This Strawberry Jell-O Poke Cake is a nostalgic, crowd-pleasing dessert that practically screams summertime. Starting with a convenient boxed cake mix, it is transformed into an incredibly moist, flavor-packed treat by infusing it with bright, fruity strawberry gelatin.
Topped with a fluffy white frosting and crowned with fresh strawberries, every slice reveals beautiful red stripes inside. It is the ultimate refreshing make-ahead dessert for potlucks, barbecues, and family gatherings.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: A delightful combination of sweet vanilla cake, vibrant and fruity strawberry gelatin, and a light, creamy vanilla frosting.
- Texture: The Jell-O seeps into the cake, creating a dense, incredibly moist, and almost pudding-like crumb that melts in your mouth, contrasted by the airy frosting.
- Time: 15 minutes prep, 30 minutes bake time, 1 hour+ chilling time.
- Difficulty: Very Easy. It utilizes boxed mixes for a foolproof, family-friendly baking project.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a standard 13×9-inch baking pan and mixing bowls for the batter and the gelatin. A wooden spoon (specifically the handle end) or a large fork is essential for poking the holes in the cake. The ingredients rely heavily on convenient pantry shortcuts: a box of white cake mix, a box of Jell-O, and a tub of pre-made frosting.
Ingredient Notes
- White Cake Mix – A 15.25 oz box of Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ White Cake Mix (or your preferred brand) acts as a blank canvas. Using a white cake ensures the bright red strawberry gelatin really pops visually.
- Cake Mix Add-ins – You will need the water, vegetable oil, and egg whites called for on the back of your specific cake mix box to prepare the batter. Using egg whites instead of whole eggs keeps the cake bright white.
- Strawberry Jell-O – One small box (3-ounce / 4-serving size) of strawberry-flavored gelatin. This is the secret to the cake’s signature moisture and fruity ribbons.
- Boiling Water – You need exactly 1 cup of boiling water to properly dissolve the gelatin crystals so they seep into the cake smoothly.
- Whipped Fluffy White Frosting – A 12 oz tub of Betty Crocker™ Whipped Fluffy White Frosting is perfect because it’s lighter and airier than standard buttercream, complementing the chilled cake beautifully.
- Fresh Strawberries – Sliced in half, these provide a beautiful, fresh garnish for every slice.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Frosting – If you prefer a less sweet topping, substitute the tub of frosting with an 8 oz tub of thawed whipped topping (like Cool Whip) or homemade stabilized whipped cream.
- Flavors – You can easily switch the flavor profile! Try a lemon cake mix with raspberry Jell-O, or a yellow cake mix with orange Jell-O for a creamsicle vibe.
- Sugar-Free – To lighten the recipe, you can use a sugar-free cake mix, sugar-free gelatin, and a sugar-free whipped topping.
How to Make Strawberry Jell-O Poke Cake
- Prep: Heat your oven to 350°F (or 325°F if using a dark or nonstick pan). Spray the bottom of a 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray.
- Bake the Cake: Prepare the cake mix in a large bowl according to the package directions, using the specific amounts of water, oil, and egg whites listed on your box. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Cool Slightly: Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake as directed on the box for a 13×9-inch pan, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it cool in the pan for exactly 20 minutes.
- Dissolve Gelatin: While the cake is cooling, place the strawberry gelatin powder in a medium bowl and pour 1 cup of boiling water over it. Whisk continuously until the gelatin is fully dissolved (about 2 minutes). Do not add cold water.
- Poke Holes: After the cake has cooled for 20 minutes (it should still be warm), use the round handle of a wooden spoon or the tines of a large fork to poke holes every inch across the entire surface of the cake. Only poke about halfway down into the cake.
- Pour Jell-O: Carefully and slowly pour the liquid strawberry gelatin evenly over the top of the poked cake, making sure it runs down into the holes.
- Chill: Let the cake cool completely on a cooling rack, which will take about 1 hour. (You can also pop it in the fridge to speed this up and set the Jell-O).
- Frost: Stir the frosting in its container before using to help fluff it up and make it easier to spread. Drop spoonfuls of frosting all over the cooled cake. Then, using an icing spatula, gently spread the frosting into an even layer.
- Garnish and Serve: Cut the cake into 12 squares (4 rows by 3 rows). Garnish each piece with half a fresh strawberry.
Pro Tip: When poking the holes, do not poke all the way to the bottom of the pan! If you poke too deep, all the liquid gelatin will pool at the bottom of the pan, making the base soggy rather than creating those beautiful, evenly distributed flavor stripes throughout the middle of the cake.
Recipe Tips
- Wait to Frost: It is absolutely crucial that the cake is 100% cool before you add the frosting. If the cake is even slightly warm, the frosting will melt and slide right off.
- Spoon Handle Size: The handle of a wooden spoon creates the perfect sized holes to allow the Jell-O to pool and soak in nicely. If you only have a fork, wiggle it a bit to widen the holes slightly.
- Pouring Technique: Use a measuring cup with a spout to pour the Jell-O mixture over the cake. It gives you much more control than pouring straight from a mixing bowl.
FAQs
- Does this cake need to be refrigerated? Yes. Because it contains gelatin and is incredibly moist, you must store it loosely covered in the refrigerator.
- Can I use a different size pan? You can use two 8-inch or 9-inch round pans, but a 13×9-inch pan is the traditional and easiest vessel for a poke cake, as it stays in the pan for serving.
- Why did my cake get mushy? Make sure you only use the 1 cup of boiling water for the Jell-O, skipping the cold water step usually required on the Jell-O box. Adding too much liquid will make the cake soggy.
Serving Suggestions
- Ice Cream: Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean or strawberry ice cream on the side.
- Summer BBQs: This is the perfect refreshing dessert to serve after a heavy meal of burgers, hot dogs, or ribs.
- Berries: Add a handful of fresh blueberries alongside the strawberries for a patriotic, 4th of July themed dessert!
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Overnight Magic: This cake is actually better when made a day in advance! Letting it sit in the fridge overnight allows the Jell-O to fully set and the flavors to meld into the cake crumb.
- Garnishing: If making ahead, wait to place the fresh strawberry halves on top until right before serving, as they can bleed juices into the white frosting over time.
Strawberry Jell-O Poke Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 Servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Strawberry Jell-O Poke Cake is a nostalgic, crowd-pleasing dessert that practically screams summertime. Starting with a convenient boxed cake mix, it is transformed into an incredibly moist, flavor-packed treat by infusing it with bright, fruity strawberry gelatin. Topped with a fluffy white frosting and crowned with fresh strawberries, every slice reveals beautiful red stripes inside. It is the ultimate refreshing make-ahead dessert for potlucks, barbecues, and family gatherings.
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 oz) Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ White Cake Mix
- Water, vegetable oil, and egg whites (as called for on the cake mix box)
- 1 box (3 oz / 4-serving size) Strawberry-flavored gelatin
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 tub (12 oz) Betty Crocker™ Whipped Fluffy White Frosting
- 12 fresh strawberries, cut in half for garnish
Instructions
Bake the Cake
Preheat your oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark/nonstick pans). Prepare the cake batter according to the package directions using the water, oil, and egg whites. Pour into a greased 13×9-inch pan and bake as directed until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool Slightly
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for exactly 20 minutes.
Prepare Gelatin
While the cake cools, whisk the strawberry gelatin powder with 1 cup of boiling water for 2 minutes until fully dissolved. Note: Do not add the cold water mentioned on the Jell-O box.
Poke
Use the round handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes across the surface of the cake about every inch. Crucial: Only poke about halfway down. Do not poke to the bottom of the pan to prevent the Jell-O from pooling and making the base soggy.
Infuse
Slowly pour the warm liquid gelatin over the cake, ensuring it fills the holes.
Chill
Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour until completely cool and the gelatin has set.
Frost
Spread the whipped white frosting over the cooled cake in an even layer.
Garnish
Cut into 12 squares and top each piece with a fresh strawberry half right before serving.
Notes
The “Wait” Rule: Never frost a warm poke cake. If the cake hasn’t cooled 100%, the frosting will melt and become a runny mess.
Overnight Magic: This cake actually tastes better on day two! Making it 24 hours in advance allows the gelatin to fully saturate the crumb for a pudding-like texture.
Clean Slices: For the most beautiful red stripes, wipe your knife clean between every cut.
Garnish Timing: Wait to add the fresh strawberries until serving; otherwise, the fruit juices may bleed into the white frosting while sitting in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking / Infusing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Square
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 34g
- Sodium: 290mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: strawberry poke cake, jello cake recipe, easy summer desserts, potluck cake ideas, betty crocker cake mix recipes, refreshing strawberry dessert, 4th of july cake
