November 6, 2023
Review RecipeStrawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake
A delightful strawberry pink cake infused with creamy cheesecake pudding creates this heavenly strawberry cheesecake poke cake.
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Our sensational strawberry cheesecake poke cake is the ultimate dessert. This delicious recipe combines two of your favorite flavors — soft and sweet strawberry cake with creamy cheesecake pudding — into one amazing, irresistible treat.
Strawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake Ingredients
If you’re a fan of desserts that tantalize the taste buds, then you’ll definitely want to try strawberry cheesecake poke cake.
This exquisite cake is made with a moist, fluffy strawberry cake that is infused with cheesecake pudding and topped with fresh strawberries.
Each bite delivers a burst of fruity flavor that’s perfectly balanced with the tangy cheesecake filling.
You’ll need:
For The Strawberry Cake:
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box of strawberry cake mix
- 1 cup of water
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
For The Cheesecake Pudding:
- 2 (3.5-ounce) boxes of instant cheesecake pudding
- 3½ cups of cold whole milk
- 1 (8-ounce) container of Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed
- 1 cup of washed, dried, capped, hulled, and chopped strawberries, optional garnish
Substitutions And Additions
FRESH STRAWBERRIES: You can substitute pink sprinkles, pink nonpareils, or chopped strawberry cookies for the fresh chopped strawberry garnish in this delicious recipe.
COLOR: You can add one to two drops of red food coloring if your cake batter is a little bit too light in color.
WHIPPED TOPPING: If you would prefer to make your own whipped cream, check out our homemade whipped cream recipe.
How To Make This Strawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake Recipe
Once you bake the strawberry cake, you will poke holes in the cake and pour the creamy pudding in. Top with whipped cream and strawberries to finish this cake off in the perfect way.
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with baker’s spray. Use Baker’s Joy or ageneric version.
STEP TWO: Add the cake mix, water, and oil to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Use a handheld mixer on medium speed to mix the ingredients together until well combined.
STEP THREE: Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each egg until incorporated and no yellow streaks are visible.
STEP FOUR: Pour batter into the prepared baking dish.
Bake the cake for 25 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes away clean.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
STEP FIVE: Let cake cool slightly.
Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes in the cake about 1 to 1½ inches apart. Allow the cake to cool completely.
PRO TIP:
Once the cake is completely cooled, you can go back and re-poke the cake holes with the end of the spoon. That way, if the crumbs of the cake refill in, you will have a cleaner hole for the pudding.
STEP SIX: Add both packages of instant pudding mix to a medium bowl.
Add the cold milk and use a handheld mixer on medium speed to mix for about one minute until the pudding begins to thicken.
STEP SEVEN: Add 1½ cups to a disposable piping bag fitted with a large 1A decorator’s tip or a quart-size ziplock bag with a corner snipped off.
PRO TIP:
You can also use a long filling tip instead of the 1A decorator’s tip to fill the poke holes. It is a matter of preference.
STEP EIGHT: Pipe the pudding into each hole, filling the holes up completely. If you have any leftover pudding, add it to the remaining pudding for topping.
STEP NINE: Use an offset spatula to smooth the remaining pudding over the top of the cake.
STEP TEN: Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
STEP ELEVEN: Evenly spread the thawed whipped topping over the pudding layer.
Sprinkle with the chopped strawberries. Slice and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
How To Serve
Delicious poke cakes are such an easy treat to make that you don’t need a special occasion to bake one.
Serve your piece of cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of hot fudge sauce.
Add a warm mug of homemade hot chocolate, a cup of coffee, or a refreshing iced tea to drink.
Every bite of these poke cakes is extremely moist, and we are sure once you try one, you’ll want more.
Other variations of this popular dessert include our Boston cream poke cake, lemon poke cake, and coconut poke cake.
MORE POKE CAKE RECIPES
Storage
This easy cake is the perfect treat to have stored in your freezer for when company comes for dinner.
MAKE AHEAD: If you’re planning to serve this delicious dessert for a special occasion or simply want to save time, you can prepare the cake ahead of time.
Bake and assemble the cake as instructed in the recipe, but hold off on adding the whipped cream and strawberry topping until just before serving.
Once the cake has cooled, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
Just before serving, add the whipped cream and strawberry topping for the freshest taste and presentation.
IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftovers of this delicious poke cake covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to three days.
IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the strawberry cheesecake cake after adding the pudding for up to one month in an airtight container.
Allow the cake to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before topping it with the thawed whipped topping and strawberries.
Why We Love This Recipe
IRRESISTIBLE STRAWBERRY FLAVOR: This dessert is bursting with the sweet and tangy taste of fresh strawberries, creating a luscious and fruity experience.
CREAMY CHEESECAKE TWIST: The addition of creamy cheesecake pudding filling adds a delightful richness and depth of flavor to the cake, making it a cheesecake lover’s dream.
Poking holes in the finished cake lets even more sweetness soak in as it sits before being topped with decadent ingredients to finish off your heavenly masterpiece. With a fresh strawberry flavor and tangy cheesecake pudding, this strawberry cheesecake poke cake is sure to be a winner.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is a poke cake?
It’s an easy cake that you poke lots of holes into while it’s still hot after baking. The holes are then filled with a liquid or filling — like condensed milk, pureed fruit, chocolate cream, or pudding. It makes a moist and delicious cake.
What do you use to poke holes in this strawberry poke cake with cheesecake pudding poke?
The handle of a wooden spoon is the best size to poke holes in the cake. If you don’t have a wooden spoon, a bamboo skewer would also work well.
Can I make this easy dessert ahead of time?
You can make this easy strawberry poke cake recipe a day or two in advance. Since the cake should chill for at least a couple of hours to give it time for all the liquids to soak in, it is best to make it the day before.
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- Strawberry Pudding Cookies
- Strawberry Bread
- Strawberry Freezer Jam
- Butterscotch Cool Whip Pie
Strawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake
A delightful strawberry pink cake infused with creamy cheesecake pudding creates this heavenly strawberry cheesecake poke cake.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 13 minutes
Servings 12
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake
- 15.25 ounces strawberry cake mix
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
Cheesecake Pudding
- 7 ounces cheesecake instant pudding
- 3½ cups cold whole milk
- 8 ounces whipped topping, thawed
- 1 cup chopped starwberries, wash and dried, capped, hulled, and optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with baker’s spray (Baker’s Joy or generic version).
- Add the cake mix, water, and oil to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Use a handheld mixer on medium speed to mix the ingredients together until well combined.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each egg until incorporated and no yellow streaks are visible.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes away clean.
- Allow the cake to cool slightly. Use the handle of a wooden mixing spoon to poke holes in the cake about 1 to 1½ inches apart. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Add both packages of instant pudding mix to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the cold milk and use a handheld mixer on medium speed to mix for about 1 minute until the pudding begins to thicken.
- Add 1½ cups to a disposable piping bag fitted with a large 1A decorator’s tip or a quart-size ziplock bag with a corner snipped off.
- Pipe the pudding into each hole, filling the holes up completely. If you have any leftover pudding, add it to the remaining pudding for topping.
- Use an offset spatula to smooth the remaining pudding over the top of the cake.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Evenly spread the thawed whipped topping over the pudding layer. Sprinkle with the chopped strawberries. Slice and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, you can go back and re-poke the cake holes with the end of the spoon. That way, if the crumbs of the cake refill in, you will have a cleaner hole for the pudding.
- You can also use a long filling tip instead of the 1A decorator’s tip to fill the poke holes. It is a matter of preference.
Nutrition
Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 964mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 198IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 1mg
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