There’s something about Dolly Parton that just makes you think of Southern comfort food, pretty desserts and a little extra sweetness, so she was the inspiration behind this strawberry shortcake poke cake. I took the flavors of classic strawberry shortcake and turned them into an easy, creamy poke cake that’s perfect for spring and summer get-togethers.
It starts with a soft white cake filled with sweet strawberry goodness, then gets topped with a fluffy cream cheese whipped topping, fresh strawberries and crushed vanilla wafers. It’s cool, creamy and just the right amount of sweet, with plenty of strawberry flavor in every bite. And because it starts with a cake mix, it looks a whole lot more impressive than the amount of work it actually takes.
Dolly-Inspired Strawberry Shortcake Poke Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 box white cake mix
- Ingredients called for on the box
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup strawberry preserves
- 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, finely chopped
For the Creamy Topping
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (8 oz) container whipped topping, thawed
For the Top
- 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, sliced
- Crushed vanilla wafers, optional but highly recommended
Directions
- Prepare the white cake according to the package directions in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Let it cool for about 15 minutes.
- Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the warm cake.
- Stir together the sweetened condensed milk and strawberry preserves until well combined. Fold in the finely chopped strawberries.
- Slowly spoon the strawberry mixture over the cake, making sure plenty of it gets down into the holes. Refrigerate until completely chilled, about 1 to 2 hours.
- Beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Gently fold in the whipped topping.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the chilled cake.
- Top generously with sliced fresh strawberries and sprinkle with crushed vanilla wafers.
- Refrigerate for at least another hour before slicing. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Tip: If you’re making this ahead of time, wait until close to serving to add the vanilla wafer crumbs so they stay nice and crisp.
Enjoy! 🩷
Misty
Texas Girl Cooks
