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Strawberry Gelatin Poke Cake is perfect for summer. Cool, delicious, and topped with fluffy, sweet marshmallow whipped cream. So yummy!
When I was a girl, this cake was one of my favorites to make. Back then I used a white cake mix (with pudding in the mix), a box of gelatin (your choice of flavor, but strawberry, raspberry, or cherry work especially well), and a container of Cool Whip used as a cool and dreamy topping. See more Cake Mix Recipes Here.
Kids love helping make this cake. It’s easy and fun, as one of the steps is to make holes in the baked cake with a fork or the end of a wooden spoon. Then you pour the dissolved hot gelatin over the baked cake so that the fruity flavor infuses the dessert. Once chilled, the gelatin sets up and transforms a simple white cake into a lovely piece of culinary art!
For this recipe, I’ve taken steps to create an extra-moist, delicious dessert. Then, instead of topping the cake with whipped topping, I mixed in a container of marshmallow cream to make a dreamy, creamy, fluffy whipped topping. Oh yeah! Delicious!
You will only want to use half of the mixture for the topping, but you can use the rest of it as a dip for fresh fruit–which is another reason to make this cake! The topping alone is worth doing. And kids love, Love, LOVE it.
Ingredients for Strawberry Gelatin Poke Cake
See full recipe in its entirety at the bottom of this post.
- package of white cake mix (with pudding inside like Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines)
- large eggs (four of them)
- vegetable oil
- buttermilk
- water
- package of strawberry gelatin + boiling water
- carton of frozen whipped topping, thawed
- container of marshmallow cream
- vanilla bean paste
- fresh strawberries, optional (for garnish)
Instructions for Making this Recipe
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything you need close at hand on the counter or table. Spray an oblong baking pan with baking spray.
Prepare the Cake
In a large mixing bowl, combine the white cake mix, large eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and water. Beat on low for 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed for two minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.
Make the Gelatin
While the cake cools, prepare the gelatin. Boil water and pour 1 cup over the gelatin. Stir until it dissolves.
Poke the cake in 1-inch intervals with a fork or the end of a wooden spoon (which is what I used).
Spoon the strawberry gelatin over the top, making sure to target the holes, but covering the entire cake.
Cover the cake and refrigerate for 1-3 hours.
Prepare the Marshmallow Whipped Cream
Once the cake has cooled completely and the gelatin has set up, prepare the whipped cream.
Place the thawed whipped cream into a medium bowl. Add to this the marshmallow cream and vanilla bean paste. Whisk together until combined, but do not overmix.
If you don’t have any vanilla bean paste, you may use pure vanilla extract.
Spread half of the topping over the cake.
This topping will actually make enough for two cakes. If desired, you may opt to make half a recipe for the topping or make the full recipe and use half as a fruit dip with strawberries, blackberries, bananas, and apples.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
TIP: If you don’t have a lid for your cake pan, you may cover the cake with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. To keep the plastic wrap from touching the fluffy topping, place toothpicks in the cake. This will hold the plastic up over the cake. This also works for meringue pies!
To serve, slice the cake into 12-16 pieces. If desired, garnish with fresh strawberries. This cake will serve up to 16 people.
See more Cake Recipes Here. Browse Desserts Here.
Strawberry Gelatin Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 package white cake mix with pudding inside like Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 oz strawberry gelatin + 1 cup boiling water
- 12 oz frozen whipped topping thawed
- 7 oz marshmallow cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh strawberries optional (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything you need close at hand on the counter or table. Spray an oblong baking pan with baking spray.
Prepare the Cake
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the white cake mix, large eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and water. Beat on low for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and beat for two minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.
Make the Gelatin
- While the cake cools, prepare the strawberry gelatin. Boil water and pour 1 cup over the gelatin. Stir until it dissolves.
- Poke the cake in 1-inch intervals with the tines of a fork or the end of a wooden spoon (which is what I used).
- Spoon the strawberry gelatin over the top, making sure to target the holes, but covering the entire cake.
- Cover the cake and refrigerate for 1-3 hours.
Marshmallow Whipped Topping
- Once the cake has cooled completely and the gelatin has set up, prepare the whipped topping.
- Place the thawed whipped topping into a medium bowl. Add to this the marshmallow cream and vanilla bean paste. Whisk together until combined, but do not overmix.
- Spread half of the topping over the cake. (See note at bottom of post.)
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- To serve, slice the cake into 12-16 pieces. If desired, garnish with fresh strawberries. This cake will serve up to 16 people.
Notes
