Last day of June! Where did the month go? I know I haven’t been posting much lately but it has been so hot in California that I did not feel like baking so much. Also, we are getting things ready at home because my brother and his family will come to visit and stay for almost a month so I’m pretty excited about that, I haven’t seen them since covid started.

This is a very easy recipe that you can make at home and perfect for Summer. A poke cake is a type of cake that has holes poked in it after baking. Then, a liquid is poured over the baked cake to soak into the holes. Usually people buy a cake mix to make this kind of cake but I don’t like cake mixes at all so I’m teaching you how to make the perfect vanilla sponge cake that will be soaking strawberry jello. The frosting is a light whipped cream and decorated with fresh strawberries.

Let’s start with the recipe and if you want to watch how I made this cake, don’t forget to visit me on Instagram @pastry_tales

Yield one 9 by 13 inch pan

Ingredients

For the cake

2 and 1/2 cup all purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups white granulated sugar

1/2 cup oil

3 large eggs at room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1 and 1/4 cup milk

For the strawberry mixture

3/4 cup hot water

1 box of strawberry jello (7oz)

For the frosting

1 and 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup powdered sugar (you can add more if you want it more sweet)

For decorating

fresh strawberries, sliced.

Directions

For the cake

1.- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease your pan bottom and sides. I used softened butter. Set your pan aside.

2.- In a small bowl mix: flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3.- In another bowl and using a mixer, combine sugar, oil and eggs. Mix well in medium-high speed. Add in vanilla extract and keep mixing. Add yogurt and mix again.

4.- Now, add your dry ingredients and milk in 2 batches. Starting with the milk. You will add half milk, mix, half dry ingredients, mix, half milk, mix, half dry ingredients and mix until everything is well combined but be careful to not overmix or your cake will be very dense.

5.- Pour the batter mixture into your prepared pan and bake for about 30-32 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

6.- When the cake is done baking, take it out from the oven and let it cool completely.

For the strawberry mixture

1.- Poke holes into your cake. Make as many holes as you want. I used a Bamboo Kabob Stick.

2.- In a measurement cup add hot water and jello. Mix well. Wait 5 minutes and then pour it on top of your cooled cake. Do it slowly so you make sure the jello gets into the holes.

3.- Cover with foil or plastic wrap and chill the cake in the fridge for a couple of hours.

For the frosting

1.- In a bowl mix your cream until you see it gets foamy (medium speed). Then, add powdered sugar and beat in high speed until it reaches stiff peaks.

2.- Spread this frosting on topped of your chilled cake.

For decoration

Add strawberry slices on top.

Keep refrigerated until serving.