Strawberry Lemonade Poke Cake
Made with lemon cake, lemonade, and strawberry jello, this Strawberry Lemonade Poke Cake is inspired by the classic refreshing summer drink and delivers a sweet citrusy flavor. It's super easy to make and the perfect dessert for luncheons, backyard BBQs, and get-togethers!
Servings: 16 slices
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 box (15.25) lemon cake mix
- 2 & 1/4 cups cold lemonade , divided
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 box (3 ounce) strawberry Jell-O
For the Topping
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 box (3.4 ounce) instant lemon pudding mix
- 1 tub (8 ounce) Cool Whip , thawed (see note below)
For Garnish
- sliced strawberries , for serving
- lemon slice twirls , for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Beat cake mix, 1 cup lemonade, eggs, and oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until incorporated. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean, 21 to 26 minutes. Then allow cake to cool for about 25 minutes.
- Using a straw or the handle of a small wooden spoon, poke holes all over the surface of the cake; set aside.
- Pour 1 cup lemonade into a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in strawberry jell-o powder until dissolved. Mix in remaining 1/4 cup cold lemonade. Carefully pour or spoon the liquid Jello into the holes of the cake.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 6 hours or ideally overnight – this allows the Jell-O to set up within the cake.
- Make topping: Vigorously whisk together the milk and lemon pudding mix in a bowl until slightly thickened. Fold in the Cool Whip. Spread the topping evenly over the cooled cake.
- Cover and store in the fridge before serving. Garnish with sliced strawberries and twirled lemon slices, cut into squares, and enjoy!
Notes
Use cold lemonade. The lemonade is used in several parts of the recipe and it's important that it's cold. Keep it in the fridge until you need it.
Replace the Cool Whip with fresh whipped cream. If preferred, you can beat cold heavy whipping cream to stiff peaks and use that in place of the Cool Whip.
Chill overnight. If you can, chill your poke cake overnight to let the jello fully absorb into the cake. I also recommend letting it chill again after you add the topping.
Nutrition
Calories: 208kcal · Carbohydrates: 41g · Protein: 3g · Fat: 4g · Saturated Fat: 2g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g · Monounsaturated Fat: 1g · Trans Fat: 0.1g · Cholesterol: 36mg · Sodium: 280mg · Potassium: 52mg · Fiber: 0.3g · Sugar: 24g · Vitamin A: 73IU · Calcium: 82mg · Iron: 1mg