If you’ve ever enjoyed those delightful strawberry shortcake ice cream bars, then get ready to fall in love with our strawberry crunch poke cake. Inspired by the classic dessert, this cake combines the goodness of strawberry flavor with a delightful crunch. Starting with a boxed cake mix infused with strawberry essence, topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting, and finished off with a strawberry-and-cookie topping, it’s the ultimate summer treat.
Never heard of poke cakes? Well, now’s your chance to discover the magic of one of the easiest and most delicious desserts ever. It all begins with a cake mix (simple, right?), and once the cake is cool, the fun part begins—adding your flavors. Using a bamboo skewer or chopstick, poke holes all over the cake, but don’t go all the way down to the bottom of the pan to keep the flavor inside the cake.
Next, add your filling. For our dessert, we’re using strawberry Jell-O. Simply heat up water, mix in the Jell-O powder, and pour it into the holes. Let the cake chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. This soaking time ensures pretty white and pink swirls when you slice into the cake.
We love pairing this dessert with cream cheese frosting, but if you prefer less sweetness, you can opt for whipped cream instead. Then comes the crunch, made from vanilla sandwich cookies like Golden Oreos. Just grind them up in a food processor or crush them in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin. Mix with strawberry Jell-O powder for a lovely pink hue and a burst of nostalgic berry flavor.
Now, let’s gather our ingredients and bake up some deliciousness:
Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 box 15.25 ounces white cake mix, plus ingredients listed on the box
- 1 box 3 ounces strawberry Jell-O
For the frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 block 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar about 75 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
For the topping:
- 24 vanilla sandwich cookies such as Golden Oreos
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (1/2 stick)
- 1 box 3 ounces strawberry Jell-O
- Fresh strawberries halved lengthwise, for serving
Instructions
For the cake:
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13″x9″ baking pan with cooking spray and prepare the cake according to the package directions.
- Step 2: Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Allow it to cool.
- Step 3: Using a bamboo skewer or chopstick, poke holes all over the cake, spacing them 1/2″ to 1″ apart.
- Step 4: In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil. Add the Jell-O powder and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat, whisk in 1/2 cup of cold water, and pour the gelatin mixture evenly over the holes in the cake. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
For the frosting:
- Step 1: In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
- Step 2: In another large bowl, use the handheld mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, and beat until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream until just combined. Spread the frosting over the top of the cake, reserving some for topping if desired.
For the topping:
- Step 1: In a food processor, pulse the cookies to pea-sized crumbs, then transfer them to a medium bowl. Pour the melted butter over the crumbs, sprinkle with Jell-O powder, and stir to combine.
- Step 2: Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the frosting, then lightly press down on the crumbs to adhere.
- Step 3: Dollop or pipe the reserved frosting over the crumbs if using, and top with halved strawberries.
- There you have it! A delightful strawberry crunch poke cake ready to be enjoyed.