Delicious and creamy Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake Recipe is an easy dessert to make. It’s topped with a crunchy cookie topping to give it so much flavor.
Light and fluffy Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake is a family favorite cake recipe. This easy dessert starts with a box cake mix and it’s filled with a strawberry creamy sauce. Then topped with a creamy whipped topping and crunchy cookie crumble.
If you love Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars, this recipe is sure to be a hit. For more strawberry flavor, try Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies, Strawberry Crunch Cake or Strawberry Cake Pops.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe
This is one of those desserts that you can toss together in minutes and takes very little effort. My kids love to help poke the holes in the cake and pour the strawberry sauce over the top of the cake.
This beautiful strawberry poke cake is a showstopper to bring for the holidays or celebrate someone special. This is the perfect cake to make ahead of time. Impress your family with this easy Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake.
Ingredients
Cake
- White Cake Mix. Use any brand you like. You will also need the ingredients to prepare the cake based on the package instructions.
- Strawberry Gelatin Powder. This gives the cake a wonderful strawberry flavor.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk. You will love the richness of this ingredient in the cake.
Crunch Topping
- Golden Oreos. The Golden Oreo Cookies make the crunch topping so amazing.
- Freeze Dried Strawberries. You can find this with the dried fruit usually.
Scroll to the bottom of the page and get the complete ingredients.
Variations and Substitutions
- Change the Cake – We used a white cake mix but you can easily use a vanilla cake mix or yellow cake mix. Use what your have or prefer.
- Homemade Whipped Cream – If you have just a few extra minutes, you can easily make whipped cream from scratch. It does not take long at all and is practically effortless. You can also use a cream cheese topping.
- Jello – Feel free to change the strawberry jello to a different flavor. A cheesecake flavor jello would be delicious with the strawberry crunch topping.
- Topping – You can use different types of cookies to crumble for the topping.
- Fresh Strawberries – We like to add fresh fruit to the top but you can leave off or use different fruit. Blueberries would be a fun topping.
How to Make Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake
Step 1 – Prepare the cake batter based on the package instructions. Stir and pour into pan. Bake and allow to cool in the baking dish.
Step 2. While the cake is cooling, heat the evaporated milk in a small saucepan. Then whisk in half of the strawberry gelatin powder. Heat and whisk until dissolved. Allow to cool slightly and then whisk in the sweetened condensed milk.
Step 3. Poke the cake all over. Then pour the strawberry mixture over the cake evenly. Next, cover the cake and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the cake to soak up the strawberry mixture. Then spread the cool whip on top of the cake.
Step 4. Prepare the crunch topping. Place the freeze-dried strawberries, vanilla sandwich cookies and the remaining strawberry gelatin mixture in a food processor.
Step 5. Pulse on high until the mixture is in fine crumbs. Then add in the melted butter and pulse until well combined.
Step 6. Sprinkle the crunch topping over the cool whip and gently press it down into the cake.
Storage
Refrigerate the leftover cake covered in plastic wrap up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
A poke cake is a type of cake you poke holes in after baking. This Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake is filled delicious creamy strawberry mixture that is poured over the white cake and fills all the holes with the creamy sauce.
This strawberry crunch poke is different than most poke cake. After the creamy sauce fills the holes, it is then topped with a crunchy cookie topping for added flavor.
Poke cake Recipes vary but the filling can be a pudding mixture, fruit, sweetened condensed milk and more. This is a very easy recipe.
You can use a fork to poke the cake or really anything you have. The end of a wooden spoon also works as well. Another idea is to use a toothpick or a wooden skewer.
We recommend poking holes about ½ apart from each other. This is such an easy recipe so just use what you have and make this amazing cake.
There really isn’t a set number of holes that need to be placed in a poke cake. Just make sure they are all about the same size and about ½ inches apart. I try to keep the holes in even rows just so that it look beautiful when you cut the cake.
We recommend allowing the cake to cool to slightly warm before poking holes in it. I like to prepare the cake and bake it. After it is finishing baking and cooling, I like to prepare the strawberry cream sauce.
Once that cream sauce is finish, then it is usually the perfect time to start poking holes so you can pour the sauce over the top.
Pro Tips
- Combine Mixture – Make sure the gelatin completes combines with the other ingredients.
- Make Ahead – Pokes cake are the perfect cakes to make ahead of time. You can prepare the cake and add the creamy strawberry sauce and refrigerate. Then when you are ready to serve add your topping.
- Crumbing Cookies – We like to use a food processor to combine the cookies, freeze dried strawberries and jello. This allows for the ingredients to dice in the perfect size.
- Serving – You can easily serve this cake with vanilla ice cream for the perfect dessert.
More Easy Poke Cakes
- Margarita Poke Cake Recipe
- Christmas Jello Poke Cake Recipe
- Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake Recipe
- The Best Poke Cake Recipes
- Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake
- Red Velvet Poke Cake
Make Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake Recipe for a special treat. Then please leave a comment and star rating.
Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE:
- 1 box White Cake Mix
- *Ingredients to prepare the cake based on the package instructions
- Strawberry Gelatin Powder 3.4 oz box, divided
- 12 oz Evaporated Milk
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 8 oz Cool Whip
FOR THE CRUNCH TOPPING:
- 20 Golden Oreos
- 2 cups Freeze Dried Strawberries
- ¼ cup Unsalted Butter melted
Instructions
- Prepare the cake based on the package instructions in a 9X13 baking pan.
- While the cake is cooling, heat the evaporated milk in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Then whisk in half of the strawberry gelatin powder. Heat and whisk until the gelatin powder is dissolved. Set aside and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
- Then whisk in the sweetened condensed milk. Poke the cake with a fork or a wooden skewer at ½ inch intervals throughout the top of the cake. Then pour the strawberry mixture over the cake evenly.
- Then cover the cake and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the cake to soak up the strawberry mixture.
- Then spread the cool whip on top of the cake.
- Prepare the crunch topping. Place the freeze dried strawberries, golden Oreos and the remaining strawberry gelatin mixture in a food processor. Pulse on high until the mixture is in fine crumbs.
- Then add in the melted butter and pulse until well combined.
- Sprinkle the crunch topping over the cool whip and gently press it down into the cake.
- Then the cake is ready to cut, serve and enjoy!
