Summer Berry Poke Cake with Creamy Cheesecake Topping

Summer Berry Poke Cake

Summer Berry Poke Cake takes the classic poke cake idea and dresses it up with homemade sweet berry sauce, a cheesecake filling, whipped cream and a crown of fresh berries.

The red, white and blue look makes it a natural fit for the 4th of July, and it works just as well at a summer potluck, a family reunion or a lazy backyard party where everyone keeps coming back for a second slice.

this …

What I love about this cake is how it hides its work. It starts with a simple white cake mix, which keeps the whole project friendly for a busy week, and then the homemade berry sauces do the heavy lifting.

Red sauce, blue sauce, creamy topping, fresh fruit on top. When you cut through a row of holes, you get stripes of color running down the slice, which is exactly the kind of detail that makes people ask how you did it.

Sweet Berry Poke Cake

Summer is the season for berry desserts, and there is a good reason for that. Fresh, juicy blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are all in season at the same time, and they are sweet enough to carry a dessert on their own.

This cake uses all three, divided into a strawberry and raspberry sauce and a blueberry sauce, so every bite gets a little tartness and a little sweetness.

The cake itself starts with a white cake mix, and the topping is a combination of cream cheese and whipped cream. Together, the fruit filling and the creamy topping turn a plain cake into a refreshing summer dessert that still feels light.

If berries are not at their best, or if it is the middle of winter and you want something bright, frozen fruit works just as well, which means this cake can be made all year round.

What is A Poke Cake?

Poke cake was a very popular dessert in the 1970s, and the retro version is about as simple as dessert gets. You start with a boxed white or yellow cake mix and bake it, then poke holes across the top.

Those holes get filled with Jell O pudding or fruit flavored gelatin, and the whole cake is covered with a tub of whipped topping.

The magic is in the slicing. When you cut through a row of holes, the gelatin that settled into them shows up as stripes running down the slice. It is a small trick that makes an ordinary cake look like you spent hours on it, and it is the same idea this berry version builds on.

Ingredients for Triple Berry Poke Cake

Cake mix makes this recipe easier, and there is no shame in reaching for it. What elevates the dessert is the homemade berry sauce, which takes only a few minutes of simmering and tastes far better than anything from a packet.

Any flavor of cake mix will work here, but a white cake mix is the better choice when you want the red and blue sauces to show. A white base lets the colors stand out, and that is what gives the cake its festive, patriotic look.

Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries make a strong combination, and you can add red currant, blackberries or other fruit to taste. Fresh or frozen fruit both work, depending on the season and what you have on hand.

Gelatin powder thickens the sauce so it stays in the holes instead of running across the plate, while sugar and fresh lemon juice balance the natural tartness of the berries.

Cream cheese and heavy whipping cream form the filling and topping, and adding cream cheese to the whipped cream makes the filling noticeably better than plain whipped cream.

How to Store the Cake and Leftovers

This is one of those desserts that improves with a little planning. Make poke cake a day ahead of serving so it has time to soak well and set. The sauces sink into the crumb, the flavors settle, and the slices come out clean instead of crumbling.

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator, where the cake keeps for up to a week. It is also easy to transfer and serve, which makes it a practical choice for summer picnics and potlucks.

Light, airy and refreshing, with berry flavor running through every layer and a tangy cream cheese whipped cream topping, it holds up well on a warm day as long as you keep it chilled until the moment you serve it.

Ingredients

This recipe comes together in four parts. Gather everything before you start and the assembly moves quickly.

Cake

• 1 box white cake mix
• The ingredients listed on the box

Strawberry and Raspberry Sauce

• 1 1/2 cups diced strawberries
• 1 1/2 cups raspberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons gelatin powder, dissolved in 2 Tablespoons water

Blueberry Sauce

• 2 1/2 cups blueberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons gelatin powder, dissolved in 2 Tablespoons water

Cheesecake Filling and Topping

• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• Fresh berries for garnish

Instructions

Read through the whole method once before you start. The sauces need a little cooling time, so it helps to make them while the cake bakes and cools.

1. Prepare the cake according to the package directions and bake it in a 9 x 13 inch dish. When the cake is baked, remove it from the oven. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes about 1 inch apart across the top. Set the cake aside to cool.
2. In two small bowls, dissolve 2 teaspoons of gelatin in 2 Tablespoons of water in each bowl, then set both aside to bloom.
3. To make the red sauce, combine about 1 cup of strawberries and 1 cup of raspberries with the sugar, lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the fruit softens, stirring frequently, about 5 to 8 minutes. Using a potato masher, mash the berries, add the dissolved gelatin and the remaining diced strawberries and raspberries, and stir over medium heat until the gelatin melts completely. Set the sauce aside to cool.
4. To make the blueberry sauce, combine about 1 1/2 cups of blueberries with the sugar, lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the berries soften, stirring frequently. Using a potato masher, mash the berries, add the dissolved gelatin and the remaining blueberries, and stir over medium heat until the gelatin melts completely. Set the sauce aside to cool.
5. When the sauces have cooled and thickened slightly, spread them over the cake with a spoon. Fill the holes alternately with red and blue sauce. Using the back of the spoon, work as much sauce as possible into the holes and spread the rest on top. Place the cake in the fridge to set the sauce completely.
6. To make the topping, beat the softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, then set it aside.
7. Beat the heavy whipping cream, vanilla and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar until firm peaks form. You will get about 4 cups of whipped cream. Divide it in half.
8. Add 2 cups of the beaten heavy cream to the cream cheese mixture and mix until combined. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula to incorporate everything well, then spread the mixture over the cake.
9. Transfer the remaining 2 cups of whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and make swirls on top, or simply spread it with a spoon over the cream cheese mixture. Store the cake in the fridge.
10. Garnish with fresh berries before serving.

One thing I have learned the hard way is not to rush the sauces. If you spoon them over the cake while they are still hot, they soak straight through and leave you with a soggy bottom. Give them ten or fifteen minutes on the counter and they will sit in the holes where they belong.

For the cleanest stripes, line your pokes up in rows about 1 inch apart and fill them in a repeating red, blue, red, blue pattern.

Notes

When you make the berry sauces, cool them to room temperature first. If they are still very runny at that point, place them in the fridge and stir them from time to time until they thicken up.

You want the sauces pourable but not too runny when you fill the cake, similar to unset pudding. If they thicken too much, reheat them gently and stir until they reach the consistency you need.

A chilled slice straight from the fridge is the way to go, and a few extra berries on the plate never hurt anyone.

Recipe details

Prep time is 1 hour and the total time is 6 hours, which includes the cooling and chilling that let the sauces set and the flavors come together. If your schedule allows, plan to make it the day before you serve it.

FAQs

Summer Berry Poke Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Summer Berry Poke Cake Summer Berry Poke Cake takes the classic poke cake idea and dresses it up with homemade sweet berry sauce, a cheesecake filling, whipped cream and a crown of fresh berries. The red, white and blue look makes it a natural fit for the 4th of July, and it works just as well at a summer potluck, a family reunion or a lazy backyard party where everyone keeps coming back for a second slice.

• Total Time: 360 min

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Cake
1 box white cake mix
ingredients listed on the box

Strawberry and Raspberry Sauce
1 1/2 cup diced strawberries
1 1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon water
2 teaspoons gelatin powder, dissolved in 2 Tablespoons water

Blueberry sauce
2 1/2 cups blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons gelatin powder, dissolved in 2 Tablespoons water

Cheesecake Filling and Topping
8 oz. cream cheese-room temperature
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
fresh berries for garnish

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1-Prepare the cake according to a package: Prepare the cake according to a package directions and bake in 9 x 13-inches dish. When the cake is baked remove from the oven. Using a handle of a wooden spoon, poke the holes about 1 inch apart. Set aside to cool.
2-In two small bowls dissolve 2 teaspoons: In two small bowls dissolve 2 teaspoons gelatin in 2 Tablespoons water, in each and set aside to bloom.
3-To make the red sauce in a: To make the red sauce in a medium sauce pan, combine about 1 cup of strawberries and 1 cup of raspberries, sugar, lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon of water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the fruits soften, stirring frequently, about 5-8 minutes. Than using a potato masher mesh the berries, add dissolved gelatin and remaining diced strawberries and raspberries and stir over medium heat until gelatin melts completely. Set aside to cool.
4-To make the blueberry sauce in a: To make the blueberry sauce in a medium sauce pan, combine about 1 ½ cups of blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon of water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the berries soften stirring frequently. Than using a potato masher mesh the berries, add dissolved gelatin and remaining blueberries and stir over medium heat until gelatin melts completely. Set aside to cool.
5-When the sauces are cooled and slightly: When the sauces are cooled and slightly thicken using a spoon spread them over the cake. You should fill the holes alternately with red and blue sauce. Using the back of the spoon, try to get as much sauce as possible in the holes, and spread remaining on top. Place the cake in the fridge, to set the sauce completely.
6-To make the topping beat softened cream: To make the topping beat softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup powdered sugar, then set aside.
7-Beat heavy whipping cream, vanilla and 1/2: Beat heavy whipping cream, vanilla and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until firm peaks form. You will get about 4 cups of whipped cream. Divide in half.
8-Add 2 cups of beaten heavy cream: Add 2 cups of beaten heavy cream in the cream cheese mixture and mix until combine. Scrape down with the spatula to incorporate everything well, then spread over the cake.
9-Remaining 2 cups of whipped cream transfer: Remaining 2 cups of whipped cream transfer in a piping bag with a star tip and make the swirls on top, or simply spread with a spoon over the cream cheese mixture. Store in the fridge.
10-Garnish with fresh berries before serving: Garnish with fresh berries before serving.

Last Step:

Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.

• Prep Time: 60 min
• Cook Time: 0 min
• Method: bake