Fancy a Poke?

I’m not trying to get fresh with you – honestly!

This week I made three, yes three, new foodie finds that have shot my tastebuds heavenward. The first two discoveries were found by pure chance during a frantic hangry shop to transform left-over pork roast and eggs (that had been festering at the back of the fridge for almost too long) into a quick and satisfying meal. Powered by our need to eat yesterday, we sped around the store à la Lewis Hamilton in a bid to get home and fill our bellies ASAP.

The bread aisle greeted us and offered a genius grab, corn tacos – always a winner for wrapping up left-overs and making them fancy. We then high-tailed it into the second aisle. What happened next can only be described as divine intervention, pure destiny! My eye was instantly caught by a small, understated jar labelled “Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning” – say what?!

Excited by my discovery I turned towards the hubby, jar in hand, only to come face to face with my mirror image (well it was a taller, more masculine and hairier image) in the form of my husband excitedly thrusting a jar of Hot & Sweet Jalapeños in my face. That was it, panic shopping complete, we rushed home to devour our seasoned, jalapeño topped tacos. Long story short, these frenzied purchases resulted in us finding two firm faves that will now be used on every meal we prepare – thanks Trader Joe’s!

The third and final discovery of the week, has a much shorter and simpler story. I spotted a gorgeous photo of Poke Cake on Instagram and, not knowing what Poke was, searched for Poke Fruit on Google. However, Poke is not a tropical fruit from far off lands, but a cake that you poke holes into and then pour something tasty into said holes – how have I never heard of this phenomenon before?!

Poke Cake is seriously easy, fun to make (who doesn’t enjoy a good poke?) and the result is a deliciously, moist, sponge cake dessert. Due to pouring the filling over the baked cake and letting it rest, the flavour seeps into every bite. You can fill Poke Cake with almost anything: condensed milk; coconut milk; caramel; chocolate pudding; pureed fruit – whatever pokes your fancy!

Being a Poke Cake virgin, I figured I shouldn’t set my sights too high, so decided on a Raspberry Jelly Poke Cake.

There are a couple of tips I’d like to share when making this Poke Cake Recipe. First off, be sure not to over stir the cool whip when making the topping, as over stirring can make it turn watery. And if you can’t find any cool whip, you can substitute it for whipped cream. Poke Cake must also be served straight from the fridge, as it really is very moist and the cool whip topping will begin to “melt” the longer it is left out of the fridge.

This recipe works best with a 9″ x 13″ cake pan. First you’ll need to bake the cake, by following the box instructions. Once done, set the cake aside to cool for 15 minutes.

While the cake is cooling, make up the jello by boiling 1 cup of water in a medium sauce pan. Add the jello to the sauce pan and stir until the powder is completely dissolved. Then add in the cold water and stir together.

Using a fork, poke holes into the cake.

Now pour the jello evenly over the cake, making sure you reach all of the holes and edges. Cover and place the cake in the fridge and leave to chill for 3 hours.