Strawberry poke cake

Strawberry poke cake

Strawberry poke cake is one of those desserts that just feels like summer. And it’s perfect for this Memorial Day weekend! It’s light, fruit-flavored, and a little bit retro, all in the best way.

INGREDIENTS

• 16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 3-oz pkg strawberry gelatin

For the topping:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups sliced strawberries

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick baking spray and set it aside.

• Prepare the wet ingredients. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Mix on medium until it is light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. With the mixer on medium-low, add the eggs, one at a time, allowing each to incorporate, followed by the vanilla extract.

• Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Turn the mixer on medium-low and slowly add the buttermilk until everything is just incorporated. Do not overmix; a few dry streaks are okay. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold the batter a few times with a spatula. Pour into the prepared baking dish.

• Bake the cake. Bake in the preheated 350°F oven until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, 35-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 20 minutes. Once the cake is slightly cooled, use a large skewer to poke holes all over the cake. Insert the skewer all the way to the bottom of the pan.

• While the cake is baking, prepare the gelatin according to the package instructions. Set aside to cool to room temperature, 20-30 minutes. Then, slowly and evenly pour the prepared gelatin over the cake with the poked holes. Refrigerate until fully chilled, 2-3 hours.

• Once the cake is chilled, prepare the topping. In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract until it reaches stiff peaks. Spread the whipped cream over the cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. Before serving, top with sliced strawberries.