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Cool, light, and refreshing 4th of July Poke Cake is great for summer holidays! It’s simple, festive and delicious!

For more favorites, check out Our Classic Poke Cake, 4th of July Rice Krispie treats and Fruit Pizza.

4th of July poke cake slice on a white plate.

4th of July Cake

(…. or Memorial Day or Labor Day.)

Because we love jello poke cake so much, we knew we wanted to make a patriotic version for some of our favorite holidays.

Why we love it:

  • Holiday perfect. Perfect for patriotic holidays like Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day.
  • Simple. This cake is easy to make and requires few ingredients.
  • Delicious. The kids love this cake, especially because it’s nice and cool.
Cake with holes poked in it.

How to Make Patriotic Poke Cake

  1. CAKE. Prepare boxed cake mix as directed and bake in a 9×13 pan. Let cool for an hour.
  2. POKE. Poke holes into the cake with the end of a knife or handle of a wooden spoon at 1 inch intervals.
  3. JELLO. Prepare the two jell-o’s separately as directed on box (but only add ½ cup cold water after adding jello mix to the 1 cup boiling water). Pour jello into a two tall glasses. Using a straw, fill it with the liquid JELLO and place in every other hole in the cake. Do this with both the red and blue jello.
  4. REFRIGERATE + SERVE. Chill 3 to 4 hours and top with whipped cream (or Cool Whip). Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Adding red and blue jello to 4th of July poke cake using a straw.

Recipe Tips

  • Make this patriotic cake into cupcakes. Divide the batter into about 24 cupcake tins and bake according to directions on the box. Once they have cooled poke them with a fork or skewer, use a soup spoon to drizzle jello into the holes and chill.
  • Make two round cakes. These would be very pretty when stacked. Bake cakes according to package directions. Cool then poke holes, add jello and chill. 
  • Add toppings: I love the simplicity of the whipped cream on top, but you can add some toppings for extra flare. Here are some ideas.
    • Red White and Blue Sprinkles
    • Fresh berries: blueberries, raspberries, sliced strawberries
    • Swap the whipped topping for cream cheese frosting or buttercream
Adding cool whip to the top of the holiday poke cake.

Storing Tips

STORE tightly covered cake in the fridge for 2-3 days.

FREEZE. To freeze, wrap cake with plastic wrap, then again with aluminum foil. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.

4th of July Poke cake recipe on a white plate.

For more Poke Cakes, try:

5 from 31 votes

4th of July Poke Cake Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
Cool, light, and refreshing 4th of July Poke Cake is great for summer holidays! It's sure to be a tasty hit.
Servings: 15
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Cooling/Chilling Time: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 white cake mix box
  • 1 3.3 oz box strawberry jello or cherry
  • 1 3.3 oz box blueberry jello
  • 2 cups boiling water divided
  • 1 cup cold water divided
  • 8 oz whipped cream

Instructions 

  • Prepare cake mix as directed and bake in a 9×13 pan. Let cool for an hour.
  • Poke holes into the cake with the end of a knife or wooden spoon at 1 inch intervals.
  • Prepare jell-o’s separately as directed on box (but only add ½ cup cold water after adding jello mix to the 1 cup boiling water). Pour jello into a two tall glasses. Using a straw, fill it with the liquid JELLO and place in every other hole in the cake. Do this with both the red and blue jello.
  • Chill 3 to 4 hours and top with whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 168kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 11mg, Sodium: 243mg, Potassium: 44mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 104IU, Calcium: 92mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
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About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Recipe Rating




18 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is a super great red- white & blue idea!! I own an in home daycare & the kids absolutely love to make snacks & help cook. I had never thought of using the blue & red jello. We are doing this soon. Thank you so much for sharing!! I love your recipes. They always turn out amazing! Thank you

  2. 5 stars
    This is an all time summer classic cake. Everyone loves it and it is so pretty. You can’t go wrong with Strawberries. My grandchildren loved to help make this dessert. It is so refreshing and easy to make..

  3. 5 stars
    I have made this cake many times. It made a pretty and showy birthday cake for a five year old. It is a fun cake to make with my grandkids. It is a favorite with my husband. I find it to be a refreshing unheavy summer dessert.

  4. 5 stars
    Taste like a holiday! Very colorful and great for a warm summer day! Love all your delicious recipes! Will make when my daughter and her family comes from Phoenix to Delaware for the 4 th of July.