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jello poke cake with cream topping

Berries and Cream Poke Cake

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: berries and cream poke cake
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Chilling time: 3 hours
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 382kcal
Author: Kara @I Scream for Buttercream
This berries and cream poke cake is one of the best icebox cakes. A soft white cake layer on the bottom soaked with jello, topped with cooked mixed berry fruit, then a whipped cream cheese topping.
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Ingredients

For the Fruit Topping:

  • 16 oz bag frozen mixed berries
  • ½ cup sugar

For the Cake & Jello Mixture:

  • 1 white or vanilla cake prepared (from a box or from scratch)
  • 1 3 oz box strawberry jello mix (the dry mix)
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • ½ cup cold water

For the Whipped Cream Cheese Topping:

  • 1 8 oz pkg cream cheese (softened, but not warm)
  • 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup cold heavy cream (sometimes called whipping cream - not whipped cream - see notes)

Instructions

For the Fruit Topping:

  • Add the bag of frozen mixed berries and the sugar to a saucepan. Turn the heat on low/medium and heat until the berries are soft (about 5-7 minutes).
  • Use a masher and mash the fruit a bit. It's okay if it's still a bit chunky. You don't need to get it smooth.
  • Turn the heat to medium and allow the mixture to simmer until it starts to thicken (about 8-10 minutes). Make sure to stir frequently, so the fruit doesn't scorch.
  • Once it starts to thicken a bit, remove the pan from the heat source and add the fruit topping to a bowl. Cover and set aside while you make the cake.
  • (If you'll be making the fruit topping the day before, then you'll want to refrigerate it. You can warm it up slightly when you add it to your cake.)

For the Cake & Jello Mixture:

  • Bake the vanilla or white cake in a 13x9 inch pan. You can use a cake mix, or bake it from scratch. (If you use a cake mix, you can sub out the water with milk, add an extra egg, add in a ¼ cup of melted butter and a teaspoon of good vanilla extract to make it taste better.)
  • Keep the cake in the pan and allow it to cool for about 20 minutes. Poke holes in the cake using a skewer or a fork.
  • Mix the boiling water and jello mix in a mixing bowl until the jello is completely dissolved.
  • Add in the cold water and stir, then pour the jello mixture over the cake.
  • Add the fruit topping onto the cake and spread evenly. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator for at least two hours before you add the whipped topping. (The cake must be chilled before adding the whipped topping.)

For the Whipped Cream Cheese Topping:

  • Add the room temperature cream cheese to a cold glass or metal bowl. Use a whisk attachment if you’re using a stand mixer and mix on medium until creamy. If you don’t have a stand mixer, just use a regular handheld mixer and mix on medium.
  • Add the confectioner's sugar and vanilla and mix on medium. The mixture may still be crumbly at this point or it may be creamy depending on how warm your cream cheese is. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again until all is incorporated well.
  • Add in half the cold heavy cream and mix on medium until the mixture is creamy.
  • Pour in the second half of the heavy cream and mix on medium until creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again until everything is incorporated.
  • Once all the liquid is mixed in, mix on high until stiff peaks form (about a minute or two).
  • Spread onto the chilled cake. Cover and chill the cake until it's thoroughly chilled through. You can also chill it over night and serve the next day.

Video

Notes

This cake should be stored covered and in the refrigerator. It should be served chilled.
Nutritional values are an estimate.
Make sure to check out the TIPS & FAQs for this recipe in the blog post, which may answer questions about substitutions and mixing.
*This recipe card may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition

Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 342mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 408IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 2mg