Refreshing Strawberry Lemonade Poke Cake
A bright and refreshing summer dessert featuring a moist yellow cake soaked with strawberry lemonade glaze and topped with whipped cream. Easy to make and perfect for warm days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 15.25 oz yellow cake mix (box or homemade)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (120 ml), or melted coconut oil
- 1 cup water (240 ml)
- 1 small package (3 oz) strawberry gelatin mix
- 1/2 cup lemonade concentrate (120 ml), thawed and chilled
- 1 cup fresh strawberries (about 150 g), hulled and chopped
- 1 container (8 oz) whipped topping (store-bought or homemade whipped cream)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1–2 tbsp sugar (optional, depending on sweetness of strawberries)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with butter or non-stick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine yellow cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth and well combined, about 2 minutes.
- Pour batter evenly into the prepared pan and spread gently with a spatula to smooth the surface.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Tent with foil if edges brown too fast.
- Remove cake from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Using a wooden skewer or clean pencil, poke holes all over the cake about 1 inch apart, piercing just through the top layer.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together strawberry gelatin mix, lemonade concentrate, and chopped strawberries. Stir in sugar if strawberries are not very sweet. Ensure gelatin dissolves completely.
- Pour glaze evenly over the cake, allowing it to seep into the holes. Let soak for a few minutes.
- Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set flavors and firm the glaze.
- If making homemade whipped cream, whip heavy cream with a little sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread or pipe whipped topping over the chilled cake just before serving.
- Garnish with lemon zest and extra strawberry slices if desired. Slice and serve cold.
Notes
Avoid pouring glaze too quickly to prevent soggy cake. Poke holes evenly and not too deep. Chill cake at least 2 hours or overnight for best flavor. Whip cream just before serving for best texture. For gluten-free, use gluten-free cake mix and check gelatin ingredients. For dairy-free, use coconut whipped cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cak
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 30
- Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Protein: 3
Keywords: strawberry poke cake, lemonade poke cake, summer dessert, easy cake recipe, refreshing dessert, whipped topping cake