Strawberries & Cream Layered Poke Cake
Strawberry Poke Cake – A two-layer beauty with the most amazing fresh sweet whipped cream. A perfect summer celebration cake!
This past weekend marked the last of our family birthdays until the fall, which means I had my last birthday dessert request for awhile. My mother-in-law’s birthday was this past Saturday, and when I asked what she would like for dessert, she requested a white or yellow cake with some type of fruit. I thought of doing something plain Jane, but then remembered that I had been wanting to make an old-school poke cake for-ev-er. Can you believe this was my first one?!
Most poke cakes are made rather simply in a 9×13-inch pan, and while I love cakes like that for easy get togethers, I wanted something that looked a little more special for a birthday cake. SO, I turned it into a layer cake!
I made a very simple white vanilla layer cake, poked holes all over it, doused it in a fresh strawberry-infused gelatin syrup and let them sit overnight so the syrup could sink in and set. When I assembled the cake, I used my all-time favorite whipped cream frosting from my tres leches cake to fill and frost it.
The only thing you’ll see pictured that I do not recommend and didn’t include in the recipe below is that I used the discarded strawberry solids to mash up into a jam-like mixture, and added that to the filling along with the whipped cream. It was just too soft and when I cut the cake it sort of squirted out of the sides and made a bit of a mess. If you want more fruit flavor in the center, I would recommend just some finely chopped fresh strawberries – a much neater option! :)
This cake got ooh’s and aah’s and rave reviews from everyone who ate it. My mother-in-law loved her birthday cake, and I’m thrilled to finally be able to cross poke cake off my baking bucket list.
Now that I’ve done it, I can’t wait to try a million other variations! What’s your favorite?
One year ago: Hummingbird Cake
Two years ago: Vidalia Onion Dip
Five years ago: Grilled Corn
Six years ago: Blueberry Boy Bait
Seven years ago: Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies
Eight years ago: New York-Style Crumb Cake
Strawberries & Cream Layered Poke Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup (244 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 6 egg whites, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups (281.25 g) cake flour
- 1¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170.25 g) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces, softened but still cool
For the Strawberry Syrup:
- 3 cups (432 g) strawberries, hulled
- 1 cup (250 ml) water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons strawberry-flavored gelatin
For the Whipped Cream:
- 2 cups (476 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (200 g) + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Bake the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans.
- Whisk together the milk, egg whites, and vanilla in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Using an electric mixer, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined, about 5 seconds. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, and mix until only pea-size pieces remain, about 1 minute.
- Add half of the milk mixture, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, add remaining milk mixture, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds (batter may look slightly curdled). Using a rubber spatula, give the batter a final stir by hand.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula. Bake until tops are light golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Place the pans on a wire rack and cool completely, about 2 hours.
- Make the Strawberry Syrup: Cook the strawberries, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, covered, until strawberries are softened, about 8 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl; discard solids. Whisk the strawberry-flavored gelatin into the juices and cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
- Using a skewer, poke 25 holes in top of each cake, twisting gently to form slightly larger holes. Pour half of the cooled strawberry syrup over 1 cake layer. Repeat with the remaining syrup and second layer cake. Cover the cakes with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 1 day.
- Make the Whipped Cream: Using an electric mixer, whisk together the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla on low speed until stiff peaks form. Increase to medium speed and whip until thick.
- Assemble the Cake: Run a thin knife along the interior of pans. Invert one layer onto wire rack, then flip cake right side up onto serving platter. Spread 1 cup whipped cream over top. Invert second layer and place, right side up, on whipped cream. Spread remaining whipped cream over top and sides of cake. Garnish with additional strawberries, as desired. Leftover cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
OMG this is the best cake EVER! SO good!!!! I mean SO good. Made the cake the day before, let it soak up the juices overnight. Only comment would be that when you flip the cake out of the pan, flip it onto waxed paper because it’s wet, then you can lift the wax paper by the edges and turn the cake onto the serving platter (or bottom layer as the case may be). Flipping it onto the cooling rack made indentations in the cake since it was so wet and just made a messy clean up of the cooling rack. This would be a GREAT cake for a party, it’s SO pretty. A little messy to serve though so let it set up in the fridge and don’t remove it from the fridge until right before serving.
Are you supposed to whisk the egg whites by themselves to form peaks before mixing with the milk and vanilla? Or just whisk them all together? Should peaks even form or is it a non-factor?
Thanks!
I have made this cake several times and every time I get recipe requests. Â We used to buy a strawberry cake from a local bakery because it was my husband’s favorite. Â This recipe is now his new favorite.
Can I make this recipe in one layer of 9 inch cake ? If so will just taking 1/2 of all ingredients work ?
You will need to halve the ingredients if you just want it in one layer 9″ pan. You could bake it in one layer in a 9×13-inch pan without changing the recipe.
Hi!!
Could I substitute raspberries in place of the strawberries? Do you think it would still be a 1:1 substitution?
Thanks!!
Hi! This looks amazing! I’m thinking of making this for my daughter’s birthday tomorrow. Would I be able to use boxed egg whites instead of egg whites from individual eggs for the cake?
Hi April, I’ve never used boxed egg whites, so I couldn’t say for sure, but I imagine they would function the same as regular egg whites?
Made this for my daughter’s birthday. Everyone loved it!
Do you think this frosting could be stabilized with gelatin? I am wondering if the sugar/cream ratio wouldn’t work with the gelatin, and I am frosting a cake tomorrow that will probably need to sit out for two hours before it’s consumed.
Thanks!
Hi Angela, Probably, although I’ve never done a stabilized whipped cream frosting with gelatin. This is my very favorite version (I use cream cheese): https://www.browneyedbaker.com/pumpkin-spice-latte-cupcakes/. It would be delicious with this cake!
Really excellent! I’m not a huge fan of fruit desserts, but I loved this.
Wow! I made this cake for my mum’s birthday! Absolutely wonderful, a great recipe! The steps making the batter were different from a standard cake batter mix but the results were outstanding! I have always made chocolate cakes and was looking for something different and I came across your recipe… a keeper for sure! Thank You :) gen
This looks delicious! If i want to level the cake, should I do that before or after poking and adding the syrup? Also, I live in Texas and it is super hot out. I need to transfer the cake and am afraid whipped frosting may not hold up. Do you recommend butter cream or cream cheese frosting to hold up in the heat?
I would do that before poking. I think either buttercream or cream cheese would hold up equally well, so whichever you’d rather have!
Looks delicious! Do you have any ideas for how to make the syrup with frozen peaches instead of strawberries? Also, for the filing, could I use peach preserves alone, or would it work better to mix that with the cream? How would I increase the ingredients to make two 12 inch layers? Thanks!
Hi Sara, You could thaw the peaches and substitute them for the strawberries, and use peach flavored gelatin. I think you could do the filling either way. As for scaling up, you’d probably want to go with 1.5x.
I made this for Easter 2017 and it was HUGE hit! Love how light the cake is, and the sweetened cream is a perfect compliment to the berries. I plan to make it again when it’s actually strawberry season so I can load up the top with fresh fruit too!
(Oh, also, quick note–I didn’t have the time needed to let everything cool naturally so popped the cakes in the freezer for 1/3 the prescribed time to speed the cooling process. Worked like a charm, and I had the whole thing completed in 4 hours.)
I loved this cake and so did my family. I made it the night before and put the layers in the refrigerator. My question is are you supposed to keep the pans in the refrigerator until you are ready to frost it and serve it cold? I wasn’t sure and took the pans out of the refrigerator the next day awhile before frosting and serving. Should it have been straight out of refrigerator?
Hi Toni, No it didn’t need to be straight from the refrigerator, what you did was fine! So happy you enjoyed it!
Hi Michelle, would it be possible to use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar for the frosting an if so would it be the same amount thanks hope you reply soon as i would love to try this recipe
Oh my…looks like I was dreaming…
Hi Michelle! I made the layers last night, and am excited to assemble the cake today :) Would you recommend frosting it right before serving? I’d like to do it a little ahead of time if possible, but am afraid the whipping cream might weep. Thanks so much!
Hi Hillary, I frosted it a few hours before serving and popped it in the refrigerator. This whipped cream stays really well, so I think ahead of time (hours or even night before) would be okay, as long as you refrigerate it.
What can be used – in the way of whole eggs – in place of the 6 egg whites?
Looks yummers!
This is a white vanilla cake recipe, which traditionally uses egg whites. If you’d rather use whole eggs, I’d recommend my yellow cake recipe:
https://www.browneyedbaker.com/yellow-cake-chocolate-frosting/
I love strawberries, and this recipe i must try to my Holiday.
That cake is so beautiful inside and out! That was very nice of you to make it for her.
oh crap now that I have seen this I won’t be able to get it out of my mind til I try it!! This is a seriously gorgeous poke cake, and I love the “surprise inside” aspect.
What a beautiful cake! I love the strawberries around the sides!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
This cake is gorgeous! I love that you didn’t rely on cake mix and sweetened condensed milk but really made this from scratch. Can’t wait to check it out.
This will work on the filling. Try mixing the strawberry mix with instant vanilla pudding. It will take up some of the juice and then it can be mixed with the whipped topping. I use this process on my Pig Pickin’ Cake (using crushed pineapple).
What a pretty cake, Michelle! A perfect way to take advantage of the beautiful, plump, juicy strawberries that are in season right now!
What a beautiful cake! I am sure it tastes just as good as it looks! Love Strawberries!!
This cake looks incredible . . . I know you said you don’t recommend using the discarded strawberries in the filling, but I noticed that little part of the filling right away and thought it was perfect. I think I’ll make this soon for one of our Sunday Dinners, and NOT follow your advice – HA! ;) From your picture, it adds so much to the cake. But I will understand I’ve been forewarned :) I’ve never made a poke cake either, and I love how you turned it into a layer cake version. Layer cakes are my favorites.
Game 5 – Let’s go Pens! Have fun at the game tonight. So excited for you that you’ll be there.
Let me know how you enjoy the cake! I think if you did it in a 9×13 then the strawberry “middle” wouldn’t be too big of a deal, but after slicing the first piece of this cake, the rest just oozed.
Thanks! I’m so excited! I just hope we win… I haven’t gone to a playoff game yet this year, but my husband is 3-0. If we lose, he’ll probably never let me live it down ;-)
I made this for my sons Birthday , because he really loves strawberry poke cake, it turned out BEAUTIFULLY!!! The 2 layer and whip cream frosting just gave it that extra thing that everybody loved about it. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
This cake looks awesome! I can’t wait to make it. When you say strawberry flavored gelatin do you mean strawnerry flavored jell-o?
Thanks,
Jessi
Hi Jessi, Yes, I used strawberry Jello.