Fresh Strawberry Poke Cake

Soft, moist, fluffy, and downright divine, with creamy mascarpone frosting that complements the juicy crumb to perfection, it’s the best strawberry poke cake. By the time you finish the first bite, you’ll be a new person.

This is an easy strawberry poke cake. You bake a sheet cake. Poke holes. Pour in bright and fresh strawberry syrup, and you have the grooviest cake ready for Valentine’s Day.

Jump to:

• Why you'll love strawberry poke cake?
• What's a poke cake?
• Ingredients & swaps
• How to make strawberry poke cake?
• Poke cake strawberry syrup
• Recipe notes
• How to serve?
• More fresh strawberry recipes
• 📖 Recipe

Why you'll love strawberry poke cake?

Make ahead: I find this the best strawberry poke cake recipe because I can make it the night before!

So delicious: Strawberry poke with fresh strawberries is so delicious that it tricks you into eating far more than you should.

Valentine’s treat: Topped with cream frosting, red swirls, and golden sprinkles, it’s a beauty!

What's a poke cake?

A poke cake is a type of dessert that is made by baking a cake and then poking holes in it. Hence, the name. These holes are then filled with a flavorful liquid, such as fruit purée, sweetened condensed milk, or flavored gelatin.

The idea is that the filling seeps into the holes, adding moisture and flavor to the cake. After the filling is added, the cake is typically chilled to allow the flavors to meld and the cake to set.

All in all, versatile, fun, and easy-to-make dessert.

Ingredients & swaps

Flour: You can use whole wheat flour in this strawberry poke cake recipe, but all-purpose is best because we’re looking for the very fine and tender crumb that only it can give.

Sugar: Raw, cane, or granulated; pick what’s in your pantry.

Oil: Use any vegetable oil. Or coconut oil.

Vanilla extract: Don’t skimp on it, whether homemade vanilla extract or store-bought. You want the essence to shine through.

Yogurt: The best bet with this strawberry cake is plain Greek yogurt. Hung homemade yogurt will do in a pinch as long as it is really thick.

Eggs: This is an eggless poke cake, but you can make it with eggs. Replace the yogurt with 3 eggs and a couple of tablespoons of milk.

Syrup: Traditionally, this cake is made with jello. As much as I love jellies, I would happily swap them for fresh fruit every time. So, my twist on the recipe was to make a strawberry poke cake without Jello.

Nothing beats the sweet aroma and flavor of fresh strawberry syrup!

I know the syrup sounds like extra work, but it takes no more than 10 minutes. Make a jar full and then swirl it in your yogurt or add it to your ice cream, crêpes, and, of course, strawberry milk!

Frosting: Poke cakes are a take on trifles, topped heavily with whipped cream or cool whip. But after my strawberry mug cake, my heart was set on mascarpone frosting. The soft, creamy texture goes beautifully well here. You can use cream cheese instead if you wish.

How to make strawberry poke cake?

Step 1: Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.

Step 2: In another bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, oil, vanilla extract, and sugar.

Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet and combine till you have a smooth and soft-dropping consistency batter.

Step 4: Grease an 8-inch baking tin. Line with parchment paper.

Step 5: Transfer the batter to the pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 6: Cool the cake in the tin for 5 to 10 minutes. Turn out on a wire rack and cool for 15–20 minutes more.

Poke cake strawberry syrup

Step 7: While the cake bakes and then cools, make fresh strawberry syrup using the same recipe as the heavenly Korean strawberry milk.

Step 8: Toss your chopped strawberries with sugar and let them macerate for a few minutes.

Step 9: Transfer to a saucepan, and on low-medium heat, cook till the berries soften and juices start running.

Step 10: Let the mixture cool, and then purée it until smooth.

Step 10: Poke holes in the still slightly warm cake in intervals of an inch, going only 2/3rd of the way (and not all the way down).

Step 11: Spoon the cool strawberry syrup onto the cake.

Step 12: Let the cake rest for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight.

Step 13: Slather on the mascarpone cheese frosting.

Final step: Serve and devour!

Recipe notes

• Use room-temperature ingredients when making strawberry poke cake from scratch.
• Don’t overmix, or you’ll end up with a dense poke strawberry cake.
• Use the back of a wooden spoon with a round handle to create holes or a chopstick, like I did.
• A small spoon works wonderfully for filling the holes. I just found it easier and faster to rely on a piping bag fitted with a straight icing nozzle.
• Make the cake a day ahead, so the crumbs have time to soak in the strawberry syrup flavors.

How to serve?

Since this poke cake with strawberries was a Valentine’s Day treat, I went for FANCY and topped the cake with mascarpone cheese frosting. Swirled some red strawberry syrup and finished it off with a little bit of golden sprinkle action.

Very Valentine-y, if you will.

Decorate the strawberry cake as you wish. Leave out the sprinkles. Serve with a side of strawberry syrup or some more chopped, juicy berries.

To make the frosting:

• Whisk room-temperature mascarpone with icing sugar.
• Add a tablespoon or so of whipped cream if it feels too thick.

To make swirls:

• Put drops of strawberry syrup using a teaspoon or piping bag.
• With a toothpick, make whirls.

More fresh strawberry recipes

Strawberry Madeleines

Strawberry Banana Bread 

Strawberry Jam Cake

Strawberry Puff Pastry Tart

Half the joy of cooking is sharing it with others. That’s why I’m always eager to hear from you. So go right ahead and drop a comment or reach out on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook. I hope you love this strawberry poke cake as much as we do!

📖 Recipe