Name: Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake
Prep time: 4 h 40 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 5 h 5 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: One 15 oz box white cake mix; 3 eggs; 1/3 cup vegetable oil; 1 cup water; 3 oz strawberry jello; 1 cup boiling water; 1 cup cold water; 8 oz cool whip; 18-20 golden oreos (crushed); 1/4 unsalted butter (melted); Fresh strawberries are optional

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Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake combines a classic fun poke cake with an irresistible strawberry crunch topping! This poke cake is stunning to look at and loaded with delicious flavor and contrasting textures – perfect for parties, summer gatherings, the holidays, or a midweek sweet treat!

Slice of Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake on a white plate, tea cup with fresh strawberries, blue and cream striped kitchen cloth on a white countertop.

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Get creative with your strawberry crunch poke cake and garnish it with freshly sliced strawberries. I’ve listed even more ideas for adapting this poke cake recipe below! Serve it as is or alongside a scoop of vanilla or strawberry ice cream.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT STRAWBERRY CRUNCH POKE CAKE

Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake combines classic poke cake with strawberry crunch topping for a sensational sweet treat experience!

The great thing about poke cakes is their versatility! This recipe uses vanilla cake mix as the base, poked with holes that are filled with strawberry Jell-O. Once set in the fridge, the poke cake is topped with Cool Whip and strawberry crunch from a mixture of crushed Golden Oreos, melted butter, and extra strawberry Jell-O!

This strawberry crunch poke cake is loaded with flavor, a vibrant pink color, and incredible texture – perfect for parties, holidays, or a midweek family dessert.

Metal fork with a piece of Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake, woven mat with blue and cream striped kitchen towel and fresh strawberries, on a white countertop.

WHAT IS STRAWBERRY CRUNCH?

Strawberry Crunch is an easy and delicious dessert topping that is made with crushed Golden Oreos (or vanilla cookie), melted butter, and freeze-dried strawberries.

This crunchy topping adds texture and flavor to cupcakes, cakes, ice cream, and other treats.

In this strawberry poke cake, I used strawberry Jell-O instead of freeze-dried strawberries, which tasted great!

HOW SHOULD I STORE STRAWBERRY CRUNCH POKE CAKE?

This strawberry crunch poke cake can be stored in an airtight container or in the baking dish, wrapped with plastic wrap, in the fridge for 3-5 days.

The strawberry crunch topping will soften while in storage.

You can freeze this poke cake, either as an entire cake or as individual slices (wrapped), for 3 months. Thaw the frozen poke cake in the fridge and serve chilled. The frozen Cool Whip may become slightly watery from the freezing and thawing processes.

Overhead view of a slice of Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake with a slice of strawberry garnish on a white plate, blue and cream striped kitchen towel, fresh strawberries and Golden Oreos.

WHAT VARIATIONS CAN I MAKE TO THIS POKE CAKE?

Use freeze-dried strawberries instead of strawberry Jell-O to make the strawberry crunch topping for this poke cake.
Use gluten-free cake mix and gluten-free vanilla sandwich cookies for a gluten-free strawberry crunch poke cake.
Change the strawberry Jell-O to another fruity flavor for a different fruit-flavored poke cake.
Make strawberry crunch poke cupcakes using cupcake mix and baking the batter in muffin tins.
Top this poke cake with strawberry frosting instead of Cool Whip and strawberry crunch.
I’ve used a cake mix for convenience in this poke cake recipe, but you can bake a vanilla cake from scratch instead if you prefer.

A slice of Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake with freshly sliced strawberry on a white plate, blue and cream kitchen towel, Golden Oreos on a white countertop.

TIPS FOR MAKING POKE CAKE

Don’t poke holes in your cake all the way through the cake base; only about ¾ down.
The Golden Oreos can be crushed in a food processor or crushed in a sealable plastic bag with a rolling pin.
Give yourself enough time to make this poke cake, as the cake base must be cooled completely before poking it, and the cake also needs to chill for a few hours in the fridge for the Jell-O-filled holes to set.
Don’t overmix the cake batter; it will become dry and crumbly once baked.
Thick wooden skewers or the end of a spoon can be used to poke holes in the cake.
Top this strawberry crunch poke cake with freshly sliced strawberries for extra flavor, texture, and a pop of color!
The strawberry crunch topping can be made a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Overhead view of a slice of Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake on a white plate, blue and cream kitchen towel, fresh strawberries, Golden Oreos, on a white countertop.

Strawberry-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love!

Yield: 12 Servings