It's been a really long time since I made any sort of a cake, especially a poke cake. And with the end of summer on our heels, I thought I might throw a few more good strawberry recipes into the mix before they are too far out of season. This Skinny Strawberry Banana Poke Cake starts off with a lightened up strawberry cake that's made with a simple boxed mix that we're upgrading just a bit.
So, what's a poke cake? It's basically exactly what it sounds like. A baked cake that you poke holes in. This time around though, we're filling those holes with some banana pudding and then topping everything off with some coolwhip. This style of cake makes for one delicious treat that's perfectly decadent.
To lighten up the cake part, we're not going by the box directions at all so throw that box away! Instead, we're whipping our cake up with some water, greek yogurt and egg whites. Yep! That's basically all there is to that part. In the end, you get a lightened up cake that's still every bit as tasty - maybe even more so! Win, win.
One of my favorite parts about this cake though, is that it can be made well ahead of time. Got a BBQ? Tailgating? Party or gathering of any sort? Then this is the cake for you! Make to up ahead of time and pop it out of the fridge when you're ready to enjoy it!
I like to serve mine with some fresh strawberries and sliced banana. It gives a pop of color and some freshness to the cake that everyone cake appreciate. Another thing I enjoy is serving this cake chilled. Being at the end of summer here in Texas doesn't mean a whole lot other than it's still hot as blazes.
Just be sure you keep this cake nice and cold in the fridge up until serving.
TheSkinnyFork.com A lightened up strawberry cake base that's poked and filled with banana cream pudding and some whipped topping for a delightful treat for any gathering! Prep Time: 10 Minutes • Cook Time: 35 Minutes
Servings: 16 • Serving Size: 1 Slice • Calories: 221 • Fat: 6 g • Saturated Fat: 3 g • Carb: 36 g • Fiber: 1 g • Protein: 5 g • Sugar: 6 g • Sodium: 237 mg
• 1 Box Strawberry Cake Mix
• 1 1/4 C. Water
• 5.3 Oz. Plain Fat Free Greek Yogurt
• 2 Egg Whites
• 1 1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 2 (3.4 Oz.) Boxes Sugar-Free Instant Banana Cream Pudding
• 4 C. Cold Reduced Fat Milk
• 8 Oz. Whipped Topping (Coolwhip), Thawed
• Strawberries & Bananas for Garnish
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and lightly coat the inside of a 13x9" baking dish with non-stick baking spray; set aside. In a large bowl or the base of a stand mixer, beat together the strawberry cake mix, 1 1/4 C. water, 5.3 Oz. greek yogurt, 2 egg whites, and 1 1/2 Tsp. vanilla extract. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and place it in the oven to bake for 35 minutes (or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.) Once done, remove from the oven and while the cake is still hot, poke holes all over the top of the cake. (I poked the holes with the opposite end of a wooden spoon.) In another large bowl, mix together the 2 boxes of banana cream pudding and the 4 C. of cold milk. Pour the pudding over the cake and spread it out evenly, being sure to get the pudding down into all those holes in the cake. Cover the cake and place it in the fridge to chill for 3-4 hours or even overnight! Once chilled, remove the cake from the fridge and spread the whipped topping evenly on top. Top with fresh strawberries and bananas if desired, slice and enjoy right away!
Step-by-Step Photos:
Nutritional Claims: Kidney Friendly, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Peanut Free, Tree Nut Free, Soy Free, Fish Free, Shellfish Free, Pork Free, Red Meat Free, Crustacean Free, Celery Free, Mustard Free, Sesame Free, Lupine Free, Mollusk Free, Alcohol Free, Kosher
