Berry Poke Cake
This Berry Poke Cake is a made-from-scratch soft vanilla cake, filled with mixed berry fruit and topped with a whipped cream cheese frosting! Perfect for using those ripe summer berries.
Why You’ll Love This
This berry poke cake is made completely from scratch with fresh blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. There is no cake mix or gelatin needed! If you avoid box cake mixes this is the recipe for you.
It’s a soft tender vanilla cake, jammed with sweet summer berry flavor and topped with a lightly sweet whipped cream cheese frosting, which is the best cake frosting in our humble opinion!
This cake is super easy to make and can be made ahead.
A few of our other favorite summer dessert recipes to make are Ricotta Mousse, Coconut Lush Dessert, Southern Peach Pie Recipe, Strawberry Shortcake Recipe, Eggless Key Lime Pie, and Triple Lemon Cupcakes.
Please see the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
How to Make Berry Poke Cake
Tips
- Measure the flour properly. Aerate, spoon, and swoop level into the measuring cup.
- Use room-temperature butter, eggs, and buttermilk for the cake.
- How to make buttermilk. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring glass. Add enough regular milk to measure 1 cup. Let it still for 5 minutes, then stir before using.
- Watch the berry sauces closely while cooking. You don’t want to thicken up so much you can’t spoon them into the holes of the cake.
- If you prefer a smoother berry filling cook all the berries instead of reserving the 1/2 cup that is stirred in after mashing.
- You can use frozen or fresh berries. Do not thaw them.
- Mix and match your favorite berries. I don’t use blackberries because of the seeds.
- You can also fill the holes by alternating with the red and blue filling in each hole.
- When refrigerating the cake for the filling to set up I don’t recommend covering the cake because it’s still warm and condensation will form and drip onto the fruit filling. If you are refrigerating overnight once the cake is cold cover it with plastic wrap.
- This cake can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving to take the chill off of the vanilla cake. Otherwise, it will be quite cold and firm.
- When decorating the top of the cake I highly recommend waiting until you are about ready to serve. This will lessen the chances of the fruit weeping juices into the frosting.
- To achieve clean slices wipe the knife clean with paper towels between each cut.
- Store the cake covered tightly in the fridge for up to 4 days.
More Delicious Summer Cake Recipes
Berry Poke Cake Recipe
This Berry Poke Cake has a soft tender vanilla cake, jammed with a sweet summer berry filling and topped with a lightly sweet whipped cream cheese frosting. No cake mix or Jello!
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Servings: 12
Calories: 596kcal
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 2 1/4 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 3/4 cup Unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 2 large Eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup Whole buttermilk room temperature
Red Berry Filling
- 1 1/2 cups Diced strawberries divided
- 1 1/2 cups Raspberries divided
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar more or less to taste
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1/4 cup Water
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
Blueberry Filling
- 2 1/2 cups Blueberries divided
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1/4 cup Water
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups Heavy cream cold
- 8 oz Cream cheese cold
- 3/4 cup Granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick baking spray.
- In a medium bowl whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt together. Set aside.2 1/4 cups All-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp Baking soda, 1 tsp Baking powder, 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat until well combined and fluffy.3/4 cup Unsalted butter, 1 cup Granulated sugar, 1 tsp Vanilla extract, 2 large Eggs
- Add the flour in thirds alternating with the buttermilk until just combined. Spread the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.3/4 cup Whole buttermilk
Red Berry Filling
- While the cake is baking prepare the red berry filling. In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup of strawberries, 1 cup of raspberries, lemon juice, water, sugar, and cornstarch. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken but is still thin enough to pour about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat mash the berries and stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of strawberries and raspberries.1 1/2 cups Diced strawberries, 1 1/2 cups Raspberries, 1/2 cup Granulated sugar, 1 tbsp Lemon juice, 1/4 cup Water, 2 tbsp Cornstarch
Blueberry Filling
- In a medium saucepan combine 2 cups of blueberries, lemon juice, water, sugar, and cornstarch. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken but is still thin enough to pour about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat mash the berries and stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of blueberries.2 1/2 cups Blueberries, 1/2 cup Granulated sugar, 1 tbsp Lemon juice, 1/4 cup Water, 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- When the cake is ready place it on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes. Use a straw or the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes about 1 inch apart in the warm cake. Alternate filling the holes with a strip of red fruit filling, then a strip of blue fruit filling carefully working the filling into the holes. (or alternate the fillings in each hole-red then blue)
- Refrigerate uncovered until cold and the fillings have set up, about 1-2 hours or up to overnight.
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chill a large bowl in the freezer. Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. In another bowl, soften the cream cheese with a mixer, and add the sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy. Make sure the sugar has dissolved.1 1/2 cups Heavy cream, 8 oz Cream cheese, 3/4 cup Granulated sugar, 1/4 tsp Kosher salt, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream, then use a mixer until it’s fully combined and fluffy. Spread the frosting over the cake evenly and refrigerate to set at least 1 hour.
- Top with additional berries as desired.
Notes
Watch the berry sauces closely while cooking. You don’t want to thicken up so much you can’t spoon them into the holes of the cake.
If you prefer a smoother berry filling cook all the berries instead of reserving the 1/2 cup that is stirred in after mashing.
This cake can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
Remove from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving to take the chill off of the vanilla cake. Otherwise, it will be quite cold and firm.
Nutrition
Calories: 596kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 290mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 1139IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 2mg