One easy way to elevate a simple sheet cake is to infuse it with strawberry-flavored gelatin. The method of poking holes in the cake and pouring gelatin into them serves two purposes: giving the cake a poppy pink-striped look when you cut into it, and ensuring you get that nostalgic strawberry flavor in every bite. Like many gelatin-based dishes, poke cakes were likely popularized in the 20th century as part of an advertising push for Jell-O mixes.This recipe is adapted from April Anderson, an owner of Good Cakes and Bakes, a bakery in Detroit, whose mother used gelatin mixes to punch up some of her desserts. The basic poke cake formula is made to be modified: If you don't like strawberry-flavored gelatin, try lemon or cherry.

News Source : https://www.oregonlive.com/nytcooking/2026/07/1024194-strawberry-poke-cake.html