E8 EZ EE THE WASHINGTON POST.WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 , 2022
The best cake: I like a yellow or
white cake because the color of the
soak shines through, but a choco-
late cake with a caramel soak would
be fantastic, as would a bright yel-
low lemon cake with a strawberry
puree soak.
The best tool for poking: The
traditional (and ideal) utensil for
poking is the end of the handle of a
wooden spoon, about^1 / 4 - to^1 / 2 -inch
in diameter. Avoid a spoon with a
rough or worn end, which when
thrust into the warm cake, is likely
to hold onto crumbs even once the
spoon is pulled out. A wooden
spoon with a smooth, even painted
end, or a plastic or silicone spoon
with a rounded handle, makes for
cleaner holes. And be sure not to
use a super skinny poking tool, such
as a chopstick: The best soak distri-
bution is achieved with wider holes.
The best poking technique: In a
perfect poke-cake world, the top of
your cake should be covered in
holes, each about an inch apart.
And the soak should fill the holes
from the top of the cake to its
bottom, for beauty and maximum
moisture and flavor. To achieve
this, and to avoid the dreaded half-
soaked hole, you must plunge the
spoon handle into your cake until
you all but feel it touch the bottom
of the pan. The cake must be warm
for optimum soak absorption, but
that can mean that once you re-
move the spoon from the hole, the
cake may start to close back up.
Poking your cake a second time,
therefore, ensures the soak will
properly fill each hole. If cake sticks
to your poking tool, use a damp
cloth to wipe it off after each poke.
The best way to soak: Once
poked and soaked, a rest in the
refrigerator for 2 hours and up to
overnight is key to produce a cake
with pronounced stripes of color
and flavor. (Some say the cake is
even better the second day.) If you
pull the cake from the refrigerator
too early, the soak might leak as you
slice it.
The best toppings: A traditional
poke cake calls for plain Cool
Whip, so I top mine with lightly
sweetened vanilla whipped cream.
However, you do you, and if you’d
like a lemon whipped cream atop
your blueberry poke cake; or a
chocolate whipped cream atop
your caramel-soaked poke cake; or
a malted milk whipped cream atop
your sweetened condensed milk-
soaked poke cake (yum), go for it. I
don’t recommend topping in but-
tercream, however, because the
cake has already been sweetened
by the soaking, and a sugary frost-
ing might make it cloyingly sweet.
The best way to slice: To show-
case a poke cake’s stripes in all their
vibrant glory, I recommend slicing
the cake right through its rows of
soak-filled holes. Thus, before you
top your cake with whipped cream,
take a gander at where the holes are
located and maybe even make a few
tiny little marks on the sides with a
paring knife. Then, once the cake is
topped, use the marks that you
made as a guide when slicing and
voila: stripe-y, moist cake for all.BY JESSIE SHEEHANI adore a soaked cake. Whether it
be a flavored simple syrup, a warm
coconut milk, unset Jell-O or pud-
ding, caramel or sweetened con-
densed milk, pouring liquid over
your unfrosted cake layers adds
moisture, flavor and sometimes
color to even the most plain-Jane
sheet cakes, layer cakes and cup-
cakes.
Tres leches cake may be the most
famous of the soaked cakes,
drenched as it is with three kinds of
milk (evaporated, whole and sweet-
ened condensed), but homemade
poke cakes deserve a lot more play
and I’m here to show you why.
Traditionally, a poke cake calls
for a store-bought white cake mix, a
tub of Cool-Whip, and a box of
Jell-O or pudding (not surprisingly,
it was in a 1970s Jell-O advertise-
ment that poke cakes were first
introduced to the American con-
sumer).
The cake is baked and then,
while still warm, poked with the
end of the handle of a wooden
spoon. Next, the Jell-O powder is
combined with hot water and
poured into the holes created by the
spoon (once sliced, these “holes”
give the cake its signature — and
arguably magical — “striped” ap-
pearance. The cake chills and is
generously topped with Cool Whip
before serving. Full disclosure, I
have made a poke cake in just this
way, with strawberry Jell-O, no less,
and although the warm liquid
Jell-O might give some pause, this
traditional poke cake is, in fact,
quite a pretty and tasty treat.
But here’s the thing: With a sim-
ple one-bowl vanilla cake, an easy
from-scratch soak and a batch of
freshly whipped cream, an equally
beautiful and even more delicious
homemade poke cake can be yours.
Here are my poke cake assembly
101 tips, which, if followed, ensure
success every time.
The best soak: I love soaking my
poke cakes with thick, but pour-
able, fruit purees for gorgeous
stripes of color and summery fla-
vor. A blender will do, but if you
have a Vita-Mix, use it to quickly
puree the softened, slightly cooked
fruit. I also dig a poke cake with a
sweetened condensed milk soak. It
doesn’t add much color, but the
moisture, creamy taste and glossy
texture make it a great option. Salty
caramel sauce is also lovely, as is an
alternative milk, such as coconut.
The best
cakes get
poked,
soaked
Blueberry Poke Cake
12 to 16 servings (makes one 9-by-13-inch cake)
Active time: 30 mins; Total time: 1 hour 10 mins, with 2 hours’
cooling time
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The unfrosted
cake can be frozen for up to a week.
From cookbook author Jessie Sheehan.Ingredients
For the blueberry puree
l3 cups (420 grams) fresh or
frozen blueberries, plus a
handful of fresh for decorating,
if desired
l^3 / 4 cup (180 milliliters) water
l^1 / 2 cup (100 grams) granulated
sugar
l1 tablespoon cornstarch
l^1 / 8 teaspoon fine salt
l2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
For the vanilla cake
lCooking spray or softened
butter, for greasing the pan
l 12 / 3 cups (333 grams) granulated
sugar
l^1 / 2 cup (120 milliliters) vegetable
oil
l^1 / 2 cup (4 ounces/113 grams)
unsalted butter, melted and
slightly cooled
l1 tablespoon vanilla extract
l2 large eggs, at room
temperature
l1 large egg yolk, at room
temperature
l 13 / 4 cups (420 milliliters)
buttermilk, at room
temperature
l2 teaspoons baking powder
l^3 / 4 teaspoon baking soda
l1 teaspoon fine salt
l 22 / 3 cups (308 grams) cake flour
For the whipped cream
l2 cups (480 milliliters) heavy
creaml3 tablespoons confectioners’
sugar
l2 teaspoons vanilla extractSteps
lMake the blueberry puree: In a
medium saucepan over high
heat, stir together the blue -
berries, water, sugar, cornstarch
and salt. Bring to a boil and cook,
stirring occasionally, for about
5 minutes. Reduce the heat to
medium-high and simmer until
the puree thickens and the ber-
ries begin to break down, about
15 minutes, adjusting the heat as
needed to maintain a gentle sim-
mer. Remove from the heat and
let cool for about 5 minutes.
lTransfer the puree to a blender
and blend on medium-high
speed until thick and pourable.
Pour the puree into a 2-cup (480-
milliliter) liquid measuring cup
with a spout, if you have one, or a
spouted pitcher, and mix in the
lemon juice. Set aside 3 to
4 table spoons of puree in a small
bowl.
lMake the cake: Position the rack
in the middle of the oven and
preheat to 350 degrees. Grease a
9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan
with cooking spray or butter.
Line the pan with a sheet of
parchment paper with a gener-
ous overhang on the long sides.
lIn a large bowl, whisk together
the sugar, oil, butter and vanilla
until thick, glossy and thorough-ly combined, about 30 seconds.
Whisk in the eggs and yolk, one
at a time, ensuring each is incor-
porated before adding the next.
Whisk in the buttermilk, fol-
lowed by the baking powder,
baking soda and salt, one at a
time, vigorously whisking after
each addition. Using a sifter or
fine-mesh strainer, sift the flour
over the bowl and whisk until
almost smooth; a few small
lumps are okay.
lScrape the batter into the pre-
pared pan, and lightly drop the
pan on the counter a few times to
pop any air bubbles. Bake for
30 minutes, rotating the pan half-
way through, until a cake tester
comes out with a moist crumb or
two, the cake bounces back when
lightly pressed with your finger
and is just starting to come away
from the sides of the pan.
lTransfer the cake pan to a wire
rack and immediately begin
poking the cake with the end of a
wooden (or silicone) spoon. The
holes should be about 1 inch
apart and should evenly cover
the entire top of the cake. Press
the spoon handle into the cake
until it feels like you may have
hit the bottom of the pan.
Depend ing on your poking uten-
sil, you may need to wipe off the
end with a damp cloth after cre-
ating each hole, as the cake
crumbs may stick to it. If some of
the holes (or all of them) look
like they’ve closed up a bit after
you’ve poked, gently re-poke
them. Spoon or drizzle the puree
into the holes, filling each one
up. The cake absorbs the puree
quickly, so refill the holes with
the puree until you run out, or
until the cake seems adequately
filled. (see NOTE)SCOTT SUCHMAN FOR THE WASHINGTON POST; FOOD STYLING BY LISA CHERKASKY FOR THE WASHINGTON POSTRECIPE FINDER.SEARCH MORE THAN 9,800 POST-TESTED RECIPES AT WASHINGTONPOST.COM/RECIPES.RECIPE QUESTIONS? EMAIL [email protected]Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Trout
4 servings
Total time: 30 mins, plus 15 to 45 mins for setting up gas or charcoal
grill, respectively (see NOTES)
MAKE AHEAD: The fish can be oiled, seasoned with pepper, stuffed
with herbs, wrapped in bacon and then tightly wrapped and refrigerat-
ed up to 1 day before grilling. Do not season with salt if preparing in
advance because this will cause the fish to dry out.
Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Recipe adapted from grilling expert and cookbook author Elizabeth
A. Karmel, co-author of the newsletter whats4dinner.Ingredients
l4 whole trout or branzino
(about 1 pound each), gutted
and cleaned (see NOTES)
lOlive oil
lFine salt
lFreshly ground black pepper
l4 to 8 sprigs fresh tarragon,
plus more for serving
l12 slices center-cut hickory-
smoked bacon, room
temperature, plus more as
needed
l2 zucchini (about 1^1 / 4 pounds
total)Steps
lPat the trout dry. Brush each
trout inside and out with olive
oil and lightly season with salt
and pepper. Divide the tarragon
into four equal amounts and
place them inside the fish.
lStarting with the head of one
fish, just behind the eye, begin
to wrap the bacon around the
circumference of the fish,
slightly overlapping each layer
so it covers the fish skin. Each
fish should take about 3 pieces
of bacon to wrap; more if your
fish is larger. Stop wrapping
when you reach the last inch ofthe tail. Repeat with the
r emaining fish.
lWash, trim and halve the zuc-
chini lengthwise. Slice each half
lengthwise again, into^1 / 4 -inch
thick pieces, then cut each piece
in half, for easy handling. Place
on a plate or platter, brush with
oil and lightly season with salt
and pepper.
lPlace two clean platters near
the grill. Preheat the grill for
indirect-heat, medium-heat
grilling (see NOTES).
lPlace the fish in the center of the
cooking grate over indirect heat
and arrange the zucchini slices
around the fish. Cover and grill
for 10 minutes. Transfer the
zucchini to a platter and cover it
to keep it warm. (Or, if you want
the zucchini very soft, flip it and
continue cooking.) If necessary,
rotate the fish (see NOTES), and
continue to cook for about
10 minutes more, or until the
bacon is crisped, the fish flakes
and is cooked through.
lTransfer the fish to a platter,
sprinkle with tarragon leaves,
and serve family-style with the
zucchini.
lNotes
lIf your fish are larger than
1 pound, they may need to cook
for a bit longer and you may
need an additional strip of
b acon or two.
lIt is best to put the fish in the
center of the grates, so it has
even heat on the left and right,
and air can move evenly around
the food, like a convection oven.
If the size or configuration of
your grill makes that impossi-
ble, you may find that the fish is
browning too much on one side
after the first 10 minutes. If so,
move and rotate the fish so the
cooler side is near the heat
source (hotter coals). It is not
necessary to flip the fish, but
you can if you like.
lTo prep your gas grill for
i ndirect-heat grilling: Cover
and preheat with all burners onhigh. When ready to cook, if
using a three-burner grill, turn
the middle burner off and
r educe the heat on the other
burners to medium-high. Many
two-burner grills are set up for
indirect heat, so you can simply
place the food in the center of
the cooking grate. Heat one
burner to medium-high and
leave the other one off. The
temperature of the grill should
be about 400 degrees.
lIf using a charcoal grill, fill two
chimney starters with charcoal,
light them, and when the coals
are ashed over, arrange them on
either side of the pan, leaving an
empty spot in the middle. If
your grill is too small to allow
for an empty spot, push the
coals to one side, leaving the
other side empty. Replace the
cooking grate, and set an oven
or grill thermometer on top.
Cover the grill. You are aiming
for a temperature of between
400 to 450 degrees.
lIf using a convection oven: We
prefer this fish grilled so you get
the smoky flavor, but it can be
made in an oven with a convec-
tion setting. Line a large,
rimmed baking sheet with
parchment. Place the bacon-
wrapped fish on a rack set on
the baking sheet. Preheat the
oven to 400 degrees on the
convection setting. Roast the
fish for 10 minutes, then flip it
over and roast for another
10 minutes. If the bacon is not
quite crisp enough, turn on the
broiler, raise the rack 4 to
6 inches from the broiler and
broil the fish for about 2 min-
utes on one or both sides,
watching carefully so that it
does not burn.
Nutrition | Per Per serving (1 fillet, plus a(^1) / 2 cup of zucchini): 449 calories, 58 g
protein, 5 g carbohydrates, 21 g fat, 4 g
saturated fat, 147 mg cholesterol, 490 mg
sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugar
Recipe tested by Ann Maloney; email
questions to [email protected]
adamant that you oil the fish, not
the grate. Do not argue!)
For flavor, she likes trout stuffed
with fresh tarragon but
encourages folks to use any herbs
they like, such as cilantro, or
maybe try sliced garlic and/or thin
lemon wedges.
If you can’t find trout, she
recommends snapper or branzino,
and adds that keeping the head
and tail on results in more flavor
and helps keep the fish in one
piece as it cooks.
“Any small whole fish would
work with this method,” she said.
“It’s going to take 15 to 20 minutes
for the bacon to cook, so anywhere
between^3 / 4 to 1^1 / 2 pounds should be
okay. With the skin and whole
herbs and bacon, it is very hard to
overcook it because there’s so
much moisture.”
Karmel urges grillers to wait
until the bacon is nice and crisp
before removing the fish.
If you are using a charcoal grill,
it might take a bit longer for the
bacon to get there, but it will, she
said.
We also tested the technique in
a hot, hot oven, too, and found
that, in a conventional oven, the
fish got too oily before the bacon
crisped. The technique worked
better in a convection oven, but
you have to flip the fish halfway
through. Also, we found it best to
quickly run it under the broiler
right at the end to crisp up the
bacon. So, for me, it’s back to the
grill.
If you’re cooking four small,
whole fish like this, you probably
also have room to add vegetables
to the grill. We found sliced quick-
cooking zucchini to be a great
complement to this dish.
tomatoes and olives. It was
delicious that way, too.
I agree with Karmel, who said:
“It’s crazy simple. ... The taste is
elevated and complex, but it’s so
easy to execute. It’s almost not like
cooking. It’s like a craft project,
and it is beautiful on the plate, too.”
Karmel does have a few tips.
First, she warns that this is not the
time for that thick-cut, artisanal
bacon. “I buy Oscar Mayer center-
cut,” she said. The thinner bacon
needs to sit out for about 20
minutes until it loses its chill. That
way it will wrap easily around the
fish and require no messy
toothpicks to keep it in place.
Center cut is important because it
is leaner. Bacon that is too fatty will
shrink as it cooks, leaving your fish
naked in spots.
Karmel introduced me to the
wrapping technique late last
summer when I talked with her
about tips for grilling fish. She’s a
big proponent of putting things
between the delicate creatures and
the grill. She recommends the
bacon-wrap method to first-time
or anxious fish grillers.
“Everything I do is problem-
solution based,” she said. “One of
the biggest problems people have
when they are grilling fish is that it
sticks. If you use the fish basket,
then it sticks to the fish basket. So
obviously, a barrier between the
grate and the fish will eliminate
that stickage.”
She might slip a salmon fillet
atop chevroned layers of lemon
slices or onto a well-soaked cedar
plank. Unlike foil or other barriers,
bacon, citrus and cedar also add
flavor, she said. (If you do put your
fish directly on the grill, Karmel is
DINNER IN MINUTES FROM E1
Grilling fish can be easy,
especially with p ro tips
JUSTIN TSUCALAS FOR THE WASHINGTON POST
F OOD STYLING BY NICOLA JUSTINE DAVIS FOR THE WASHINGTON POST
lRefrigerate the cake, still in its
pan and on the cooling rack, for
about 2 hours, or until the bot-
tom of the pan is cold to the
touch. Or, if you’re feeling impa-
tient, freeze for 30 to 45 minutes.
lMake the whipped cream: When
ready to serve, in the bowl of a
stand mixer fitted with the whisk
attachment — or, if using a hand-
mixer, in a large bowl — combine
the cream, sugar and vanilla and
beat on medium to medium-high
speed until medium to stiff peaks
form, about 5 minutes.
lRun a butter knife around the
short ends of the pan and, hold-
ing on to the parchment over-
hang, lift the cake out of the pan.
lPlace the cake on a rectangular
serving platter or cutting board.
Because it’s nice to slice the cake
through the rows of holes, for
optimal berry exposure, eyeball
where the holes are (or make tiny
little marks with a paring knife,)
before generously frosting the
top of the cake with the whipped
cream, leaving the sides naked.
Drizzle some of the reserved
p uree on top of the whipped
cream and drag your spoon
through it to create streaks. Your
goal is a white whipped cream
with purple berry swirls
lSprinkle a few blueberries over
the cake, if desired, slice along
the rows of holes and serve.
lNOTE: The blueberry puree can
be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
It’s also great in smoothies and
cocktails, or on top of ice cream,
yogurt, pancakes or French toast.
Nutrition | Per serving (2-by-3-inch slice of
cake) based on 16: 292 calories, 4 g protein,
40 g carbohydrates, 25 g fat, 12 g saturated
fat, 93 mg cholesterol, 314 mg sodium, 1 g
dietary fiber, 33 g sugar
Recipe tested by Debi Suchman; email
questions to [email protected]