Get ready to dazzle your taste buds and impress your guests with the ultimate 4th of July dessert and this easy recipe for a Patriotic Poke Cake!
Made with a white boxed mix, red and blue gelatin then topped with whipped topping and decorated with fresh berries, this dessert is incredibly easy to make!
Make your patriotic gatherings a hit with these other 4th of July Foods!
As soon as you slice into this cake, you'll see the streaks of red and blue gelatin combined with the white of the cake that resemble a flag.
This festive Jell-O cake is perfect for any patriotic celebration, and is sure to be the highlight of your gathering. It'll add a burst of color and flavor to your holiday spread!
Looking for more Patriotic Recipes? Try my Patriotic Cookie Cake, Patriotic Bundt Cakes, and even my Patriotic Berry Trifle. Yum!
Table of Contents
- Tips for making a Poke Cake
- What is a poke cake?
- Do you let the cake cool before poking holes in it?
- 🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Main Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions and Variations
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- How to Decorate the Cake
- Expert Tips
- LOVE this recipe? SAVE it for Later!
- Storage, Freezing and Thawing Instructions
- Recipe FAQ's
- More Deliciousness to Love!
- Celebrate Summer with the Red, White & Delicious Recipes eBook!
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments
Tips for making a Poke Cake
- Poke the holes in the cake with a wooden skewer, chop stick, end of a wooden spoon, or even a fork. Space the holes about ½ inch apart for even distribution of the gelatin.
- Pour the Jell-O slowly and evenly to ensure it fills the holes. Avoid overlapping the red and blue so the colors don't mix and make purple!
- Allow the cake to chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour, but for best results, chill it for 3-4 hours or overnight. This helps the Jell-O to fully set.
- For a beautiful presentation, arrange the chopped strawberries and blueberries on the whipped topping. You can create a flag pattern or arrange the berries in 12 even piles, so each slice is decorated with a mix of berries on top.
What is a poke cake?
A poke cake is a freshly baked cake, whether made from a mix or from scratch, that has holes poked into it and is filled with a liquid or creamy filling to enhance its flavor.
Common fillings include flavored gelatin, like I use with my Strawberry Poke Cake.
You can also use sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, pureed fruit, chocolate syrup, or pudding like my Cheesecake Pudding Cake.
Do you let the cake cool before poking holes in it?
Poke the holes in the cake while the cake is slightly warm. As the cake cools, the top crust will crumble easily when you poke the holes.
Wait until the cake has cooled completely before adding the gelatin. This prevents the cake from becoming too soggy and allows the gelatin to set properly.
🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
Stars & Stripes Cake Dishes
Pyrex Basics 3 Quart Glass Oblong Baking Dish with Red Plastic Lid -13.2 INCH x 8.9inch x 2 inchWooden Spoons, 6 Pieces 9 Inch Wood SpoonsPatriotic Drinking Glasses with Bamboo Lids and Straw
Main Ingredients Needed
Here's a quick overview of the ingredients for this recipe. For exact amounts and to easily shop for everything, click the Instacart button in the recipe card below to add the ingredients straight to your cart!
Substitutions and Variations
- If you prefer, you can make a homemade vanilla cake recipe to substitute the cake mix.
- Try homemade whipped cream in place of the Cool Whip Whipped Topping.
- Instead of fresh fruit for the topping, you can use colorful red, white and blue sprinkles.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: After the cake has completely cooled, poke holes with a wooden skewer.
Step 2: Prepare the red Jell-O with one cup boiling water then one cup cold water.
Step 3: Pour it over the cake in a random pattern.
Step 4: Prepare the blue gelatin with one cup boiling water then one cup cold water.
Step 5: Pour the blue gelatin in the remaining spaces that doesn't have red.
How to Decorate the Cake
Step 6: Chill the cake for at least an hour then spread the whipped topping evenly over the top.
Expert Tips
- Be sure to whisk the Jell-O gelatin with the hot water until the powder is fully dissolved before adding the cold water.
- Add the berries right before serving to keep the juice of the strawberries from bleeding into the whipped topping.
Step 7: Chop strawberries and mix with blueberries.
Step 8: Decorate the cake with the mix of berries right before serving. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
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Storage, Freezing and Thawing Instructions
Refrigerate: Store any leftovers in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.
Freezer: To freeze the poke cake, first wrap it in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Label and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. If the cake is frosted, flash freeze before adding the plastic wrap.
Thaw: Allow the cake to thaw in the refrigerator.
Recipe FAQ's
To view the answers, simply click on the down arrow (⬇) next to each question. If you have any other questions not answered here, please leave a comment!
A soggy poke cake is usually caused by using too much liquid or letting it soak for too long. To prevent this, use the recommended amount of liquid, soak for 10-15 minutes, and ensure the filling is at room temperature.
Yes, you can make a poke cake the day before. Just be sure to store it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh, and avoid over-soaking the cake to prevent it from becoming too soggy.
More Deliciousness to Love!
Or you might enjoy this recipe for 4th of July Bundt Cake. Check out my other recipe for Fourth of July Cake.
Celebrate Summer with the Red, White & Delicious Recipes eBook!
This beautifully designed digital cookbook features 10 fun and festive dessert recipes perfect for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, or any red, white, and blue celebration.
📖 Recipe Card
Patriotic Poke Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Video
Method
- Bake the cake according to the box directions in a 9x13 pan. Allow the cake to cool completely, then use a wooden skewer to poke several holes all over the cake.
- Add one cup boiling water to the red gelatin and whisk until the powder is dissolved, then stir in one cup cold water.
- Spoon the red gelatin over the cake, filling in the holes. Spread in a random pattern, leaving space for the blue Jello.
- Add one cup boiling water to the blue Jell-O and whisk until the powder is dissolved, then stir in one cup cold water.
- Spoon the blue gelatin over the cake, filling in the empty space where there is no red Jello.
- Cover the cake and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour.
- Spread the whipped topping in an even layer over the top of the cake.
- Decorate the cake with the strawberries and blueberries before serving.
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