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Strawberry Fudge Poke Cake

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This Strawberry Fudge Poke Cake is made with just a few ingredients and will be a hit at all your summer picnics. The sweet, refreshing cake will have everyone asking for more.

A white plate with a piece of strawberry fudge poke cake on it with a bite missing in the front of the cake

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A few years ago I made this Chocolate Coconut Poke Cake.  It was my first poke cake using sweetened condensed milk.  The only poke cakes I had ever made before had pudding or Jello drizzled over the top.  

Something about a cold, gooey cake satisfies every dessert craving in me.  I’m not sure why I waited an entire year to make another one of these amazing cakes.  What was I thinking?

A few weeks ago I made this Coconut Fudge Poke Cake, and I remembered why I loved poke cakes so much.  Now I can’t stop thinking about different combos to try.   

Two white plates with strawberry fudge poke cake slices on them and fresh strawberries on top

I love how refreshing a poke cake is on a hot day. Trust me, and make this Chocolate S’mores Pudding Cake or this Lemon Strawberry Poke Cake for your next summer party. 

What is a poke cake?

True to the name, it is a cake that is poked with a fork or wooden spoon immediately after taking it out of the oven. The holes are then filled with with a liquid or filling that infuses flavor into the cake. 

The cake is then refrigerated while the liquid soaks into the cake making it ooey, gooey, and oh, so delicious.

Here are some of the common things you can pour over a poke cake.

  • Jell-O
  • Sweetened condensed milk
  • Pudding
  • Cream of Coconut
  • Frosting
  • Peanut Butter
  • Pureed fruit

Four pictures showing how to make and top a strawberry fudge poke cake

One thing that I love about this chocolate poke cake is how easy it is to make.  You only need five simple ingredients to put it together this afternoon.   

How to make a Strawberry Fudge Poke Cake:

  1. Mix together your favorite chocolate cake batter and bake it. I always use a cake mix for these cakes, but you can also do homemade if you prefer. (full recipe at bottom of post)
  2. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, use a fork to poke holes all over the top of the cake. Go slowly so it doesn’t pull apart the cake.
  3. Slowly drizzle an entire can of sweetened condensed milk over the top of the cake. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for an hour.
  4. Open the can of fudge frosting, remove the metal liner, and microwave 30 seconds. Stir and pour over the top of the cake.
  5. Spread the frosting out evenly and refrigerate the cake until completely chilled.
  6. Dump a can of strawberry pie filling into a bowl. Use a fork to break apart the big chunks of strawberries.
  7. Fold a container of thawed Cool Whip into the pie filling. Spread on top of the chilled cake.
  8. Serve with fresh strawberries.

Hurry!  Run to the nearest grocery store and buy these 5 items, so you can have a Strawberry Fudge Poke Cake in your refrigerator too.  I promise you are going to love it!!!

A close up pictures of a slice of strawberry fudge poke cake on a white plate with a fork beside it

An overhead picture of two slices of strawberry fudge poke cake on white plates on a red and white checkered towel

More poke cake recipes you may like:

A white plate with a piece of strawberry fudge poke cake on it and the rest of the cake behind it

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Strawberry Fudge Poke Cake

Strawberry Fudge Poke Cake

Yield: 24 squares
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

This Strawberry Fudge Poke Cake is made with just a few ingredients and will be a hit at all your summer picnics. The sweet, refreshing cake will have everyone asking for more.

Ingredients

  • 1 dark chocolate cake mix
  • 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 16 ounce container chocolate fudge frosting
  • 21 ounce can strawberry pie filling
  • 8 ounce container Cool Whip, thawed

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray.
  2. Prepare the cake according to the box directions. Bake for 25-27 minutes.
  3. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke the cake with a fork all over. Make sure you cover the cake with holes.
  4. Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk slowly over the top of the hot cake. Make sure to fill all the holes. Let the cake sit on a cooling rack until cool.
  5. Remove the foil top from the frosting. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds.
  6. Stir and pour over cooled cake. Spread out evenly with a spatula. Refrigerate for a few hours or until chilled completely.
  7. Open the can of pie filling. Use a fork to break apart the strawberry chunks. Fold into the Cool Whip.
  8. Spread the strawberry Cool Whip over the top of the cake. Serve with fresh strawberries.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 237Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 91mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 1gSugar: 28gProtein: 3g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Jocelyn @ Inside BruCrew Life
Cuisine: American / Category: Cakes & Cupcakes
Two pictures of strawberry fudge poke cake collaged together with a pink text box

*The post for Strawberry Fudge Poke Cake was first published May 26, 2013. The photos and post were updated and republished June 16, 2020.

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  • Hi! I plan on making this for my daughter 3rd birthday soon. Is it OK to use my spring form pan that is used for cheesecakes?

    Also, can I use regular chocolate frosting? Or does it need to be microwaved. Sorry! Want to get it before Next weekend.

    Thank You!

    Reply

    • I would honestly not recommend making a poke cake in anything other than the 9×13. The moisture from the sweetened condensed milk being poured over and into the cake makes it very soft. Were you planning on taking the sides off the springform pan to serve it? I would worry that the cake would fall apart and not look good. The reason for microwaving the frosting is so that it becomes pourable and easier to spread, buy you can use any chocolate frosting. That’s just my thoughts on it…definitely keep me posted on how it works if you make it.

      Reply

      • Thank you so much for your reply! I’ll get a baking pan then. I didnt know you responded :(.

        So any type of frosting can do? And their safe to microwave? Im gonna get the ones at walmart if you say those can. Lol the plastic tubs.

        Reply

        • Yes, the plastic tubs of frosting is what I used. Remove the plastic and foil lids and microwave for 30 seconds. It melts enough that you can pour and smooth it out really easily.

          Reply

    • Yes, it will be just fine to make it one day ahead of time. I usually do the cake, milk, and fudge part the night before, then finish the topping the next day. I hope you enjoy the cake!

      Reply

  • I cant find strawberry pie filling and everyone I have talked to has not heard of it. Its chilling in the fridge now, had to make it, I got some fresh and sweetened frozen and mixed them together, it has just got to be great, thanks for the recipe

    Reply

  • This may be a silly question but the cal is warm when you put the team s.c. milk and fudge frosting on it right? I have never made a poke cake (even a hello one) before so I just want to make sure I make this right for my anniversary tonight. Thanks so much!

    Reply

    • You will put the sweetened condensed milk on while the cake is hot! You want to wait to put the frosting and Cool Whip on after the cake has cooled. I hope you enjoy it. Happy Anniversary!

      Reply

    • I completely understand the speechlessness! I was kind of in awe when I cut into this cake too!!! Double frosting is definitely the way to go. I mean why stop with one now? Right?

      Reply

      • I saw many posts about how good this Strawberry Fudge Poke cake WOULD be if one were to make it, but no one said they actually made it! Well, I made it this weekend for our Mother’s Day gathering. I will say that it was delicious and moist!! Fabulous! The only comment I would make is that melting the chocolate frosting beforehand made it kind of…slippery when you put the cool whip/strawberry topping on! Even after being refrigerated, the cool whip layer slid right off of the chocolate frosting layer, when the pieces were cut. Still tasted great though! 🙂

        Reply

  • Delish! There goes my diet! I’ve only made poke cake with jello before. I bet the sweetened condensed milk was good. I could eat that stuff by the spoonful. Yum

    Reply
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