Roasted Berry Poke Cake

January 17, 2026
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While poke cakes have been around since the 1970’s, it wasn’t until we moved to the south that I was introduced to them. The premise is simple – a tender cake with holes poked all over it and something delicious is poured over top so it soaks deeply into the cake.

Delicious, right? Well, early on, Jello was used to poured over the cake, but in more modern times, we have graduated to more elevated pour overs and today, we are using roasted berries and let me tell you… this is one fabulous cake.

The roasted berries over the vanilla cake reminds me of strawberry shortcake in the best way and this cake is also really easy to dress up beautifully. Today, we are using berries to create an American flag perfect for 4th of July or Memorial Day barbecues, but you can let your creativity go wild with this one!

Let’s get started…

Begin by roasting the berries.

In a deep baking dish, combine a cup of sliced strawberries, a cup of blackberries, a cup of raspberries, a cup of blueberries, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of citrus juice (oranges, lemons, limes… whatever you have on hand).

Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes. About half way through, toss the berries around a bit.

While the berries are roasting, add 3/4 cup of room temperature butter and 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar into a large bowl and whisk until fully combined.

Add 3 large eggs, 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract and a cup of buttermilk and mix until pale yellow and bubbly.

Add 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix until everything is just combined.

This batter can be baked in a 9″x13″ baking dish, two 8″ cake pans or a 12″ cast iron skillet – any vessel that will hold 3 – 3 1/2 quarts of batter will work!

Once your berries are done roasting, reduce your ovens temperature to 350 degrees and bake your cake for 25-35 minutes depending on what size vessel you use or until the cake is lightly golden, has pulled away from the side of the pan slightly and a toothpick will come out of the middle clean.

Let the cake cool for about 20 minutes before adding the berries…

Use the handle of a wooden spook or a large skewer to poke holes all over the cake and then spread all of the roasted berries over the entire surface of the cake.

Let the cake sit for a minimum of 15 minutes before frosting to allow the cake to continue to cool and the berries to have time to soak in.

While the berries are soaking into the cake, combine 3/4 cup of room temperature butter with a teaspoon of clear vanilla extract in a large bowl and whisk until creamy. Add about a cup of confectioners sugar at a time, whisking each time you add more confectioners sugar.

Finish the frosting by add a tablespoon or 2 of milk and whisking vigorously until it is smooth and creamy.

Note: You can play with the frostings sweetness and consistency by adding a little more milk or a little more confectioners sugar. It is a very flexible frosting, so don’t take the measurements too seriously!

Now you can add the frosting and decorate this cake however you want, but if you want to create this American flag look, begin by adding a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake (this will help the berries stay in place) and add your blueberries in the top left corner, slice your strawberries and alternate lines of frosting and berries to create the red and white stripes.

This cake is just as delicious as it is beautiful. Tender vanilla cake with beautiful roasted berries soaked in and a smooth, creamy vanilla frosting. It’s inviting, full of flavor and pretty enough to be the main event of any dessert spread.

If you are looking for a great cake to impress your friends and family with your impressive baking and cake decorating skills then you will have to give this a cake a try!

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