Strawberry Crunch Poke Cakern

a slice of Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake topped with whipped cream and a strawberry on a plate

This strawberry crunch poke cake features moist cake soaked with a deliciously sweet strawberry and cream mixture while the cookie topping gives it a delicious crunch.

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Table of Contents

Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake Recipe
How To Serve This Recipe For Strawberry Crunch Cake
Storing This Strawberry Crunch Cake Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
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This delicious strawberry crunch poke cake will have your taste buds tingling with anticipation. Featuring fluffy cake infused with strawberry cream and topped with a creamy whipped cream topping with added cookie crunch, each bite is packed with flavor.

close up shot of a slice of Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake topped with whipped cream and a strawberry on a plate with a fork

Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake Ingredients

Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake raw ingredients that are labeled

The strawberry crunch poke cake is a balance of fruity, creamy, and crunchy textures, accented by fresh strawberry garnishes.

You’ll need:

White sheet cake baked in a 9×13-inch pan
1 (12-ounce) can of evaporated milk
1 (3-ounce) package of strawberry jello, divided in half
1 (14-ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
½ cup of whole milk
8-ounce container of Cool Whip or frozen whipped topping, thawed (plus more for garnish)
25 golden Oreos (about 1 package)
¼ cup of salted butter, melted
Fresh strawberries for garnish (optional)

Substitutions And Additions

CAKE MIX: We used white cake mix in this recipe, but other recipes call for vanilla or yellow cake mix, which would work just as well.

There are plenty of great options for the type of cake mixes you can get at the grocery store.

WHIPPED TOPPING: If you would prefer to make your own whipped cream, check out our homemade whipped cream recipe.

How To Make This Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake Recipe

Let’s walk through the steps to making this delectable cake together.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F or as directed on the box cake mix package directions.

Mix and bake the cake in a 9×13-inch glass baking dish according to the instructions. Cool cake completely.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your cake as the suggested baking time approaches.

STEP TWO: Meanwhile, heat the evaporated milk over medium in a small saucepan. Whisk in ½ of the package of strawberry gelatin powder, stirring and heating until the gelatin is dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

milk and gelatin powder whisked in a bowl

STEP THREE: Add the sweetened condensed milk and whole milk to the cooled evaporated milk mixture. Whisk until thoroughly combined.

sweetened condensed milk and whole milk whisked in a bowl

STEP FOUR: Use a bamboo skewer to poke small, evenly spaced holes all over the cooled cake.

using bamboo skewer poke holes over the cake in a baking dish

STEP FIVE: Spoon the strawberry milk mixture over the cake, being sure to coat the cake evenly.

Cover with plastic wrap and place the cake in the refrigerator to soak up the milk mixture for at least one hour.

PRO TIP:

The strawberry milk mixture should drip through the poked holes, leaving the signature poke cake drips of color, but then it settles on the bottom third of the cake, giving a pretty dual color to the cake.

strawberry milk mixture spooned over the cake in a baking dish

STEP SIX: Gently spread the Cool Whip over the top of the cake.

cool whip spread over the cake in a baking dish

STEP SEVEN: Place the golden Oreos in a plastic bag and crush them into crumbs using a rolling pin.

PRO TIP:

You can also pulse the Oreos in a food processor and add the butter/gelatin right in there and combine. This gives less control over the size of the crumbles, so proceed slowly so that you don’t over-process and form a paste.

STEP EIGHT: Transfer the crushed cookies to a medium bowl.

Pour melted butter over the cookie crumbs and sprinkle with the remaining half package of strawberry gelatin powder. Stir to combine.

butter and gelatin powder stir in a bowl

STEP NINE: Sprinkle the strawberry crunch topping over the Cool Whip on the cake. Press down as needed to make a smooth, flat top.

cookie mixture sprinkled over the cool whip on the cake in a baking dish

STEP TEN: Slice the cake into individual servings. Serve with a dollop of Cool Whip (or whipped cream) and a fresh strawberry half.

PRO TIP:

If you would like to serve the cake with whipped cream and strawberries on top, you can use spray whipped cream or even pipe the Cool Whip, as we did here. You will need additional Cool Whip for this method as the 8-ounce tub is only enough to cover the top of the cake.

Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake sliced into individual servings in a baking dish

How To Serve This Recipe For Strawberry Crunch Cake

Enjoy this delicious crunch cake for a special occasion or just because you are craving a little something that’s sweet.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side and a cold and refreshing iced tea to wash it down.

Don’t forget to check out our delicious recipes for strawberry pie and strawberry sorbet when your counter is overflowing with fresh berries during strawberry season.

MORE STRAWBERRY RECIPES

Roll Cakes

Strawberry Roll Cake

Cake Recipes

Strawberry Cake

Storing This Strawberry Crunch Cake Recipe

We’ve got a few handy tips for storing leftover crunch cake.

IN THE FRIDGE: Store the strawberry poke cake covered in the refrigerator for three to four days.

IN THE FREEZER: Freeze this delicious treat for up to three months. Defrost in the refrigerator before serving.

close up shot of Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake topped with whipped cream and a strawberries in a baking dish with slices taken out

Sweet strawberry flavor soaks into all of the nooks and crannies of a delicious cake that is then finished off with whipped cream and crunchy topping. You will love the delightful and fresh taste of this yummy poke cake.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a poke cake?

It’s an easy cake that you poke 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 a poke cake?

A bamboo skewer is the best size to poke holes in the cake. If you don’t have a skewer, the end of a wooden spoon would also work well.

Can I use a different flavor of boxed cake mix?

This strawberry crunch cake recipe would be delicious with either white, yellow, or vanilla cake.

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