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Cool, light, and refreshing Patriotic Poke Cake is great for summer holidays! It’s sure to be a tasty hit with the whole family!

We love making red, white and blue desserts, like this Patriotic Poke Cake, that are cool and simple for summer holidays. For more favorites, check out Our Classic Poke Cake, 4th of July Rice Krispie treats and Fruit Pizza.

Patriotic poke cake slice on a white plate.


4th of July Cake (Or Memorial Day or Labor Day)

We LOVE jello poke cake! It’s one of the easiest and yummiest treats that you can make for any holiday, get together, or party.

We especially love to make it during the summer months when it’s hot outside because the cake is so light and cool.

We tend to use strawberry or cherry jellos more than the other flavors, but love to add blue raspberry jello for patriotic holidays like Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day.

With the red and blue jello poked through out, this Patriotic Poke Cake looks just that – PATRIOTIC! But, you have to be a little careful when making it so that the red and blue don’t mix to make purple.

We will show you what we did below to make sure the colors stay separate. 😉

Cake with holes poked in it.

How to Make Patriotic Poke Cake

There needs to be a little time for the cake to chill and for the JELLO to set up, but otherwise, it is quick to make and very simple!

CAKE. Prepare boxed cake mix as directed and bake in a 9×13 pan. Let cool for an hour.

POKE. Poke holes into the cake with the end of a knife or handle of a wooden spoon at 1 inch intervals.

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.

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.

Shortcut + Variations

Make this quicker: The jello in this poke cake does not set up like regular jello and won’t need nearly as much time. You will still need a few hours for the jello to soak into the cake and chill. To speed up the overall time it takes to make this cake, you can: 

  • First, you can buy a pre-made, unfrosted white cake at a local bakery.
  • Second, stick the cake in the freezer for 30-60 minutes. Long enough to set the jello, but not freeze the cake.

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.

FAQ + More Red, White + Blue Treats

How to store? Store tightly covered cake in the fridge for 2-3 days.

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

Note: If the cake has the whipped topping already, then you’ll need to flash freeze it first. You do this 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, then wrap in plastic and foil, label and return to the freezer.

More Patriotic Treats:

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

For more Poke Cakes, try:

5 from 31 votes

Patriotic Poke Cake Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
Cool, light, and refreshing Patriotic 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
Making this recipe? Tag us!
Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!


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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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.