Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake
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If you’re looking for a sweet and simple dessert that brings all the nostalgic summer vibes to the table, this Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake is it! It’s a quick and easy dessert treat perfect for potlucks, BBQs, and picnics.
Every time I hear the ice cream truck roll down my street, my mind immediately goes to my childhood favorite: the classic Strawberry Shortcake Crunch Bar. One time I was in the kitchen making a poke cake and heard it go by and thought “Man, I should turn that into a cake”.
From that inspiration I give you the Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake. Made with a boxed cake mix, strawberry Jell-O, and fresh strawberries, it’s quick and easy, and the perfect treat for all your summer parties, potlucks, and picnics.
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Crunch Sheet Cake
- Delicious – I love making poke cakes. They’re super simple to make, infused with great flavor in every bite, and they always disappear fast!
- Easy Recipe– This cake is made with the help of a boxed mix and a few additional simple, and one surprising, ingredients.
- Make-ahead convenience. Since this cake has to be refrigerated before it is assembled and kept refrigerated after it is assembled, you can easily make it a day before or the morning of and still have a perfect cake when it comes time to serve your guests.
Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake Ingredients
This amazing strawberry cake is easily made with just a handful of simple ingredients.
- Box white cake mix – plus ingredients to prepare (eggs, oil, etc)
- Strawberry gelatin – you’ll need 2 boxes: 1 for the cake and 1 for the strawberry crunch topping
- Water – for the jello mix
- Frozen whipped topping – thawed
- Golden Oreos – coarsely crushed
- Butter – melted
- Fresh strawberries – for garnishing
Equipment Needed To Make
- Large bowl
- Cake pan
Substitutions & Alterations
- You can sub yellow cake mix or french vanilla for the white cake mix.
- If you really, really like strawberries, you can also try this with a strawberry cake mix.
- You can add some blueberries to the top of the cake for a patriotic look. Great for summer BBQs.
- Feel free to experiment with tons of other gelatin flavors for a fun flavor twist.
How to Make a Strawberry Crunch Cake
For best results with your cake, follow the full recipe directions found at the bottom of the post.
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Step 1 – Prepare cake mix and bake per package directions.
Step 2 – Poke holes in the cooled cake and prepare jello. Pour jello mixture over the cake.
Step 3 – Cover and chill in the refrigerator. In a medium bowl, crush the cookies and combine with jello.
Step 4 – Spread the whipped topping over the cake.
Step 5 – Add the crunchy topping to the top of the cake. Serve.
Time Saving Tips & Tricks
- Use a wooden spoon handle to poke holes in the cake for just the right size to absorb the jello.
- Allow the gelatin to set fully by chilling the cake at least 2–3 hours (or overnight is ideal) before adding the whipped topping and strawberry crunch.
- You can sub homemade whipped cream for the cool whip.
- You can try other varieties of jello flavors for a fun twist.
How to Serve Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake
Serve as a fun summer dessert on its own or with additional toppings.
- Ice creams – Strawberry is the obvious choice here, but this delicious cake goes great with so many flavors of ice cream or sherbert.
- Fresh berries – You can top with more sliced strawberries or add blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries too!
- Bananas – For a strawberry banana vibe, you can add sliced banana to the top of the crunch cake or create a layer between the jello and the whipped topping.
How to Store Leftover Poke Cake
Store remaining cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
What to Make Next
If you love strawberry crunch as much as I do, try this Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake recipe – it is divine!
More Strawberry Crunch Recipes
- Strawberry Crunch Layer Cake
- Strawberry Crunch Ice Cream Bars
- Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake
- Strawberry Crunch Mini Cheesecakes
Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- baking pan
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 15.25 box white cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare white cake
- 1 3 oz box strawberry gelatin
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup cold water
- 8 oz frozen whipped topping thawed
For the Strawberry Crunch Topping
- 18-20 Golden Oreos coarsely crushed
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 3 oz box strawberry gelatin, powder only
- Fresh strawberries for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter..
- Prepare and bake your cake mix according to package directions. Allow the cake to cool completely and then use a fork to poke holes all over the cake.
- Combine one box of gelatin and boiling water in a medium-sized mixing bowl; whisk until the powder is completely dissolved. Add cold water and whisk until combined.
- Pour the liquid mixture evenly over the cooled cake. Cover the cake and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, up to overnight.
- Remove from the refrigerator, uncover, and spread thawed whipped topping over the cake.
- Combine crushed Oreos, melted butter, and remaining box of gelatin powder in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.
- Evenly sprinkle the mixture over the cake, lightly pressing down to adhere to the whipped topping.
- Slice and serve, garnished with fresh strawberries Enjoy!
Notes
- Poke deep holes so that the gelatin will soak evenly across the cake. Avoid poking the holes to the bottom of the cake, to prevent the gelatin mixture from pooling on the bottom of the cake.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the gelatin mixture.
- Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight for best texture.
- A fork, bamboo skewer, or chopsticks all work great to poke holes all over the cake.
- Pulse the Oreos in a food processor or crush in a Ziplock bag with a rolling pin. If using a food processor, only pulse a couple of times to get a coarse texture.
- The whipped topping should be thawed and fluffy before spreading on the cake. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours before you frost the cake.
Nutrition
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This was mu husbands favorite! Will make again.