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!