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Strawberry Jello Poke Cake

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Comments 10
Updated:February 19, 2022
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This Strawberry Jello Poke Cake is super moist, flavorful and so easy to make using my white doctored cake mix recipe! With its pretty marbled appearance and bright berry flavor, it’s always a crowd favorite.

Piece of strawberry Jello poke cake garnished with strawberries on white plate with cake and strawberries in background
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Why We Love This Strawberry Jello Poke Cake

This strawberry Jello cake is based on the white sheet cake and white wedding cupcake recipes that so many of you love! Here’s why it ranks as one of our favorite summer desserts:

  1. Easy to make! And not only is it easy to make, it’s also oddly satisfying to poke the cake with holes and pour Jello over the top.
  2. Bakery-style cake…but easier! The white wedding sheet cake base makes this strawberry poke cake taste like it came from your favorite bakery…you’d never know it starts from a boxed cake mix!
  3. Light summer dessert! Add some fresh strawberries on top and you’ve got yourself the perfect light dessert for spring or summer get-togethers. Move over strawberry pie!
Sliced strawberry poke cake in metal cake pan with several pieces removed

What You Need to Make Strawberry Jello Cake With Cool Whip

  • White cake mix – I prefer Pillsbury Moist Supreme
  • All-purpose flour
  • Granulated sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Water
  • Sour cream – This is the secret to a super moist cake! Don’t use greek yogurt for this.
  • Egg whites
  • Strawberry jello powder – Combine this with a cup of water
  • Whipped cream (I used Cool Whip)
  • Optional: fresh strawberries for garnishing
bowls of ingredients for strawberry jello poke cake

Jello Poke Cake Frosting

Cool Whip isn’t the only option for topping your Jello cake! While strawberry Jello cake with cream cheese icing is amazing, I definitely love using a simple whipped cream because it makes this taste like strawberry shortcake—but so much easier since you make it in a 9×13 baking pan! Here are a few more ideas for strawberry Jello cake icing:

  • Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Buttercream Frosting
  • Strawberry Frosting (substitute the freeze-dried raspberries for strawberries from my white chocolate raspberry cookie cake!)
9x13 metal pan with whipped cream

How to Make Jello Poke Cake:

Step 1: Make the Cake Batter

Mix the dry ingredients, then add the vanilla, water, sour cream, and egg whites. Pour the batter into a greased or parchment-lined 9×13-inch metal baking pan and bake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick or fork come out clean.

Tip: By doctoring a boxed cake mix, you’ll end up with a white sheet cake even better than Betty Crocker! Make sure you follow the instructions in the recipe card below, though, not the ones on the box of cake mix.

Whisking cake batter in large mixing bowl

Step 2: Poke Holes and Pour Jello

Once the cake has cooled, poke holes all over, about a half-inch apart. Mix the strawberry Jello according to the directions on the package (but only use 1 cup of water!). Spoon the Jello and water mixture over the cake, letting it soak in.

Tip: Use a fork or wide straw to poke the holes in the cake.

Baked cake before and after adding strawberry Jello

Step 3: Refrigerate

Refrigerate the cake for 3 to 4 hours, or until the Jello sets. Don’t rush it!

Tip: You can pop the cake in the freezer for 30 minutes to speed up the process if needed.

Overhead view of frosted cake on left, with pieces removed from pan on right to show marbled effect

Step 4: Decorate and Cut

Spread the whipped cream or frosting over the strawberry Jello poke cake, then refrigerate until ready to serve. If you have time, refrigerating it for another 1-2 hours will ensure that both the cake and the whipped topping will slice cleanly.

Tip: Garnish with fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, chocolate shavings, or festive sprinkles!

Strawberry jello poke cake with whipped cream frosting on white plate, garnished with strawberries

Storage & Freezing

How long does poke cake last in the fridge?

This Jello cake recipe will last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Just be sure to cover with plastic wrap to ensure it doesn’t dry out.

Can strawberry Jello poke cake be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze this Jello poke cake, but don’t add the whipped topping before freezing. Instead, let the cake thaw in the refrigerator before serving, then add the whipped topping.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What do you use to poke holes in a cake?

You can use a fork, wide straw, or wooden skewer to poke holes in this strawberry poke cake.

How do you make boxed cake mix taste homemade?

This recipe uses my white wedding cake doctored cake mix recipe for a cake that tastes better than boxed. It’s dense like a bakery cake and super moist!

Can I make Jello poke cake with a different flavor of Jello?

Absolutely! Lemon, raspberry, and orange Jello all make amazing poke cakes. They’re great birthday cake recipes or just a 9×13 dessert recipe for whenever you’re in the mood for something sweet!

Strawberry Jello Poke Cake

This Strawberry Jello Poke Cake is super moist, flavorful and so easy to make using my white doctored cake mix recipe! With its pretty marbled appearance and bright berry flavor, it's always a crowd favorite.

Author: Melissa Rose
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Category: American
Keyword: jello cake recipe, strawberry jello cake, strawberry jello poke cake
Servings: 24 servings
Print this Recipe
5 from 3 votes
Did you make this recipe?
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Ingredients

  • 1 15.25 ounce box white cake mix I prefer Pillsbury Moist Supreme
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 4 large egg whites equal to 1/2 cup if using liquid carton egg whites
  • 3 oz box strawberry Jello mixed with 1 cup of water
  • 8 oz frozen whipped topping
  • Strawberries for garnishing

Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.

Instructions

Make the Cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
  2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk together cake mix, flour, and sugar.
  3. Once incorporated, add in the vanilla, water, sour cream, and egg whites one at a time until combined. Do not whip cake mix, just mix until everything in incorporated.
  4. Pour batter into greased 9×13 metal pan and bake for 28-30 minutes or until toothpick or fork come out clean.
  5. Allow to cool completely before moving onto the next step.

Add the Jello and Frost:

  1. Use a fork, wooden skewer, or wide straw to poke holes all over, about a half-inch apart. 

  2. Mix the strawberry Jello according to the directions on the package (but only use 1 cup of water!). Spoon the Jello and water mixture over the cake, letting it soak in.

  3. Refrigerate the cake for 3-4 hours to allow the jello to set. You can also pop the cake in the freezer for 30 minutes to speed up the process.

  4. Spread the whipped cream on the top of the cake. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

  5. If desired, garnish with sliced or whole stawberries for serving (don't add ahead of time or the strawberries will bleed).

Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.

Nutrition

Calories: 158kcal
Fat: 3g
Saturated fat: 2g
Trans fat: 1g
Polyunsaturated fat: 1g
Monounsaturated fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 4mg
Sodium: 171mg
Potassium: 46mg
Carbohydrates: 29g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 18g
Protein: 3g
Vitamin A: 52%
Vitamin C: 1%
Calcium: 58%
Iron: 1%

If you make these strawberry jello poke cake, be sure to leave a comment below and tag me on Instagram @designeatrepeat. I LOVE seeing what you made!

Did you make this?
Tag me on Instagram @designeatrepeat or leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out! I love seeing what you’ve made.
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Reader Interactions

10 Comments

  1. Deborah Sanchez says

    11/12/2022 at 2:10 pm

    When you say use only one cup of water does that mean 1/2 hot and 1/2 cold total?

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      11/12/2022 at 4:04 pm

      Yes, correct! Thanks for asking, I’ll clarify that in the post :)

      Reply
  2. Lisa says

    09/27/2022 at 10:05 pm

    Can you make this in 2 8 or 9 inch round cake pans?

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      09/28/2022 at 9:25 am

      Yes, that would work just fine! Just bake a little less than what the recipe says.

      Reply
  3. Stephanie says

    06/15/2022 at 1:01 pm

    I am planning on making this in a 12x18x2 pan. Would I need to double the recipe?

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      06/15/2022 at 7:46 pm

      Yes I would double it! You may not need the complete 2x batch but the single would definitely be pretty thin for that size pan.

      Reply
  4. PnkGrl says

    06/05/2022 at 12:19 am

    5 stars
    Too funny, I was looking for a bigger white cake recipe to use for a lemon poke cake….when I was on your white sheet cake recipe site, it led me to the fruity strawberry version….and here! So happy I used this mix and it’s exact recipe!
    Ty! L😋VE

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      06/06/2022 at 3:05 pm

      Talk about good timing! I am glad that you enjoyed it and thank you for leaving a review!

      Reply
  5. Cindi Pippen says

    02/20/2022 at 11:17 am

    5 stars
    This cake is fabulous. Will be my Go-To recipe from now on. It is not only delicious (love the texture) but so easy to make.

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      02/20/2022 at 8:30 pm

      So glad you loved it, Cindi! You win the award for the quickest bake of my new recipe, as I just posted this yesterday haha!

      Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!

      Reply

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Melissa is a graphic designer & craft stylist living in the Midwest, specializing in easy food and paper crafts for holidays, parties, and everyday.
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