When summer hits, even my chocolate-loving heart cannot resist a sweet strawberry dessert. While strawberry shortcake and strawberry-rhubarb pie are some of my old-fashioned favorites, I also love trying new, modern mashup recipes like ruby red strawberry pretzel salad poke cake.

This light and refreshing dessert combines the ethereal delight that is strawberry pretzel salad with the flavor-packed surprise of a poke cake. The recipe starts with white cake mix and gets a burst of strawberry bliss in every bite, thanks to strawberry gelatin and strawberry juice, which are poured over the top of the cake and left to soak.

The cake is topped with a luscious frosting made from whipped topping, cream cheese and sugar, and then finished with a generous amount of candied pretzels and additional berries before serving. Like other strawberry desserts, this cake recipe is an ode to summer that you’ll find yourself making on repeat for every picnic, cookout and celebration you attend this season.

Ingredients for Strawberry Pretzel Salad Poke Cake

• White cake mix: Summertime is precious, so we love desserts that utilize shortcut ingredients like boxed white cake mix to keep prep quick and simple.
• Water: Water hydrates the dry ingredients of the cake mix and thins the batter to the proper consistency.
• Eggs: Eggs make the cake rich and tender while also contributing to its structure.
• Canola oil: While we love the richness and flavor of a cake made with butter, this cake opts for canola or vegetable oil, which makes the crumb supremely moist and tender.
• Frozen strawberries: When thawed, frozen strawberries release a precious, flavorful juice. In this frozen strawberry recipe, the juice mixes with the gelatin to pack even more strawberry goodness into this easy cake recipe.
• Strawberry gelatin: Don’t worry, the cake isn’t filled with Jell-O. The gelatin does not set up in quite the same way when poured over a poke cake. Rather, it soaks into the cake to give it a marbled-like appearance and vibrant berry flavor.
• Frozen whipped topping: Thawed Cool Whip keeps the cream cheese frosting super light and creamy.
• Cream cheese: Softened cream cheese is a key ingredient in strawberry pretzel dessert and other versions like strawberry pretzel salad dip. It thickens and stabilizes the dessert while offering richness and tang.
• Sugar: For a little added sweetness, granulated sugar is beaten with the whipped topping and cream cheese. Plus, additional sugar is sprinkled over the pretzels before they are baked to create a sweet, caramelized coating.
• Pretzels: Crushed candied pretzels garnish the cake, offering every bite a wonderful contrast of saltiness and crunch.
• Butter: Melted butter coats the pretzels before they are baked, transforming them into the most delectable cake topping. You might want to make extra—because we couldn’t resist stealing a few before they made it to the top of the cake.

Taste of Home

A tried-and-true classic salsa tastes fresh, earthy, piquant and sometimes a little spicy, but there’s a myriad of salsas with hero ingredients at the helm for whole new flavor perspectives. That’s what we love about this pineapple salsa recipe: It has all the usual salsa suspects, but sweet, tropical pineapple chunks are the true star.

The pineapple creates a vibrant color, and the small punch of sweetness plays well with ultra-salty and savory foods. Served with tortilla chips or used to top an authentic Mexican dinner, this pineapple salsa recipe makes an impact.

Pineapple Salsa Ingredients

• Pineapple: You’ll need 2 cups diced fresh pineapple. Learn how to cut a pineapple properly to get the most out of your fruit.
• Tomatoes: I always grab Roma tomatoes when making salsa recipes. They’re meatier than other varieties and hold a ton of sun-ripened flavor.
• Onion: A sweet onion, also known as a white onion, is important here. Sweet onions are best used in no-cook applications like this pineapple salsa recipe as they have a sweeter taste and not an overpowering, pungent, oniony taste like other types of onions (red or yellow onions, for example).
• Fresh cilantro: Refreshing, citrusy and peppery, cilantro’s bright flavor pairs beautifully with the fresh ingredients in this salsa and adds a gorgeous pop of green.
• Jalapeno pepper: Wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers as the oils can burn your skin. Avoid touching your face too.
• Olive oil: We use 1 tablespoon olive oil for fat and richness. Otherwise, the salsa would be too acidic.
• Spices: Peppery coriander, pungent cumin, zippy garlic and a pinch of salt add much-needed savory flavor to the pineapple salsa recipe.
• Tortilla chips: Crunchy, crispy, salty and vaguely buttery, tortilla chips are the perfect serving vessel for any salsa recipe. Buy your favorite bag from the store, or get a little adventurous and make homemade tortilla chips.

Taste of Home