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Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake
Isabella

Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake

Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake is a bright, creamy, and nostalgic dessert made with soft vanilla cake soaked in sweet strawberry gelatin, topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting, and finished with a buttery strawberry cookie crunch. Perfect for birthdays, potlucks, and summer gatherings, this easy yet impressive cake delivers irresistible layers of flavor and texture in every bite.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • For the Cake Base
  • Nonstick cooking spray for greasing the pan
  • 1 15.25-oz box white cake mix
  • Ingredients required on the cake mix box typically eggs, oil, and water
  • 1 3-oz box strawberry gelatin (Jell-O style)
  • For the Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 1½ cups heavy whipping cream cold
  • 1 8-oz block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • ⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt balances sweetness beautifully
  • For the Strawberry Crunch Topping
  • 24 vanilla sandwich cookies Golden Oreo-style works best
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1 3-oz box strawberry gelatin powder
  • Fresh strawberries halved lengthwise, for garnish

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
  2. Prepare the white cake mix according to package instructions. Pour batter into the prepared dish and smooth the top.
  3. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan.
  4. Use the handle of a wooden spoon or skewer to poke holes evenly across the cooled cake, spacing about 1/2 to 1 inch apart.
  5. Dissolve one box of strawberry gelatin in 1/2 cup boiling water. Stir in 1/2 cup cold water, then pour evenly over the cake, allowing it to seep into the holes.
  6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until fully set.
  7. Whip cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, then mix in powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt.
  8. Gently fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until fully combined and fluffy.
  9. Spread frosting evenly over the chilled cake using an offset spatula.
  10. Pulse vanilla sandwich cookies in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Mix crumbs with melted butter and dry strawberry gelatin powder until evenly coated.
  11. Sprinkle the strawberry crunch mixture evenly over the frosted cake and lightly press to adhere.
  12. Garnish with halved fresh strawberries. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

For deeper strawberry flavor, use strawberry cake mix instead of white. Add sliced strawberries beneath the frosting for extra freshness. Chill thoroughly before slicing for clean layers. Add the crunch topping shortly before serving if storing longer than 24 hours to maintain crispness.