Strawberry Tres Leches Poke Cake starts with a boxed strawberry cake mix that's soaked in a rich three milk mixture, chilled overnight, and topped with fluffy whipped topping and fresh strawberries for the ultimate make ahead dessert.
From the recipe collection of Tara Ippolito
I'll be honest, I love homemade desserts, but l'm definitely not someone who's going to spend hours measuring flour and separating eggs. That's exactly why this Strawberry Tres Leches Cake has become one of my favorite desserts to make. It starts with a simple cake mix, but after it's soaked in that sweet three milk mixture, nobody would ever guess how easy it was.
I first made this for Mother's Day, and it disappeared faster than anything else on the dessert table. It's incredibly moist, perfectly sweet, and loaded with fresh strawberries on top. Since it actually tastes even better after sitting overnight in the refrigerator, it's the perfect dessert for holidays, BBQs, birthdays, baby showers, and summer parties.
Why You'll Love It
- Perfect Make Ahead Dessert. It actually tastes better after chilling overnight.
- Super Easy To Make. Using a boxed cake mix keeps the recipe simple without sacrificing flavor.
- Perfect For Summer. Fresh strawberries and a light whipped topping make this refreshing instead of heavy.
- Always A Crowd Favorite. It's one of those desserts that everyone asks for the recipe.
Ingredients
Heres how to make this delicious cake. You can find the full ingredients list along with measurements and instructions on the recipe card below.
- Strawberry Cake Mix- The shortcut that makes this recipe incredibly easy while giving every bite delicious strawberry flavor.
- Eggs- Help create a rich, tender cake.
- Milk-Used to prepare the cake according to your recipe.
- Vegetable Oil -Keeps the cake soft and moist.
- Evaporated Milk- One of the three milks that gives tres leches cake its signature texture.
- Heavy Cream- Adds richness to the soaking mixture.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk- Brings sweetness and creates that classic creamy tres leches flavor.
- Vanilla Extract- Rounds out all of the flavors.
- Cool Whip- Makes an easy, fluffy topping without any extra work.
- Fresh Strawberries- The perfect fresh finish that adds color, sweetness, and a little brightness.
How To Make It
Heres how to make this delicious dessert. You can find the full ingredients list along with instructions on the recipe card below.
- In a large bowl, combine the strawberry cake mix, milk, vegetable oil and eggs, add it to a greased 9x 13” baking dish and bake as directed on the cake mix box. Once the cake is done, let it cool for 30 minutes and poke holes all along the top of the cake using a fork.
- Stir together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake. If the milk is pooling too much on the sides, you can gently push the cake away from the baking dish using s fork on the sides to let the milk seep down. Cover the cake and place it into the fridge to chill overnight.
- Now, add the layer of cool whip evenly on top of the cake. Finally, top with the freshly cut strawberries right before serving and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- Let the cake cool before pouring on the milk mixture so it absorbs evenly.
- Don't rush the overnight chill. The longer it sits, the better it tastes.
- Add the strawberries just before serving so they stay fresh.
- Use 1½ to 2 cups of strawberries if you want a prettier presentation.
- Keep the cake refrigerated until you're ready to serve.
Variations
- Use lemon cake mix with fresh berries for a citrus twist.
- Swap the strawberries for raspberries or blueberries.
- Add crushed freeze-dried strawberries over the whipped topping.
- Drizzle with strawberry sauce before serving.
What To Serve This With
Since this cake is already rich and creamy, I love serving it after grilled burgers, hot dogs, BBQ chicken, pulled pork sandwiches, or any summer cookout meal.
It also makes a beautiful dessert for baby showers, bridal showers, Easter, Mother's Day, or birthday parties because it's easy to make ahead and always looks impressive.
Does This Have To Chill Overnight?
Yes! Overnight chilling gives the cake enpugh time to absorb all the milk mixture and give it that signature texture.
Other Poke Cake Recipes
Theres always room for dessert & theres no easier one to make than these! I've rounded up all my best Poke Cake recipes so you can find right in one place. I highly recommend the Strawberries & Cream Poke Cake. Its a 10/10!
Strawberry Tres Leches Poke Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Box Strawberry Cake Mix
- 3 Eggs
- 1 Cup Milk
- ⅓ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 24 Oz Evaporated Milk
- ⅓ Cup Heavy Cream
- 14 Oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 8 Oz Cool Whip
- 1.5 Cups Fresh Strawberries (sliced)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the strawberry cake mix, milk, vegetable oil and eggs, add it to a greased 9 x 13” baking dish and bake as directed on the cake mix box.
- Once the cake is done, let it cool for 30 minutes and poke holes all along the top of the cake using a fork.
- Stir together the evaporated milk, heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla and pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake. If the milk is pooling too much on the sides, you can gently push the cake away from the baking dish using s fork on the sides to let the milk seep down.
- Cover the cake and place it into the fridge to chill overnight.
- Add the layer of cool whip evenly on top of the cake.
- Top with the freshly cut strawberries right before serving and enjoy!
Video
Other Easy Strawberry Recipes
If you like super easy to make recipes using strawberries like this one, you have to try this Strawberries And Cream Poke Cake, No Bake Banana Split Cake & Strawberry Magic Cake.
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