Cherry Poke Cake with a quick, easy freshly made Cherry Compote and topped with fresh cream is an any ocassion winner dessert. Delicious tea time treat too !
This Cherry Poke Cake is a fairly newish favorite cake I have been making lately and we all love it.
The homemade Cherry Compote is quick, easy and adds a lot of sweetness and texture to the cake.
To top it all, you can use either fresh or frozen cherries to make the compote. The compote still has some pieces of cherry which is nice to push down into the holes as well.
Other than the Cherry Compote the cake starts with a box mixture, which could be any white cake, including Vanilla flavor.
All very simple and easy, make the compote (you can even do this a few days in advance) , bake the cake, let cool/chill and pour over the dissolved jello mixture.
End by spreading the Cherry Compote over (and pushing into the holes) , cover with whipped cream (sweetened or not), and decorate with fresh Cherries.
If you do not have fresh Cherries on hand, you can always use Maraschino Cherries which is always a great substitute for decorating with fresh Cherries.
(Scroll down for the full printable recipe card)
Ingredients for Cherry Poke Cake :
- 1 box White Cake Mix
- Ingredients for the Cake Mix, (see box)
- 2 cups Fresh pitted Cherries, or frozen (defrosted and drained if watery)
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 80 grams Cherry Jello, ( 3 oz )
- 1/2 cup Boiling Water
- 1/2 cup Ice-Cold Water
- 1 cup Fresh Cream, whipped (see notes in recipe card)
- 12 Fresh Cherries, or use Maraschino Cherries to decorate
Instructions how to make Cherry Poke Cake :
- Heat the oven as per the instruction on the cake mix box – spray a 20 cm x 30 cm ( 9 x 12 inch) baking tin with cooking oil or line with baking paper
- Mix and bake the cake (single layer) as per the instructions
- Whilst the cake is baking, make the Cherry Compote – add the Cherries, Sugar and Water to a medium saucepan – stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved – set the heat on medim and let simmer, partially covered for 20 minutes , stirring every few minutes – when thickened, add the Lemon Juice and gently “mash” the mixture to break up the fruit into pieces – let cool completely before use
- Once the cake is ready let cool 10 minutes, then poke holes all over the cake, using the backend of the handle of a wooden spoon
- When completely cooled, place the cake in the refrigerator (tin and all) for 30 minutes (this makes it better for the jello to stick to the cake)
- Meanwhile dissolve the Jello in the boiling water, add the cold water and stir well, put aside (not in the refrigerator)
- Pour Jello over the cake, and into the holes, spread the Compote over the cake, lightly pressing pieces of fuit into any open holes – place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
- Pipe or spread the Whipped Cream over the cake and decorate with fresh Cherries (or Maraschino Cherries)
- Transfer to a large serving plate or cut into servings and place on individual serving plates
More Cake recipes you might like:
- Orange Juice Cake
- Apple Pie Dump Cake
- Toffee Apple Cake Bars
- Double Chocolate Toffee Poke Cake
- Amarula Chocolate Caramel Cake
Cherry Poke Cake
Cherry Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box White Cake Mix
- Ingredients for the Cake Mix (see box)
- 2 cups Fresh pitted Cherries or frozen (defrosted and drained if watery)
- ½ cup Sugar
- ½ cup Water
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 80 grams Cherry Jello ( 3 oz )
- ½ cup Boiling Water
- ½ cup Ice-Cold Water
- 1 cup Fresh Cream whipped (see notes below)
- 12 Fresh Cherries or use Maraschino Cherries to decorate
Instructions
- Heat the oven as per the instruction on the cake mix box - spray a 20 cm x 30 cm ( 9 x 12 inch) baking tin with cooking oil or line with baking paper
- Mix and bake the cake (single layer) as per the instructions
- Whilst the cake is baking, make the Cherry Compote - add the Cherries, Sugar and Water to a medium saucepan - stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved - set the heat on medim and let simmer, partially covered for 20 minutes , stirring every few minutes - when thickened, add the Lemon Juice and gently "mash" the mixture to break up the fruit into pieces - let cool completely before use
- Once the cake is ready let cool 10 minutes, then poke holes all over the cake, using the backend of the handle of a wooden spoon
- When completely cooled, place the cake in the refrigerator (tin and all) for 30 minutes (this makes it better for the jello to stick to the cake)
- Meanwhile dissolve the Jello in the boiling water, add the cold water and stir well, put aside (not in the refrigerator)
- Pour Jello over the cake, and into the holes, spread the Compote over the cake, lightly pressing pieces of fuit into any open holes - place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
- Pipe or spread the Whipped Cream over the cake and decorate with fresh Cherries (or Maraschino Cherries)
- Transfer to a large serving plate or cut into servings and place on individual serving plates
Notes
- Whipped cream: you can double the cream if you prefer (sweeten or not) or use Cool Whip if you like
- The Cherry Compote can be made up to a week in advance, store in an airtight container (after cooling) in the refigerator, warm slightly in the microwave or stovetop before use
- Leftover cake should be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator