optimal holes.
How to freeze a poke cake?
I am not a huge fan of freezing cake personally, but if you want to freeze any cake leftovers, follow the method I use for most bread recipes. Cool the cake completely. There cannot be any heat left, so be patient until you have a chilled cake. Wrap in plastic wrap twice and then wrap one more time in aluminum foil. Add cake to an airtight container or freezer bag, label, and place in the freezer for up to 2 months.