Strawberry Jam Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

There’s a good chance you’ve heard of strawberry poke cake, the kind that commonly uses boxed gelatin, store-bought cake mix and Cool Whip. While I’m all for saving time in the kitchen, I’m not crazy about the long ingredient lists on boxed mixes.

So I made some changes to the original recipe and created a strawberry jam cake which is something much better and fresher tasting than the traditional strawberry jello poke cake. In this recipe, the flavor of Jello is replaced with not-too-sweet, homemade strawberry jam that’s spread over a soft buttermilk cake.

Once baked, the cake gets poked with holes, the strawberry filling goes into the holes and infuses its flavor throughout the entire cake. And because of the jam-filled holes, the cake is soft and moist on the inside.

Then, to make it even better, add a fresh whipped strawberry frosting with cream cheese. A cream cheese frosting works great for this type of cake. It compliments the flavors of the strawberries, is sturdier than a whipped topping and has some fresh strawberries for flavor along with a beautiful color.

Since this is strawberry season in North Carolina, I’ll be busy using the sweet berries in everything from rolls to cookies to bars and crumbles. But for those occasions when you’re feeding a crowd, a strawberry poke cake is the way to go.

Although it would be a stretch to classify my strawberry desserts as healthy food, (everything in moderation) it’s nice to know that strawberries are a great source of antioxidants, fiber, calcium and potassium. For more nutrient-rich recipes try using them in a Spinach Salad or Fruit Salad.

• Fresh strawberry flavor takes the place of the traditional Jello mixture
• Strawberry frosting with cream cheese is the perfect topping
• Cake made from scratch is so much better than a boxed mix
• Homemade strawberry jam makes the cake incredibly moist but not soggy
• It will feed a crowd

This easy strawberry cake is a great choice for a summer bbq. It’s not too heavy so it will go great with ribs or burgers. If you prefer layers, and who doesn’t love extra frosting, then make a simple fresh strawberry layer cake, or if you want a super simple strawberry dessert, try a strawberry bundt cake.

Strawberries – whether or not strawberries are in season, you should be able to find fresh berries. If not, it’s fine to substitute frozen. Just be sure to thaw them before using.

Lemon juice and zest – these add a bright, tangy flavor

Buttermilk – if you don’t have any on hand, add a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk

Cornstarch – to thicken the strawberry filling fro the jam

Sugar – granulated sugar for the cake and powdered sugar for the frosting

Cream Cheese – this makes the best frosting, use at room temperature for easy mixing

Pantry staples – eggs, flour, baking powder, baking soda, butter, vegetable oil, vanilla and salt

Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl.

In a separate bowl whisk the oil, buttermilk, eggs, egg yolks and vanilla. Then add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix by hand until just combined.

Bake for about 30 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The top should be light golden brown.

While the cake is baking make the strawberry filling, or this can be made well in advance. Slice or chop the strawberries and add them to a saucepan along with sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer until it starts to thicken. This will take about 10 minutes. Add some cornstarch to thicken it. Mash the berries until you have a smooth texture.

Pro Tip: To make sure your thickener is lump-free, first add the cornstarch to a bowl. Then slowly drizzle in the water while constantly whisking the mixture to remove any lumps.

If you don’t want to make your own jam, you can use a store bought jam, just warm it slightly before spreading it on top of the cake.

After the cake is done baking let it cool for about five minutes on a wire rack. Then use the end of a wooden spoon to poke large holes all over the cake, about an inch apart.

Working while the cake and jam are still warm, spread the jam over the top of the cake so it sinks into the holes. Allow it to cool completely on the counter. Then chill in the fridge for an hour so the jam can set.

For the strawberry cream cheese frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese with a hand mixer until it’s smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until creamy.

Chop about ½ cup of fresh strawberries and mash them with a potato masher, immersion blender or food processor. You’ll want a smooth consistency for the whipped cream cheese topping. The strawberries should mash down to about 2 tablespoons that you’ll beat into the frosting.

Spread an even layer of frosting across the top of the cake. Then refrigerate the cake until the frosting is set.

If you don’t want to use fresh strawberries for the frosting, you can use 1 cup of freeze dried strawberries and still have a delicious strawberry cream cheese frosting. Grind them up until they are almost powder and then add to the frosting. They’ll add a great strawberry taste along with the same pink color. This will give you a thicker frosting which might be better if you are going to serve this outdoors.

Making homemade strawberry jam is a great way to preserve and use strawberries later. Be sure to read my other tips on how to keep strawberries fresh.

One of the great things about a poke cake is the endless options for fillings. Get creative and try one of the following instead of a traditional strawberry gelatin.

Other homemade jams, like cherry, blueberry or this peach version with hints of vanilla and Bourbon could be used instead of strawberry.

Sweetened condensed milk with dulce de leche, are great in this chocolate Caramel Heath Bar Cake. This coconut version is on my list to try next.

Strawberry Jello cake first appeared in print in the 1970s as a way to promote Jello powder. Because it used a white cake mix or yellow cake mix, this simple dessert appealed to cooks with limited time to spend in the kitchen. The original recipe called for raspberry powder, but the most requested flavor is strawberry Jell-o.

Instructions for the old-school strawberry poke cake recipe call for combining the Jell-o with boiling water, then pouring it over a cake that’s been poked with a fork.

Yes, a boxed cake mix can be used in this recipe. I would choose a vanilla cake mix.

Yes, a strawberry jam cake is best served cold and will keep longer when chilled. If left at room temperature the cake is likely to become too soggy. Cover your finished cake with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.

If you want to make your cake ahead of time you can freeze it for up to 3 months. You can freeze the whole cake or cut it into portions and freeze them individually. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container before freezing. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

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