Easy Strawberry Shortcake Poke Cake

Introduction & Inspiration

If you love the fresh, sweet flavors of classic Strawberry Shortcake but want a dessert that’s incredibly easy and foolproof, then this Strawberry Shortcake Poke Cake is calling your name! It’s a wonderfully simple concept: a tender white cake, baked and cooled, gets poked all over and then generously smothered with sweet strawberry pie filling that seeps into every hole. Topped with fluffy whipped topping and fresh sliced strawberries, it’s a delightful shortcut to those beloved shortcake flavors.

My inspiration for this recipe comes from the pure joy and ease of poke cakes. They are inherently moist and provide a fantastic way to infuse flavor throughout a simple cake. Using strawberry pie filling creates an instant, luscious strawberry layer that pairs perfectly with the white cake and whipped topping, mimicking the components of traditional shortcake with almost no effort.

This cake is perfect for potlucks, summer barbecues, family gatherings, or anytime you need a quick, easy, and crowd-pleasing dessert. It’s bright, cheerful, and requires absolutely minimal baking skill! It is a perfect recipe for beginners.

Nostalgic Appeal / Comfort Factor

Strawberry Shortcake is a quintessential American dessert, deeply rooted in nostalgic feelings of springtime, summer picnics, U-pick berry farms, and simple, sweet celebrations. Poke cakes themselves carry a fun, slightly retro comfort factor, often associated with potlucks, church suppers, and easy family desserts.  

This recipe beautifully merges these two nostalgic concepts. You get the beloved flavor combination of sweet strawberries and cream associated with shortcake, delivered via the incredibly moist, easy, and comforting format of a poke cake. The simple layers are visually appealing and promise pure sweet comfort.

It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that tastes like happy memories and requires almost no stress to make. A perfect comfort food dessert.

Homemade Focus (Ultra-Easy Assembly)

Let’s celebrate the absolute ease of this dessert! This Strawberry Shortcake Poke Cake relies heavily on convenient, store-bought ingredients: white cake mix, canned strawberry pie filling, and frozen whipped topping (like Cool Whip). The “homemade” aspect here is entirely in the assembly process.

You’re baking the cake from the mix, performing the fun step of poking the holes, and then simply layering the prepared pie filling and whipped topping. While components could be made from scratch for a more involved version, the true beauty and appeal of this recipe lies in its utter simplicity and speed, thanks to these shortcuts.

It’s the perfect example of a semi-homemade dessert that delivers fantastic results with minimal effort, making a delicious treat accessible to absolutely everyone. The perfect balance between easy and delicious.

Flavor Goal

The primary flavor goal is to capture the essence of strawberry shortcake: sweet strawberries, light cake, and creamy topping. The white cake base, made extra moist by the pie filling soaking in, should be tender and subtly sweet.

The strawberry pie filling provides intense, sweet strawberry flavor and a gooey, jammy texture both within the cake holes and as a distinct layer. The whipped topping adds a light, airy sweetness and creamy texture. The fresh strawberry garnish adds essential fresh fruit brightness.

The overall experience should be a very moist, sweet, creamy cake bursting with strawberry flavor – a simple, delightful, and easy-to-eat dessert. A perfect combination of flavour and texture.

Ingredient Insights

• White Cake Mix (+ ingredients on box): The convenient base. Use a standard 15.25 oz box. Prepare according to package directions using required eggs, oil/butter, water/milk. Yellow or even Angel Food cake mix could substitute.
• Strawberry Pie Filling (Canned): Provides the intense strawberry flavor, sweetness, and moisture that soaks into the cake. Using about 1.5 cans (approx. 3 cups) ensures plenty of filling.  
• Frozen Whipped Topping (Thawed): (Like Cool Whip) Provides the easy, stable, creamy topping. Ensure it’s fully thawed in the refrigerator before using.  
• Fresh Strawberries (Sliced): Used as a fresh garnish on top, adding authentic fruit flavor, texture, and visual appeal.
• Tool for Poking: The handle of a thin wooden spoon is ideal for creating holes large enough for the pie filling to sink into. A sturdy straw or even a fork (wiggled slightly) can also work.  

Essential Equipment

• 9×13 Inch Baking Pan: Standard size for baking the cake mix and assembling the dessert. Needs to be greased/floured.
• Large Bowl & Mixer (Optional): For preparing the cake mix batter per box instructions.
• Thin Wooden Spoon Handle (or similar poking tool): For making the holes.
• Rubber Spatula or Offset Spatula: For spreading the pie filling and whipped topping evenly.
• Measuring Cups: Primarily for pie filling quantity.
• Knife & Cutting Board: For slicing fresh strawberries for garnish.
• Plastic Wrap or Aluminum Foil: For covering the cake during chilling.
• Wire Cooling Rack (Optional): Cake cools in the pan.

Ingredients

(Based on 1x column)

• ▢ 1 box white cake mix (standard 15.25 oz size), plus ingredients listed on packaging (eggs, oil, water/milk)
• ▢ 3 cups strawberry pie filling (from about 1½ standard 21-ounce cans)  
• ▢ 8 ounces frozen whipped topping (1 standard tub), thawed  
• ▢ 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced (for garnish)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare and Bake the Cake:

• Preheat your oven according to the temperature specified on the white cake mix box.
• Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan well.
• Prepare the cake batter according to the package instructions, using the ingredients (eggs, oil/butter, water/milk) listed on the box.
• Pour the prepared batter into the greased and floured 9×13 inch pan and spread evenly.
• Bake according to the package directions, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

2. Cool Cake and Poke Holes:

• Once baked, place the pan on a wire rack and allow the cake to cool completely to room temperature. This is important! Poking a warm cake can cause it to crumble excessively.
• When the cake is fully cool, use the handle of a thin wooden spoon (or a thick straw) to poke holes all over the top surface of the cake, about one inch apart. Wiggle the handle slightly if needed to make holes wide enough for the pie filling.

3. Add Pie Filling Layer:

• Spoon the strawberry pie filling over the surface of the poked cake.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently spread the pie filling evenly across the top, making sure to press it gently so that the filling goes down into the holes you created.

4. Add Whipped Topping Layer:

• Ensure your frozen whipped topping is fully thawed but still cool.
• Dollop the thawed whipped topping over the strawberry pie filling layer.
• Gently spread the whipped topping evenly with the rubber spatula to cover the entire cake surface.

5. Chill:

• Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
• Refrigerate the cake for at least one hour (longer is fine too!) to allow the pie filling to fully meld with the cake and for the dessert to chill properly.  

6. Garnish and Serve:

• When ready to serve, remove the chilled cake from the refrigerator.
• Arrange the fresh sliced strawberries decoratively over the top of the whipped topping.
• Slice the Strawberry Shortcake Poke Cake into squares directly from the pan using a sharp knife.
• Serve chilled and enjoy!

Troubleshooting

• Cake Dry: Overbaked the initial cake layer. Follow box times carefully. The pie filling adds significant moisture back, so it’s usually forgiving.
• Filling Didn’t Soak In: Holes weren’t large or deep enough, or pie filling was extremely thick. Ensure holes are adequately sized. Gently pressing filling helps.
• Whipped Topping Melted/Runny: Cake wasn’t cooled completely before adding filling/topping, or whipped topping wasn’t fully thawed properly/got warm. Ensure cake is fully cool. Use cold, thawed topping. Keep cake refrigerated.
• Graham Crackers Mentioned? Self-correction: Noticed graham crackers mentioned in previous user request but not in this recipe. Ignoring previous context.
• Cutting Messy: Cake not chilled long enough. Ensure at least 1 hour chill time, longer is better for cleaner slices. Wipe knife between cuts.

Tips and Variations

• Cool Cake FIRST: Absolutely essential before poking and topping.
• Poking: Use the handle of a wooden spoon for good-sized holes. Don’t poke all the way through, just most of the way.
• Cake Mix: Yellow, butter yellow, or even angel food cake mix (prepared according to its specific directions) could substitute for white.
• Filling: Instead of canned pie filling, you could try using strawberry Jell-O (prepared with less water to make it slightly concentrated, then cooled until just starting to set) for a classic poke cake variation, though the texture will be different. Homemade strawberry sauce/compote (cooled and thickened) could also work.
• Homemade Whipped Cream: Substitute about 2-3 cups of homemade sweetened whipped cream (preferably stabilized with gelatin or pudding mix) for the frozen whipped topping.
• Add Extracts: A touch of almond or lemon extract in the cake batter or mixed with the whipped topping could add nice flavor notes.
• Garnish: Add sprinkles, white chocolate shavings, or mint leaves along with the fresh strawberries.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

• Serve Chilled: This dessert is best served cold from the refrigerator.
• Cut into Squares: Easy serving from the 9×13 pan.
• Potlucks & Parties: Perfect make-ahead dessert for gatherings, especially in summer.  
• With Iced Tea or Lemonade: Refreshing beverage pairings.

Nutritional Information

(Note: Estimated, per serving, assuming 12-15 servings from a 9×13 pan. Very sweet dessert, highly variable based on specific cake mix, pie filling, and whipped topping brands.)

• Calories: 300-450+
• Fat: 12-20g+
• Saturated Fat: 5-10g+
• Cholesterol: 25-50mg+ (depending on cake mix ingredients)
• Sodium: 300-450mg+ (Cake mixes/pie fillings can be high)
• Total Carbohydrates: 45-65g+
• Dietary Fiber: <1-2g
• Sugars: 30-50g+ (Very sweet)
• Protein: 2-4g+

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Recipe Summary and Q&A

Summary: This Easy Strawberry Shortcake Poke Cake involves baking a white cake mix in a 9×13 pan, cooling it completely, poking holes all over the top, and spreading strawberry pie filling over it, pressing it into the holes. The cake is then topped with thawed frozen whipped topping, chilled for at least an hour, garnished with fresh sliced strawberries, and served cold.  

Q&A:

• Q: Do I prepare the pudding mix listed in the ingredients?
  • A: Self-correction: This recipe uses strawberry pie filling, not pudding mix (unlike the previous Boston Cream version). No pudding preparation needed. You use canned strawberry pie filling directly.
• Q: Can I use fresh strawberries instead of pie filling in the middle layer?
  • A: Canned pie filling provides the necessary moisture and gooey texture to soak into the cake holes effectively. Using only fresh strawberries wouldn’t create the same moist “poke cake” effect and wouldn’t have the same sweetness or set consistency. You could potentially use a homemade, thickened strawberry compote.
• Q: How far in advance can I make this cake?
  • A: It’s best made at least a few hours ahead to allow for proper chilling. It can easily be made the day before serving. Keep it covered and refrigerated. Add fresh strawberry garnish just before serving for best appearance.
• Q: Why poke holes in the cake?
  • A: That’s the defining technique of a “poke cake”! The holes allow the flavorful filling (in this case, strawberry pie filling) to seep down into the cake itself, making it incredibly moist and infusing it with flavor throughout.