Strawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake

This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please see my full disclosure policy for details

This Strawberry Cheesecake Poke cake is similar to a tres leches cake. The vanilla cake is filled with sweetened condensed milk and it’s topped with a fresh strawberry sauce and cream cheese whipped cream. It a bite of heaven on a fork!

Today, let’s talk about this Strawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake. I have three words to describe this dessert. O-H M-Y G-O-D. When I set out to make this dessert, I knew I wanted a mix of a shortcake with fresh strawberries most importantly, a whipped cream topping.  

If you have never made a poke cake, you are in for a real treat with this dessert (no pun intended). A poke cake is a cake that you bake, and then poke holes all over the top, then drizzle some type of liquid over it like pudding, sweetened condensed milk, caramel; you get the idea. Then you finish it with some whipped cream and your favorite topping like fruit or candy.

This recipe for this Strawberry Poke Cake  is SUPER easy because I used a vanilla cake mix but if you’d like a homemade cake, I definitely suggest my homemade moist vanilla cake. I’ve used this recipe as a base for lots of other cakes you’ll find on my blog and it’s even better than a cake mix. 

This cake has a can of sweetened condensed milk poured over the top. I’m not really sorry about that either. One of my friends who tried this cake asked me if it was a tres leches cake. This is a total win in my book because I LOVE tres leches! It would also be good with vanilla pudding instead of the milk, but I just love how the milk makes the cake super moist. 

Fresh Strawberry Sauce

For the topping, I made an easy strawberry sauce using fresh strawberries, It’s mixed with a little lemon juice and some sugar. It’s a basic sauce that I poured over top after I added the sweetened condensed milk. 

• Chop the strawberries into quarters and then again in half. 
• In a saucepan, combine the flour and sugar and then add the strawberries, toss to coat in the dry ingredients. 
• Then add the lemon juice and water and bring the mixture to boil. Continue mixing until the strawberry soften and turns into sauce. Cool a bit before spreading over the cake. 

While I used fresh strawberries, you could certainly use frozen but I recommend buying them chopped so it will turn into a sauce a bit easier. 

Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

After all that, I topped this cake with what I like the call, “the best thing ever”. It is a cream cheese whipped cream that is so versatile. I have used it to top cupcakes, cakes and even for a filling. It’s similar to whipped cream but sweeter and a bit thicker. 

• The key to making the cream cheese whipped cream is to start with a COLD cream cheese and then whip the heck out of it until it is super smooth and creamy, otherwise you will end up with a lumping topping.
• The second important part is to add the heavy whipping cream slowly to incorporate it into the cream cheese. 

Since you are adding a whipped cream topping to this cake, it is important that the cake is completely cooled before you spread it on. Usually I will bake the cake, let is cool for 15 minutes, fill it with the milk, and strawberry sauce, then pop it in the refrigerator to help it cool. 

This poke cake recipe is very versatile and it’s perfect to make in advance. If you don’t love strawberries, try substituting your favorite fruit like blueberries, raspberries or even peaches! This is a great summer dessert for your potluck and BBQs!

Follow Beyond Frosting:

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram 

More Cake Recipe you’ll love

• Blueberry Cheesecake Poke Cake
• Fresh Strawberry Cake with Lemon Cream
• Strawberry Mascarpone Cake
• Lemon Raspberry Poke Cake

Strawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake

★★★★★

5 from 9 reviews

• Author: Julianne Bayer
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 15 slices

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

This Strawberry Cheesecake Poke cake is similar to a tres leches cake. The vanilla cake is filled with sweetened condensed milk and it’s topped with a fresh strawberry sauce and cream cheese whipped cream.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1 box White or vanilla cake mix (15 oz)
• Ingredients listed on the box (water, oil, eggs, etc)
• 1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk

For the strawberry sauce

• 1 lb Strawberries (16 oz), rinsed
• ¼ cup (48g)  sugar
• 1 tablespoon (8g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup (59ml) water
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice

For the whipped cream

• 1 pkg (8oz) full-fat cream cheese
• 2 cups (473ml) heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups (260g) Powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract

Instructions

1. For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the cake mix according to the ingredients on the box. Beat on medium speed until well combined.
2. Bake cake in a 9×13” pan for 20-22 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, you cake is done. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
3. While the cake is still warm, take the end of a wooden spoon or another round object and poke holes all over the top of your cake. Pour the can of sweetened condensed milk all over top of the cake and spread gently.
4. For the strawberry sauce:  Rinse the strawberries and chop into quarters and again in half.
5. In a medium-sized sauce pan, combine strawberries with the flour and sugar, toss to combine. Add the water and lemon juice; stir well.
6. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture starts to boil and strawberries are softened, gently smash strawberries to create a sauce. Once boiling, continue cooking for about 10 minutes to thicken. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Pour strawberries sauce over top of the cake and refrigerate until cake and toppings are completely cooled.
7. For the topping: Place your mixing bowl in the freezer or fridge 5-10 minutes before starting. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until cream cheese is smooth and free of lumps. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
8. Slowly drizzle in the heavy whipping cream and continue beating until the cream cheese resembles a liquid mixture.
9. Continue to add the remaining heavy whipping cream and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
10. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat until still peaks form. Use immediately and keep refrigerated.

Equipment

3qt Saucepan

Buy Now →

Stand Mixer

Buy Now →

9×13-inch Cake Pan

Buy Now →

Notes

• If you’d like to make a homemade cake, try my Vanilla Cake Recipe

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1 slice

Calories: 504

Sugar: 53.5g

Sodium: 305.5mg

Fat: 24.7g

Saturated Fat: 15.6g

Carbohydrates: 66.1g

Fiber: 0.6g

Protein: 6.8g

Cholesterol: 82.7mg

• Category: Cake
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: Poke Cake, Strawberry Poke Cake, Strawberry Cheesecake Cake

Recipe Card powered by

Recipe from my friends you might like:

Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake from Life Love and Sugar

Mason Jar Shortcake Poke Cake from Wine and Glue