Pudding Poke Cake -- The Food That Connects Every Version of Me

Week 367. Spring 2023. I am 40 years old and standing in my kitchen — the Bench house kitchen, the one that held cancer and divorce and cinnamon rolls — and the stove is on and something is cooking and the house smells like fresh herbs and possibility and this is my life. This is the life I built.

Brett came Wednesday. We sat on the porch and talked about nothing, and the nothing was perfect, the way nothing between siblings is always perfect — full of history, empty of agenda, the purest form of company.

Mason is 12 and reading everything he can find and examining the world under a microscope with the intensity of a tenured researcher.

Lily is 10 and riding horses with the fearlessness of someone who has never considered the possibility of falling.

I made strawberry shortcake this week. The food continues. The food always continues. It is the thread that connects every week to every other week, every year to every other year, every version of me to every other version — the woman on the kitchen floor, the woman at the chemo recliner, the woman at the grill, the woman at the outdoor table under the string lights. All of them, connected by the food they made with their hands. All of them, me.

Strawberry shortcake has always been one of those recipes I return to when life feels like it deserves a quiet celebration — nothing dramatic, just something sweet made with my hands. This week, with Brett on the porch and Mason’s nose in a book and Lily fearless on horseback, felt exactly like that: ordinary in the best possible way. I made this strawberry pudding poke cake because it’s the kind of dessert that doesn’t ask too much of you — it just shows up soft and generous and ready, the way the best things in life do.

Pudding Poke Cake

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min + 1 hr chilling | Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 1 box white or yellow cake mix, plus ingredients called for on box (eggs, oil, water)
• 1 box (3.4 oz) strawberry instant pudding mix
• 2 cups cold whole milk
• 1 container (8 oz) whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
• 2 tablespoons strawberry jam or preserves (optional, for glaze)

Instructions

1. Bake the cake. Prepare the cake mix according to package directions and bake in a greased 9x13-inch pan. Allow to cool for 10–15 minutes — you want it warm but not hot.
2. Poke the holes. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes evenly across the entire surface of the warm cake, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
3. Make the pudding. Whisk together the strawberry pudding mix and cold milk for about 2 minutes, until it begins to thicken but is still pourable.
4. Pour and chill. Pour the pudding evenly over the cake, working it into the holes with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until the pudding is fully set.
5. Top and serve. Spread whipped topping over the chilled cake. Arrange sliced fresh strawberries on top. If using, warm the strawberry jam briefly and drizzle lightly over the berries for a glossy finish. Slice and serve cold.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 285 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 47g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 340mg