Strawberry Jello Poke Cake

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This Strawberry Jello Poke Cake is made with light and airy angel food cake, white chocolate pudding frosting, and plenty of fresh berries! Decorate it for a patriotic holiday or any summer party.

A slice of strawberry jello poke cake on a white plate.


 

I love the nostalgic factor of a poke cake. Bake a cake, make little holes in it, and pour something over the top (sweetened condensed milk or pudding is common; in this recipe we’re using Jello). Then frost and serve, and every bite is infused with extra flavor.

In this Strawberry Jello Poke Cake, I used an Angel Food Cake for a few reasons: the color (I wanted white for a patriotic backdrop to my American flag), texture (I love the airiness of Angel Food Cake in the summer), and flavor (I love pairing Angel Food Cake with strawberries, like a shortcake).

To keep things simple, I used a boxed cake mix. The patriotic flag decoration is totally optional, too. Decorate the cake as you see fit!

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for a strawberry jello poke cake.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Angel food cake: This recipe keeps things easy with a boxed mix, but you can substitute my from-scratch Angel Food Cake recipe. Prepare the cake as directed but pour it into a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan instead of a tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then proceed with the poke cake starting at Step 3.
  • White chocolate instant pudding mix: If you substitute vanilla pudding, your frosting will have a yellow tint (but it will still taste amazing).

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Do not grease 9-inch by 13-inch pan. Mix angel food cake mix according to package instructions (the one I used only required water). Pour into ungreased pan and bake until firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. If the center still jiggles, bake it 5 minutes longer.
Angel food cake in a rectangular pan for jello poke cake.
  1. Cool completely, at least 1 hour. Using a fork, pierce cake in rows about 1/2-inch apart. When the fork becomes sticky, dip tines in water to clean (typically at the end of each row).
Someone poking holes with a fork into an angel food cake.
  1. Pour Jello into a medium bowl and whisk in boiling water. When Jello is dissolved, stir in cold water. Drizzle over the entire surface of cake. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
Someone pouring jello liquid into the angel food cake.
  1. In a large bowl, or in a standing mixer fit with the whisk attachment, combine pudding and milk until well blended. Gently fold in whipped topping. Spread frosting on cake.
A strawberry jello poke cake before being topped with berries.
  1. Arrange berries on top to resemble an American flag. Store in refrigerator.
Strawberry jello poke cake topped with strawberries and blueberries to look like an American flag.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This cake will make at least 20 slices, more or less depending on how you slice it.
  • Storage: Store leftover Poke Cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Make ahead: To get ahead of schedule with this poke cake, bake the angel food cake, poke the holes, and add the Jello the day before you need it. Cover and refrigerate overnight, then frost the next day.
  • Strawberry Shortcake: Instead of the classic Buttermilk Biscuits, substitute slices of Poke Cake or Angel Food Cake for your next Strawberry Shortcake.
Two slices of strawberry jello poke cake on white plates.

Recipe FAQs

What is a poke cake?

In case you aren’t familiar with poke cakes, a Poke Cake is a baked cake with holes poked in it. Then, you pour something delicious into the holes (jello, pudding, sweet condensed milk, vodka, whatever). Frost it and you’re set! It’s awesome.

Can you make an angel food cake in a regular pan?

Angel food cakes are traditionally made in a tube pan, but they can be made in other pans as well. In fact, at the grocery store you might see angel food cake in a loaf pan. In this recipe, we use a boxed mix and bake it in a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan, but my from-scratch recipe can be made in that pan as well.

Why don’t you grease the pan for an angel food cake?

Always bake angel food cake in an ungreased pan. If the pan is greased, the batter will not rise (the batter clings to side to rise).

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A slice of strawberry jello poke cake on a white plate.

Strawberry Jello Poke Cake

This Strawberry Jello Poke Cake is made with light and airy angel food cake, white chocolate pudding frosting, and plenty of fresh berries!
Prep Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 50 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 55 minutes
Servings 20 servings (1 slice each)
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Calories 168
4.94 from 15 votes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Do not grease 9-inch by 13-inch pan.
  • Mix angel food cake mix according to package instructions (the one I used only required water). Pour into ungreased pan and bake until firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. If the center still jiggles, bake it 5 minutes longer.
  • Cool completely, at least 1 hour. Using a fork, pierce cake in rows about 1/2-inch apart. When the fork becomes sticky, dip tines in water to clean (typically at the end of each row).
  • Pour Jello into a medium bowl and whisk in boiling water. When Jello is dissolved, stir in cold water. Drizzle over the entire surface of cake. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
  • In a large bowl, or in a standing mixer fit with the whisk attachment, combine pudding and milk until well blended. Gently fold in whipped topping.
  • Spread frosting on cake and arrange berries on top to resemble an American flag. Store in refrigerator.

Notes

  1. Angel food cake: This recipe keeps things easy with a boxed mix, but you can substitute my from-scratch Angel Food Cake recipe. Prepare the cake as directed but pour it into a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan instead of a tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then proceed with the poke cake starting at Step 3.
  2. White chocolate instant pudding mix: If you substitute vanilla pudding, your frosting will have a yellow tint (but it will still taste amazing).
  3. Yield: This cake will make at least 20 slices, more or less depending on how you slice it.
  4. Storage: Store leftover Poke Cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  5. Make ahead: To get ahead of schedule with this poke cake, bake the angel food cake, poke the holes, and add the Jello the day before you need it. Cover and refrigerate overnight, then frost the next day.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 168kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 399mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 2gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 43IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. I followed the recipe exactly. 1/3 cup milk and the pudding was very thick and pasty. I tried to fold in whipped topping but it is not blending. Very lumpy. Could it be that I used sugar free pudding? Any recommendation on how to make it spreadable or work?4 stars

    1. Hi Jane, I’m sorry the frosting was lumpy and for the frustration! It should have folded nicely into the whipped topping. Another reader has shared that they’ve made this cake with sugar free ingredients, and it came out well, so I’m not sure it was that. Is it possible the box of pudding was more than 3.3 ounces, or that the whipped topping wasn’t completely thawed? I’m so sorry again that it didn’t come out right. – Meggan

  2. I made this yesterday for a party of 10, I used the angel food cake, sugar free jello & pudding and fat free cool whip.
    The whole cake went, It was excellent and guilt free. I wish I was able to post a picture but I don’t see that option. Thanks for ousting this recipe.

    1. I’ve been making poke cakes with jello for years. It’s one of kid’s’ favorite summertime treat. We always frosted the cake with Coolwhip. I never thought of using an angel food cake before.5 stars

    1. Hi Mary, did it sink significantly in the middle vs. the outside? In general the middle is a little lower, I think, because the jello mixture tends to congregate there and possibly drags it down. The cake (not counting the frosting) is not very tall either because of the jello. So, your cake sounds like it’s probably fine. Once it’s frosted, it should look level. I am predicting this answer will disappoint you, though, so I’m wondering if a better cake than Angel Food might be better. You’ll have to see how it tastes and whether you like it. Thanks for the question!

  3. I’ve heard of a poke cake, but have just realised while reading this that I had no idea what it actually was! But what a fabulous idea! I suppose you could drizzle over all manner of things, as well as jello! 

    I love that you’ve made this into such a patriotic cake, Meggan. So perfect for 4th July! 5 stars

    1. Ha ha Helen, you mean I am not the very last person on Earth to make a poke cake? You haven’t either?! Whew, it’s a load off my mind! I think people normally drizzle pudding and/or some kind of sweetened condensed milk on poke cakes. Kind of like a trashy tres leches. :) This one is really good though, I was pretty excited to eat 3 pieces in a row. Take care my dear!