Description
Homemade strawberry crunch poke cake delivers delightful layers of sweet, tangy flavors and creamy textures. Sharp strawberry notes mingle with crunchy topping, creating a dessert guaranteed to charm dessert enthusiasts and family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box (15.25 oz / 432 g) white cake mix
- 1 box (3 oz / 85 g) strawberry gelatin
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 cup boiling water
- 8 oz (227 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 18–20 Golden Oreos, coarsely crushed
- 0.25 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 box (3 oz / 85 g) strawberry gelatin powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Fresh strawberries (optional)
- Eggs (as specified on cake mix box)
- Oil (as specified on cake mix box)
- Water (as specified on cake mix box)
Instructions
- Cake Base Preparation: Blend white cake mix according to package instructions, pour into a greased 9×13-inch pan, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean at 350°F, roughly 22-25 minutes.
- Cake Perforation and Gelatin Infusion: Once cooled, create multiple fork punctures across the cake’s surface. Dissolve strawberry gelatin in boiling water, then mix with cold water, and carefully pour over the cake, ensuring complete penetration. Refrigerate for 4 hours to set and absorb flavors.
- Frosting Creation: Whip cream cheese until smooth, then simultaneously whisk heavy cream with confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Gently incorporate cream cheese into the whipped cream, creating a luxurious, uniform frosting.
- Topping Preparation: Crush Golden Oreo cookies and combine with melted butter and dry strawberry gelatin powder. Spread the frosting evenly over the chilled cake, then sprinkle the strawberry crunch mixture on top, pressing gently to adhere.
- Serving and Storage: Optionally garnish with fresh strawberries. Serve immediately or refrigerate to meld flavors. Store covered in the refrigerator, noting the topping may soften over time.
Notes
- Optimize Cake Base: Follow package instructions precisely for the white cake mix to ensure a light, fluffy foundation that perfectly absorbs the gelatin.
- Master Gelatin Technique: Create multiple fork punctures across the entire cake surface to maximize flavor penetration and moisture absorption.
- Whip Cream Carefully: Achieve stiff peaks when whipping cream by chilling the mixing bowl and beaters beforehand for a more stable, luxurious frosting.
- Preserve Crunch Topping: Add the Oreo cookie crumble just before serving to maintain maximum crispness and prevent premature softening.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg