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Jello Poke Cake is cool, creamy, and perfect for any get-together. Use any flavor of Jello to make this crowd-favorite dessert!
Poke Cake is one of our favorite summer desserts! Be sure to check out some of our other poke cake variations: Banana Pudding Poke Cake and Boston Cream Poke Cake.
Strawberry jello Cake
I have fond memories of family gatherings and parties that involve this long-time-family-favorite dessert – Jello Poke Cake. We love it so much we’ve made so many variations.
It’s perfect for BBQs and summer parties because of its cool and creamy texture. Let’s be honest, I crave it year round.
You can change the flavor of Jello depending on your mood. We almost always make Strawberry Jello Poke Cake, but our other favorites are raspberry and cherry. I’ve also done lime, blue raspberry, and orange before, but those are definitely a little more adventurous!
Jello Poke Cake has been around since 1976, at least that is when it first appeared in print. The General Foods Kitchen printed the recipe in an advertisement booklet and from there it reached kitchens all over the country.
The popularity grew because it was an easy, quick dessert that could be made ahead of time. Not to mention it is easy to customize and delicious.
How to make Jello Cake
This Jello Cake is really so simple, which is probably why we make it ALL the time.
CAKE. Prepare cake mix as directed and bake in a 9×13 pan. Let cool for 15 minutes. Poke holes in the cake with a fork at ½-inch intervals.
JEllO. Prepare Jello as directed. Spoon over the cake mix until the Jello liquid is all gone.
CHILL + ENJOY! Chill for 3 to 4 hours and top with Whipped Cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve. ENJOY!
Make cupcakes
Instead of making a 9×13 cake, make cupcakes according to the directions on the box. Once the cupcakes have cooled, poke them with a fork or skewer. Use a soup spoon to drizzle Jell-o into the holes and chill.
Poke cake Recipe tips
Tips for poke cake:
- Use a cake made from scratch, a box mix, or a store bought cake.
- For a nice clean slice, wipe the knife after each cut.
- Garnish with coordinating fresh fruit. Fresh strawberries are especially delicious.
Setting the Poke Cake. It won’t set up like normal gelatin does, but it will take at least a few hours for the Jell-o to soak into the cake and cool completely. So plan ahead when making this Poke Cake!
Speed up the cooking time.
- Buy a pre-made, unfrosted white cake at a local bakery.
- Stick the cake in the freezer for 30-60 minutes, long enough to set the jello but not freeze the cake.
Flavor variations.
- Use chocolate cake mix. This recipe can be used to make any flavor of cake mix paired with a complimentary flavor. Chocolate cake with raspberry or black cherry jello would be delicious!
- White cake pairs well with all flavors of jello.
- Add a layer of similar pie filling to the top of the cake then top that with Whipped Cream. Strawberry jello would pair well with strawberry pie filling.
more Poke Cake delicious-ness
We love Poke Cake so much and have made several varieties. It’s so easy to change up with any flavor of jello. The possibilities are endless!
Here are some of our favorites on the site:
- Banana Pudding Poke Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake Poke Cake
- Boston Cream Poke Cake
- Lemon Lime Poke Cake
- Red Velvet Poke Cake
Storing Info
STORE. Because of the jello, keep the cake chilled. Tightly cover the cake and keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days.
To FREEZE, wrap the Poke Cake with plastic wrap, then again with aluminum foil. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.
If the cake is frosted, flash-freeze first. Flash-freeze a whole cake by placing individual pieces on a baking sheet, making sure they are not touching.
Freeze for 2-3 hours or until the outside is frozen. Wrap in plastic and foil, label, and return to the freezer.
For more cool cake recipes:
Jello Poke Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box white cake mix plus any ingredients listed on box
- 1 (3-ounce) box strawberry Jell-O (or raspberry or cherry)
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 (8-ounce) tub whipped topping (or 2 cups whipped cream)
Instructions
- Prepare cake as directed on the box and bake in a 9-x-13-inch baking dish. Let cool for 15 minutes.
- Poke cake with a fork at ½–1-inch intervals.
- Use hot and cold water to make Jell-O as directed on the package.
- Spoon Jell-O liquid over the cake gradually until it is all absorbed.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 3–4 hours. Top with whipped topping right before serving.
Video
Notes
Cupcake Version: Instead of making a 9-x-13-inch cake, make cupcakes according to the directions on the cake mix box. Once cupcakes have cooled, poke them with a fork or skewer, drizzle Jell-O into the holes and chill as directed above before adding whipped topping.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
my moms favorite she taught me to make, i can eat whole thing
I am glad she taught you! I can eat the whole thing, too! Thank you!
First time making this yummy treat!
I used sugar free cherry jello mix (the smaller box) WHICH yields 2 cups like the original recipe…it was killer moist and oh so yummy good. I’ll keep it on top of my festive, easy, flexible FLAVORed cake recipes. I’m really surprised I don’t recall my grandma making this for me when I was a little kid in the 60s…she was a jello wizard
I am glad you tried it! Thank you for letting me know what you did & thought!
Thank u for the recipe! I havent made it in years so i just needed a little memory boost!
Glad it could help! Thank you 🙂
Hi Kristyn…I thought I had tried all the oldies. since I was born in 1961 I spent a lot of time with my grandma…she Was a wizard with all jelo fun things in the day! I try to limit extra sugar when and where most of the time…can this dessert be made with the sugar free jelo mixs?
It sure could 🙂 Hope you like it!
I going to make this right now and my friends told me this was a great cake to make with any jello favor
It really is! I’ve tried so many! Hope you like it!
I inherited this recipe from my mom 20 years ago when it was shown as a two layer round cake with one layer cherry and one layer lime — for christmas — with Cool-whip between the layers, on the sides, and on the top. However using a fork never got enough Jell-o into the cake and using a wooden spoon handle mushed the cake at the bottom of the holes. My solution was to use a use a straw. And since the straw can result in a thin layer of Jell-o on the bottom of the cake pan, I flip over cake then “ice” the upside-down cake. I’ve made it in round layers, square layers, and 9×13 single layer. Whatever version, it always turns out to be a crowd pleaser.
It sure does! Thanks for sharing that!
So do you add cold water to jeLlo after you mix it With hot water?
Yes 🙂
I fIrst made this cake years ago fOr my husband to take to his Christmas Party At work. Everybody there loved it he said! He brought home a cleaned empty baking dish. The next time i wanted to make the Jello poke cake, i couldn’t find my recipe. I have not made it sincE. That was in the 1970’s. I am thrilled to have fOund the recipe once agAin and i Will be sure to never lose it!!! Fyi FOr christmas i used cherry and lime jello, and after MakiNg round holes with the handLe of a wooden spoon, i First Poured the cherry flavor over the top in a Zig-zag pattern. Then i poured the lime flavor over the part of the cake top i had not poured with the cherry. I used all of bOth flAvors. Into the fridge to get it nice and cold. Then i spread the Cool whip All over the top of the cake and put it back Into the fridGe. That was the Day before the Christmas parTy. My hubby told me that it taSted delicious and it was reAl ChrIstmassy lookIng, especially after it was sliced into square pieces. I decorated the top with a sprinkling of snowflake marshmallows, bUt i haven’t seen those in years. This is a fun cake to mAke and eAt!
That sounds perfect! I am so glad you found this recipe & that it’s a hit! Thank you!
This recipe is not new to me but it is a wonderful cakE. Is there a way to post a pic?
It’s my favorite! I don’t allow pics from others to get uploaded on here, I’m sorry! But, I believe it’s a pretty cake!
My sons absolute favorite cake! I combine one 3 oz box of prepared instant vanilla pudding with the cool whip for the topping… makes it absolutely amazing !! You will not be disappointed!
Sounds great! Thank you for sharing that!
I’m am making this cake.. I hope its good
It is seriously my favorite! I hope you liked it! Thank you 🙂
This cake was super moist and easy to make. Instead of plain whipped topping i used a pack of VANILLA pudding, 1 cup of milk and 4oz of whipped topping to make a light and fluffy flavored icing. It was a hit in my house!
That sounds delicious!! I will have to try 🙂 Thanks for sharing that!