SOAK IT ALL IN
A from-scratch blueberry poke cake upgrades a retro classic
Iadore a soaked cake. Whether it be a flavored simple syrup, a warm coconut milk, unset Jell-O or pudding, caramel or sweetened condensed milk, pouring liquid over your unfrosted cake layers adds moisture, flavor and sometimes color to even the most plain-Jane sheet cakes, layer cakes and cupcakes.
Traditionally, a poke cake calls for a store-bought white cake mix, a tub of Cool-Whip, and a box of Jell-O or pudding.
But here’s the thing: With a simple one-bowl vanilla cake, an easy fromscratch soak and a batch of freshly whipped cream, an equally beautiful and even more delicious homemade poke cake can be yours.
Here are my poke cake assembly 101 tips, which, if followed, ensure success every time.
THE BEST SOAK: I love soaking my poke cakes with thick, but pourable, fruit purees for gorgeous stripes of color and summery flavor. I also dig a poke cake with a sweetened condensed milk soak. It doesn’t add much color, but the moisture, creamy taste and glossy texture make it a great option. Salty caramel sauce is also lovely, as is an alternative milk, such as coconut.
THE BEST CAKE: I like a yellow or white cake because the color of the soak shines through, but a chocolate cake with a caramel soak would be fantastic, as would a bright yellow lemon cake with a strawberry puree soak.
THE BEST TOOL FOR POKING: The traditional (and ideal) utensil for poking is the end of the handle of a wooden spoon, about ¼- to ½-inch in diameter. Avoid a spoon with a rough or worn end, which is likely to hold onto crumbs.
THE BEST POKING TECHNIQUE: In a perfect poke-cake world, the top of your cake should be covered in holes, each about an inch apart. And the soak should fill the holes from the top of the cake to its bottom. To achieve this, and to avoid the dreaded half-soaked hole, you must plunge the spoon handle into your cake until you all but feel it touch the bottom of the pan. The cake must be warm for optimum soak absorption, but that can mean that once you remove the spoon from the hole, the cake may start to close back up. Poking your cake a second time ensures the soak will properly fill each hole.
THE BEST WAY TO SOAK: Once poked and soaked, a rest in the refrigerator for 2 hours and up to overnight is key to produce a cake with pronounced stripes of color and flavor.
THE BEST TOPPINGS: A traditional poke cake calls for plain Cool Whip, so I top mine with lightly sweetened vanilla whipped cream. However, you do you, and if you’d like a lemon whipped cream atop your blueberry poke cake or a chocolate whipped cream atop your caramel-soaked poke cake, go for it. I don’t recommend topping in buttercream because it might make the poke cake cloyingly sweet.
BLUEBERRY POKE CAKE
Active time: 30 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes, with 2 hours’ cooling time | 12 to 16 servings
NOTE: This versatile blueberry puree can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Storage Notes: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The unfrosted cake can be frozen for up to a week. FOR THE BLUEBERRY PUREE 3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, plus a handful of fresh for decorating, if desired ¾ cup water ½ cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch ⅛ teaspoon fine salt 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice FOR THE VANILLA CAKE Cooking spray or softened butter, for greasing the pan 1⅔ cups granulated sugar ½ cup vegetable oil ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs, at room temperature 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature 1¾ cups buttermilk, at room temperature 2 teaspoons baking powder ¾ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon fine salt 2⅔ cups cake flour FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM 2 cups heavy cream 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Make the blueberry puree: In a medium saucepan over high heat, stir together the blueberries, water, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high and simmer until the puree thickens and the berries begin to break down, about 15 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
Transfer the puree to a blender and blend on medium-high speed until thick and pourable.
Pour the puree into a 2-cup liquid glass measuring cup with a spout, if you have one, or a spouted pitcher, and mix in the lemon juice. Set aside 3 to 4 tablespoons of puree in a small bowl.
Make the cake: Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan with cooking spray or butter. Line the pan with a sheet of parchment paper with a generous overhang on the long sides.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, butter and vanilla until thick, glossy and thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the eggs and yolk, one at a time, ensuring each is incorporated before adding the next. Whisk in the buttermilk, followed by the baking powder, baking soda and salt, one at a time, vigorously whisking after each addition. Using a sifter or fine-mesh strainer, sift the flour over the bowl and whisk until almost smooth; a few small lumps are OK.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and lightly drop the pan on the counter a few times to pop any air bubbles. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until a cake tester comes out with a moist crumb or two, the cake bounces back when lightly pressed with your finger and is just starting to come away from the sides of the pan.
Transfer the cake pan to a wire rack and immediately begin poking the cake with the end of a smooth-handled wooden (or silicone) spoon. The holes should be about 1 inch apart and should evenly cover the entire top of the cake. Press the spoon handle into the cake until it feels like you may have hit the bottom of the pan. Depending on your poking utensil, you may need to wipe off the end with a damp cloth after creating each hole, as the cake crumbs may stick to it. If some of the holes (or all of them) look like they’ve closed up a bit after you’ve poked, gently re-poke them. Spoon or drizzle the puree into the holes, filling each one up. The cake absorbs the puree quickly, so refill the holes with the puree until you run out, or until the cake seems adequately filled. (see NOTE)
Refrigerate the cake, still in its pan and on the cooling rack, for about 2 hours, or until the bottom of the pan is cold to the touch. Or, if you’re feeling impatient, freeze for 30 to 45 minutes.
Make the whipped cream: When ready to serve, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment — or, if using a hand-mixer, in a large bowl — combine the cream, sugar and vanilla and beat on medium to medium-high speed until medium to stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
Run a butter knife around the short ends of the pan (the ones without the parchment overhang) and, holding on to the parchment overhang, lift the cake out of the pan.
Place the cake on a rectangular serving platter or cutting board. Because it’s nice to slice the cake through the rows of holes, for optimal berry exposure, eyeball where the holes are (or make tiny little marks with a paring knife,) before generously frosting the top of the cake with the whipped cream, leaving the sides naked. Drizzle some of the reserved puree on top of the whipped cream and drag your spoon through it to create streaks. Your goal is a white whipped cream with purple berry swirls
Sprinkle a few blueberries over the cake, if desired, slice along the rows of holes and serve.
Nutrition information per serving (2-by-3-inch slice of cake) based on 16 | calories: 292; total fat: 25 g; saturated fat: 12 g; cholesterol: 93 mg; sodium: 314 mg; carbohydrates: 40 g; dietary fiber: 1 g; sugar: 33 g; protein: 4 g
From food writer Jessie Sheehan