Strawberries and Cream Poke Cake

White cake is an attractive contrast to the vivid strawberry syrup stripes. Get ready for recipe requests! MORE + LESS -

box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ white cake mix

1 1/4

cups half-and-half

tablespoon vegetable oil

eggs

1/2

cup strawberry syrup

container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

cups fresh whole strawberries, sliced

1/4

cup strawberry jam

tablespoons sugar

Lime peel twists

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1

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.
2

In large bowl, beat cake mix, half-and-half, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.
3

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes. Poke cake every inch with tines of meat fork or a table knife. Pour syrup slowly over cake, allowing syrup to fill holes in cake. Cool completely, about 35 minutes longer.
4

Spread whipped topping over cake. In medium bowl, gently mix strawberries, jam and sugar. Top each serving with strawberry mixture; garnish with lime peel twist. Store covered cake and strawberry mixture separately in refrigerator.

Take your time pouring or spooning the syrup over the cake, letting it seep down into the holes.
We poked the cake with a meat fork because the tines are longer and larger, ensuring better saturation of the syrup in the cake.