Strawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake

This Strawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake is the dessert that disappears first at every cookout I bring it to. Soft pink strawberry cake, cool pockets of cheesecake pudding, fluffy whipped topping, and fresh berries piled on top, all from a box of cake mix.

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I make it all summer long, for Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, graduation parties, and any hot afternoon when nobody wants the oven on for long. It feeds a crowd and it could not be easier.

What makes people ask for the recipe is the cheesecake pudding. This is not strawberries-and-cream filling. Two boxes fill every pocket of cake, so you get real cheesecake flavor in every forkful, not only strawberry.

If you want another easy chilled dessert for the same crowd, my strawberry swirl cheesecake is a no-fuss option that uses the same fresh berries.

Key Ingredients

Strawberry cake mix: A box mix is the shortcut that makes this easy. I use Duncan Hines Strawberry Supreme, but any brand works. If your batter looks pale, a drop or two of red food coloring gives you that pretty pink slice.

Cheesecake instant pudding: This is what makes it taste like cheesecake instead of plain strawberries and cream. Use two boxes so you have enough to fill every hole and still smooth a layer over the top.

Cold whole milk: Use cold milk and use whole. It sets the pudding thick enough to pipe and stay put in the holes. Warm or low-fat milk leaves the pudding too loose to hold its shape.

Whipped topping: I reach for Cool Whip here because it holds up. Homemade whipped cream tastes great but loosens and weeps after a few hours in the fridge, and this is a make-ahead cake.

Fresh strawberries: Rinse them, then dry them completely before chopping. Wet berries bleed into the topping. Add them right before serving for the cleanest look.

How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake

Step 1: Bake the Cake Mix the cake mix, water, and oil, then beat in the eggs one at a time until no yellow streaks remain. Pour into a sprayed 9×13 dish and bake at 350°F for 25 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 2: Cool, Then Poke Let the cake cool completely. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes about an inch to an inch and a half apart. Once it is fully cool you can re-poke each hole to clear out any crumbs that filled back in.

Step 3: Make the Pudding Add both boxes of instant pudding to a bowl with the cold milk. Beat on medium about a minute, until it starts to thicken. You want it pourable but not runny.

Step 4: Fill the Holes Spoon about a cup and a half into a piping bag with a large 1A tip or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped. Pipe the pudding into each hole until full, then smooth the rest over the top with an offset spatula.

Step 5: Chill Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Overnight is better. The cheesecake pudding keeps settling into the cake and the flavor is even better the next day.

Step 6: Top and Serve Spread the thawed whipped topping over the pudding layer. Sprinkle the chopped strawberries on right before serving. Slice and keep chilled until it hits the table.

How to Store It

Fridge: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Freeze the cake after the pudding layer goes on, for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then add the whipped topping and strawberries before serving.

More Poke Cake Recipes

• Jello Poke Cake
• Death by Chocolate Poke Cake
• Rainbow Poke Cake
• Boston Cream Poke Cake
• Raspberry Poke Cake

5 from 21 votes

Strawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake

Author — Jennifer Fishkind

Serves — 12

Strawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake made from a strawberry box mix, filled with cheesecake pudding, and topped with Cool Whip and fresh berries. An easy make-ahead summer crowd-pleaser.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 28 minutes mins

Rest and Chill Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 13 minutes mins

Ingredients

 

Strawberry Cake

• ▢ 15.25 ounce box of strawberry cake mix
• ▢ 1 cup water
• ▢ ½ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 3 large eggs room temperature

Cheesecake pudding

• ▢ 7 ounces (2 3.5-ounce) boxes of cheesecake instant pudding
• ▢ 3½ cups cold whole milk
• ▢ 8 ounce container of whipped topping thawed
• ▢ 1 cup strawberries washed, dried, capped, hulled, and chopped strawberries (optional garnish)

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with baker’s spray (Baker’s Joy or generic version)
• Add the cake mix, water, and oil to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Use a handheld mixer on medium speed to mix the ingredients together until well combined.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each egg until incorporated and no yellow streaks are visible.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 25-28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes away clean.
• Allow the cake to cool slightly. Use the handle of a wooden mixing spoon to poke holes in the cake about 1-1½ inches apart. Allow the cake to cool completely.
• Add both packages of instant pudding mix to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the cold milk and use a handheld mixer on medium speed to mix for about 1 minute until the pudding begins to thicken.
• Add 1½ cups to a disposable piping bag fitted with a large 1A decorator’s tip or a quart-size ziplock bag with a corner snipped off.
• Pipe the pudding into each hole, filling the holes up completely. (If you have any leftover pudding, add it to the remaining pudding for topping.)
• Use an offset spatula to smooth the remaining pudding over the top of the cake.
• Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Evenly spread the thawed whipped topping over the pudding layer. Sprinkle with the chopped strawberries. Slice and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Jenn’s Notes

Storage:

• To Store: Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• To Freeze: You can freeze the cake after you have added the pudding for up to 1 month. Allow the cake to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before topping it with the thawed whipped topping and strawberries.

Tips:

• You can also use a long filling tip instead of the 1A decorator’s tip to fill the poke holes. It is a matter of preference.
• Once the cake is completely cooled, you can go back and re-poke the cake holes with the end of the spoon. That way, if the crumbs of the cake refill in, you will have a cleaner hole for the pudding.
• You can add 1-2 drops of red food coloring if your cake batter is a bit too light in color.

Nutrition Info

Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 529mg | Potassium: 159mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 190IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 1mg

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