Cooking with Love

with Gianna Conte    (Jan)

This is the original Poke Cake from the 70s.

This is the original Poke Cake from the 70s.

We called it The Refreshing Cake

When the temperature hit the 90s and there was no air-conditioning. It was Sunday and we wanted cake.......we would make this cake. Poking the holes with our wooden spoon handle. We had a lot of wooden spoons, cause mom would use them everyday on cooking and threatening.

Use handle to poke the baked cake.

Use handle to poke the baked cake.

Let's bake:

1 box white cake mix, baked according to directions.

Take out of the oven. Let cool. Meanwhile, open 2 packages of strawberry gelatin. Melt in one cup of boiling water. Let sit until completely dissolved...add 1 cup of cold water.

After adding the cold water, pour gently all over the poked cake. 

Refrigerate cake. Before serving, add a few drops of red food coloring to tub of whipped topping, creating a pretty pink color.

Serve cut squares. So refreshing!



Let's get baking!


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees


 1 whole thin skinned orange, remove the stem and cut in quarters. Keep the skin on the oranges.

In a clean large food processor, add the orange quarters, 1 1/4 cups of sugar, three large eggs, 1 tsp of vanilla, 1 tsp of orange extract, 1 tbsp of Triple Sec liqueur, optional, 2/3 cup vegetable oil. 


Pulse all ingredients in the processor and then puree until mixture becomes a batter with specs of orange peel.


Add to the processor:


2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt


Process all dry ingredients until they are entirely incorporated into the batter.


Bake in a greased and floured spring pan, using a parchment paper circle on top of the greased bottom.*


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place in the center rack of the oven.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven.


Remove from your oven and let it cool down completely. Dust with powdered sugar or make a drizzle of 1/4 cup powdered sugar and fresh squeezed orange until thick and smooth.  Pour onto the cooled fresh orange cake.


*if you don't have a large processor, you can use a blender.


Enjoy with some espresso and close your eyes and it will feel like you're in Sicily.