Sangria poke cake is a light, boozy dessert that captures all the bright flavors of sangria. It’s highly customizable — swap fruits and jello flavors to match your favorite sangria combination, such as mixed berry, summer melon, cherry-lime, blueberry-watermelon, or pineapple-strawberry.
Sangria is lovely on its own, but turning those flavors into a cake gives you a two-in-one dessert: cake plus boozy fruit. This recipe is ideal for summer, when fresh fruit is abundant and affordable.
You can top the cake with any fruit and use any jello flavor or combination for the filling to reflect the sangria taste you prefer.
Fruit options for the garnish:
Blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, pineapple, orange, banana, kiwi, mango, peach, cherry.
Jello flavor options for the filling:
- Orange strawberry
- Strawberry lemon
- Raspberry lemon
- Pineapple peach
- Cherry lime
- Mango raspberry
- Watermelon melon fusion
- Watermelon pineapple
- Orange lemon
- Cherry peach
What is a poke cake
A poke cake starts with a baked cake — use a box mix, a homemade cake, or a doctored-up mix. Once the cake is cool, poke holes all over with a fork, straw, or dowel.
Prepare the filling (commonly jello dissolved in water, instant pudding, or a fruit puree), then pour or spread it over the cake so it seeps into the holes. Finish with a frosting — whipped cream, stabilized whipped cream, cream cheese frosting, or buttercream — and add fruit or herbs as garnish.
How to make a sangria poke cake
To make an adult version flavored with wine or sangria you’ll need the following components:
Cake
This recipe uses a doctored-up white cake mix for a moist, tender base.
Filling
Combine jello powder (we used strawberry and orange), boiling water, and wine or sangria. You can use a cheap white wine, a favorite bottle, or even a pre-made sangria for more pronounced flavor.
Frosting
Whipped topping made from heavy cream and powdered sugar, tinted with pink/violet/red gel food coloring to achieve a sangria-inspired hue. Store-bought whipped topping is an option as well.
Garnish
Top with fresh fruit and optional mint leaves for a bright, fresh finish.
Can I make a sangria poke cake ahead of time
Yes. Bake the cake up to two days ahead, wrap it well, and refrigerate (do not frost). Alternatively, assemble and frost the cake a day in advance and keep it tightly covered in the fridge.
Should I refrigerate a poke cake?
Yes. Most poke cakes need refrigeration to allow the filling to set, whether it’s jello, pudding, or fruit puree. Refrigerate any cake with whipped cream frosting to keep it fresh and stable.
More Cake Recipes
- Yellow Cake Recipe
- Homemade Chocolate Cake
- Cookies and Cream Cake
- Strawberry Poke Cake
- Doctored Up White Cake
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Sangria Poke Cake
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Ingredients
Doctored Up White Cake Mix
- 1 box white cake mix (15.25 oz)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 cup skim milk
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup sour cream
Jello Filling
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 1 tbsp strawberry jello powder (or favorite flavor)
- 1 tbsp orange jello powder (or favorite flavor)
- 1/3 cup wine (or your favorite sangria)
Topping
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- Pink, violet and red gel food coloring
- Fresh fruit to top the cake (orange slices, strawberries, blackberries, mint leaves, or other fruit)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, sugar, flour, salt, egg whites, milk, buttermilk, and sour cream. Beat with an electric mixer until combined, about 2–3 minutes.
- Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick spray. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 37–43 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool to room temperature. Using a fork, straw, or wooden dowel, poke holes about 1/2 inch apart, making sure holes go all the way to the bottom.
- Prepare the jello filling: in a bowl combine the 1/4 cup boiling water, 1 tbsp strawberry jello powder and 1 tbsp orange jello powder. Stir until dissolved, then add the wine or sangria and stir again.
- Pour the jello mixture evenly over the cake, cover, and refrigerate for 1–2 hours to let the filling set.
- Chill a mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 minutes. Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and small amounts of gel food coloring to the chilled bowl. Beat 5–8 minutes until stiff peaks form, then spread the whipped cream over the cake.
- If serving later, cover and refrigerate the cake for up to 2 days.
- Before serving, top with fresh fruit (orange slices, strawberries, blackberries, mint) or cut into slices and garnish each piece.
Notes
To make this cake kid-friendly, omit the wine and use 1/2 cup water total instead of alcohol.
*Fruit ideas: orange slices, strawberries, blackberries, mint leaves. You can also use blueberry, raspberry, pineapple, banana, kiwi, mango, peach, or cherries.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 40 g
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Protein: 4 g
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Fat: 12 g
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Saturated Fat: 7 g
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Sugar: 24 g
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided as a courtesy. Changing ingredients or quantities will alter the estimated nutrition.
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