STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE POKE CAKE

What’s better than cake?  How about cake that’s super easy to make?  I think that’s why I’m so drawn to poke cakes, they’re just so easy.  I remember having my first poke cake as a teenager and it’s been love ever since.  I’ve taken cake decorating classes and I’ve made really complicated cakes before.  I think I’ve proven to myself I can do it, so I’m just all about making easy cakes now.  After all, it’s just going to get eaten right?

Poke cakes aren’t just easy, they’re also messy, sloppy, and delicious.  This Strawberry Shortcake Poke Cake is perfect for hot summer days when the strawberries are ripe.  It’s strawberry shortcake in a pan!

After the cake is baked and cooled slightly I use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes, anything similar sized will work.

You can certainly buy frozen strawberries in syrup for this recipe, but it’s so easy to make your own topping out of fresh strawberries.  Just slice them up – I use this strawberry slicer and it’s awesome – and add a little sugar and jelly, and that’s it!  It tastes so yummy, and you could use this strawberry topping for anything.

How easy is that?  Cover the cake and let it chill in the refrigerator for a few hours.  There may have been a few times we tore into it before we let it chill.  Either way it’s strawberry goodness, but the cake honestly tastes better cold!

Print Recipe

Strawberry Shortcake Poke Cake

Ingredients

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 1/4 cups half and half
• 1 tbs vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup strawberry syrup (use pancake or ice cream syrup)
• 1 (8 oz) container whipped topping, thawed
• 3 cups fresh whole strawberries, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup strawberry jam
• 2 tbs sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° and spray a 9x13 inch pan with baking spray.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, half-and-half, oil, and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then at medium speed 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.  
• Pour into pan and bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 20 minutes.  
• Poke cake every inch with tines of meat fork or the end of a mixing spoon.  Pour syrup slowly over cake, allowing syrup to fill holes in the cake.
• Cool completely, about 35 minutes. Spread whipped topping over cake.  
• In medium bowl, gently mix strawberries, jam, and sugar.  Refridgerate cake and strawberry mixture separately until ready to serve.
• Add the strawberry mixture to the top of the cake just before serving.

Still have a strawberry craving?  Try my strawberry shortcake chips and dip.

Shop some of my favorite kitchen favorites below!