Description
This Strawberry Lemonade Poke Cake is a delightful, refreshing dessert perfect for warm weather gatherings. Featuring a moist lemon cake base infused with zesty lemon and strawberry gelatin, it’s topped with a creamy lemon pudding and whipped topping mixture, and garnished with fresh strawberries for a vibrant finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 (15.25-ounce) package lemon cake mix
- 2 cups water, divided
- 3 large eggs
- â…“ cup vegetable oil
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
Gelatin Mixture
- 1 (3-ounce) package strawberry-flavored gelatin mix
- ¼ cup cold water
Topping
- ½ cup milk
- 1 (3.4-ounce) package instant lemon pudding mix
- 1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip), thawed
Optional Garnish
- Whole or sliced strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray to prevent the cake from sticking.
- Make Cake Batter: In a large bowl, combine the lemon cake mix, 1 cup of water, eggs, vegetable oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Beat on low speed until ingredients are moistened, then increase to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes to ensure a smooth batter. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake the Cake: Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 21 to 26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and set it aside.
- Prepare Gelatin Mixture: While the cake bakes, bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the strawberry gelatin mix until completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add ¼ cup cold water, stirring to combine.
- Poke Cake and Add Gelatin: Using a fork or skewer, poke holes all over the warm cake. Slowly pour the prepared gelatin mixture over the cake, allowing it to seep into the holes. This will infuse the cake with strawberry flavor. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour to cool and set the gelatin.
- Prepare Lemon Pudding Topping: Whisk the milk and instant lemon pudding mix together until slightly thickened. Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Assemble Cake: Spread the lemon pudding topping evenly over the chilled cake. Garnish the top with whole or sliced fresh strawberries if desired. Keep the cake refrigerated until ready to serve to maintain freshness and texture.
Notes
- Ensure the cake is warm when poking to allow the gelatin mixture to soak properly.
- For best results, refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour after adding gelatin to fully set the flavors.
- You can substitute fresh lemon juice with bottled lemon juice if needed but fresh zest adds the best flavor.
- Use thawed whipped topping and fold gently to keep the topping light and airy.
- This cake is best served chilled and can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
