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This pretty pink Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake is a gorgeous dessert that is packed with strawberry flavor and topped with fluffy Cool Whip frosting and crunchy Golden Oreos. It is going to quickly become one of your family’s favorite cakes!
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Pin RecipeThe Easiest Strawberry Poke Cake You Will Ever Make
I love quick and easy recipes like my 3-Ingredient Strawberry Icebox Cake, Strawberry Scones, and Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes. However, when strawberries are in season, this Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake is always a show-stopper!
But have you ever made a poke cake? Made with simple ingredients, it’s one of my favorite ways to make cake that’s guaranteed to impress. It comes together like a regular cake. Then, we use a spoon or fork to poke holes all over the cake and infuse it with flavoring, in this case, strawberry.
We use a mix of strawberry gelatin and evaporated milk instead of heavy whipping cream. This gives a rich creaminess to the cake. The longer the flavoring soaks into the cake the better, so try not to rush it!
Then, we take this poke cake recipe even further. Crushed Golden Oreo cookies combine with melted butter and more strawberry gelatin for extra sweetness and flavor. The contrast of the crunchy cookies against the moist cake is amazing! Cool Whip finishes off this cake, and we top it with fresh strawberries for a beautiful and festive dessert.
Inspired by shortcake ice cream bars, this is a stunner of a dessert. You’ll be proud to serve it at a spring or summer dinner party. You could even serve it on a casual weekday, as it’s beyond simple to create.
(Love poke cakes? Make my Pudding Poke Cake next! Want to make this cake in ice cream form? Try my Strawberry Crunch Ice Cream Cake!)
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Fuss-Free – Made with simple, everyday ingredients and a box cake mix, this dessert comes together with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
- Serious Strawberry Flavor – Strawberry Jell-O infuses the cake with a sweet, fruity taste that’s refreshing and irresistible.
- Irresistible Crunch Topping – Crushed Golden Oreos add a buttery crunch that makes every bite fun and satisfying.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Cake
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) white cake mix – From a boxed cake mix of your choice.
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 eggs – Or use one of these egg substitutes for baking.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (3-ounce) box strawberry gelatin (strawberry jello)
- 1 cup evaporated milk – Not condensed milk! They’re not the same.
- 1 cup cold milk
- 1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip – While you can use homemade whipped cream, it won’t last as long, so Cool Whip is best.
Strawberry Crunch Topping
- 20 Golden Oreos – Like the name sounds, these are not black-and-white Oreo cookies but golden-and-white cookies. Smash them with a rolling pin, or pulse them in a food processor.
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 (3-ounce) box strawberry gelatin
- Fresh strawberries to taste
Directions for How to Make Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake
1. Prepare pan and heat oven
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and spray a 9×13 baking dish with baking spray. Set aside.
2. Make the cake
Place the cake mix in a large mixing bowl. Then, whisk in the vegetable oil, whole milk, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
3. Bake the cake
Pour the cake batter into the greased baking dish, and bake for about 20-25 minutes.
4. Cool the cake
Remove the cake from the oven, and let it cool completely.
5. Make the strawberry gelatin
While the cake is cooling, pour the strawberry gelatin into a pitcher.
6. Prepare the strawberry flavoring
Bring the evaporated milk to a boil in a small pot. Then, pour it into the pitcher. Whisk to dissolve the gelatin, and stir in the cold whole milk.
7. Poke the cake
Poke the cooled cake all over with a fork or knife, making holes all over the cake. Pour the strawberry gelatin milk slowly over the cake, letting it soak into the cake as you pour.
8. Chill the cake
Put the cake in the fridge, and let it chill for four hours.
9. Frost the cake
When the cake is cool, spread thawed Cool Whip over the top.
10. Make the topping
In a large mixing bowl, combine the crushed Oreos, melted butter, and remaining box of gelatin powder. Sprinkle the mix over the top of the cake, covering the frosting evenly.
11. Garnish
Top the cake with some fresh strawberries and enjoy!
Kasey’s Kitchen Tip
You can try raspberry gelatin in place of the strawberry gelatin. It will still give the cake a pretty pink color and fruit flavor. Then, top the cake with fresh raspberries instead of strawberries.
How to Store + Freeze
- Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
- Freeze the cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, omitting the Cool Whip topping and strawberries for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and add the toppings when you’re ready to serve.
FAQs
A poke cake, or poke-and-pour cake, is a cake recipe that calls for holes to be poked in it after baking, usually with the handle of a wooden spoon or a wooden skewer. Then a liquid is poured over the baked cake to soak into the cake holes.
Poke cakes popped up in American kitchens around 1970, first appearing in a print advertisement intended to increase Jell-O sales. The ad illustrated the quick-and-easy cleverness of combining convenience foods—cake mix, Jell-O, and Dream Whip or Cool Whip—to create desserts.
Strawberry crunch is a mixture of ground-up shortbread cookies, freeze-dried strawberries, and butter. This nostalgic topping is perfect when sprinkled over ice cream, mixed into yogurt, or used to decorate cakes and cupcakes.
More of My Favorite Poke Cake Recipes
From My Family to Yours
This is one of my most popular recipes, not only on All Things Mamma but also in my own home. My family adores this cake, and it is one of our spring and summer favorites. I truly hope that you love it too!
If you make this strawberry crunch poke cake, let me know! Leave your experience in the comments—or tag me @kasey_allthingsmamma on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9×13 baking dish
- 2 Large mixing bowls
- 1 Pitcher
- 1 Small pot
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) white cake mix
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (3-ounce) box strawberry gelatin
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 cup cold milk
- 1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
Strawberry Crunch Topping
- 20 golden Oreos, chopped into small pieces
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 (3-ounce) box strawberry gelatin
- Fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ and spray a 9×13 baking dish with baking spray. Set the pan aside.
- Start by making the cake. Add the cake mix to a large mixing bowl then whisk in the vegetable oil, whole milk, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until the batter is smooth.1 box (15.25 ounces) white cake mix, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup whole milk, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the cake batter into the greased baking dish and bake the cake for about 20-25 minutes. The top will be a light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will come out cleanly.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, pour the strawberry gelatin into a pitcher.1 (3-ounce) box strawberry gelatin
- Bring the evaporated milk to a boil in a small pot then pour it into the pitcher. Whisk to dissolve the gelatin then stir in the cold whole milk.1 cup evaporated milk, 1 cup cold milk
- Poke the cooled cake all over with a fork or knife, making holes all over the cake.
- Pour the strawberry gelatin milk slowly over the cake, letting it soak into the cake as you pour.
- Put the cake in the fridge and let it chill for 4 hours.
- Once the cake has cooled, spread the thawed cool whip over the top of the cake.1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the crushed oreos, melted butter and remaining box of gelatin powder. Sprinkle the mix over the top of the cake, covering the frosting in the strawberry crunchies.20 golden Oreos, chopped into small pieces, ½ cup butter, melted, 1 (3-ounce) box strawberry gelatin
- Top the cake with some fresh strawberries as a garnish and enjoy!Fresh strawberries
Notes
- You can use yellow cake mix in place of white cake mix if desired.
- This cake is also delicious with cream cheese frosting in place of cool whip.
