Raspberry-Hibiscus Poke Cake

Name: Raspberry-Hibiscus Poke Cake
Yield: 12 Servings
Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces, plus more for pan; 3 cups (345 g) cake flour; 1½ tsp. baking powder; 1 tsp. baking soda; ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; 2 cups (400 g) sugar; 6 large egg whites; 2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; ½ tsp. almond extract; 1½ cups buttermilk; 2 12-oz. bags frozen raspberries, thawed; 1 Tbsp. unflavored powdered gelatin; ½ cup (100 g) sugar; ¼ cup dried hibiscus flowers; 1 10-oz. bag mini marshmallows; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; 1½ cups heavy cream, divided

By Victoria Granof

March 16, 2021

Photograph by Alex Lau, food styling by Victoria Granof, prop styling by Sophie Strangio

This recipe puts a modern spin on the retro poke cake, a popular 1970s dessert made by poking holes in a sheet cake and pouring in bright Jell-O for a moist, groovy-looking crumb. In this case the gelatin mixture gets its fruit flavor and color from a combination of hibiscus and fresh raspberries, a take on Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea. The whole thing is topped off with a marshmallow whipped cream frosting. Chopsticks are the ideal size for poking the holes in the cake, but the slender handle of a wooden spoon or fork will also work. —BA Test Kitchen

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