Poke cake

Poke cake
A poke cake topped with sliced strawberries
TypeCake
CourseDessert
Region or stateUnited States
  •  Wikimedia Commons logo Media: Poke cake

Poke cake is an American dessert made with sheet cake and flavored gelatin.

Preparation

Poke cake is made by baking a sheet cake, often using boxed cake mix. After the cake has been baked, holes are poked into the top using a utensil like a fork, wooden spoon handle, straw, or skewer. A liquid topping such as gelatin, pudding, sweetened condensed milk, syrup or pureed fruit is poured over the top of the cake so that it can seep into the holes. The cake is often topped with frosting, whipped cream, or Cool Whip.

The most common variation involves combining gelatin mix and warm water, and then pouring the liquid over a sheet cake. The cake is then refrigerated until it has set.

History

The recipe was introduced by Jell-O in the 1970s as a way to increase sales of its instant gelatin dessert. The earliest versions used white sheet cake covered with various gelatin mixes. They are commonly served at potlucks and pool parties in the United States. There were poke style cakes prior to this in the 1800s, at least. Lady Judith Montefiore has a recipe for a Siesta Cake, that has clarified sugar poured into holes made with a silver skewer, in her "The Jewish Manual" cookbook.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Wyss, Roxanne; Moore, Kathy (November 7, 2017). Delicious Poke Cakes: 80 Super Simple Desserts with an Extra Flavor Punch in Each Bite. St. Martin's Publishing Group. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-250-13584-1.
  2. ↑ "11 Poke Cakes You Need In Your Life". Southern Living. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  3. ↑ Fertig, Judith M. (August 17, 2023). All-American Desserts: 400 Star-Spangled, Razzle-Dazzle Recipes for America's Best Loved Desserts. Quarto Publishing Group USA. ISBN 978-1-55832-602-6.
  4. ↑ Wyss, Roxanne; Moore, Kathy (November 7, 2017). Delicious Poke Cakes: 80 Super Simple Desserts with an Extra Flavor Punch in Each Bite. St. Martin's Publishing Group. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-250-13584-1.
  5. ↑ "Strawberry Poke Cake". Southern Living. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  6. 1 2 O'Connor, Jill (May 1, 2019). "Poke Cakes Are Kitschy and Dated, but Still a Heck of a Lot of Fun". The Kitchn.
  7. ↑ "Stab This Cake, Then Fill It With Jell-O". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Chocolate Poke Cake". Southern Living. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  9. ↑ O'Connor, Jill (May 23, 2017). Cake, I Love You: Decadent, Delectable, and Do-able Recipes. Chronicle Books. p. 53. ISBN 978-1-4521-5394-0.