Red, white, and blue poke cake is easy, festive, and perfect for any celebration. This vibrant dessert transforms a classic poke cake, which starts with a box of cake mix, into a star-spangled centerpiece for your Memorial Day, Fourth of July, or Labor Day cookout.
Red White and Blue Poke Cake
This red, white, and blue poke cake is perfect for adding patriotic flair to your next barbecue or potluck. It’s a crowd-pleaser that’s both festive and easy to make.
The beauty of this dessert lies in its simplicity. A boxed cake mix forms the base, keeping prep time down. The magic happens when you infuse the cake with vibrant red and blue Jell-O, creating a delightful textural contrast and bursts of fruity flavor.
Top it all off with a creamy whipped topping, and you’ve got a dessert that’s as delicious as it is impressive.
Why is it Called a Poke Cake?
The name “poke cake” comes from the key step in the recipe itself – poking holes in the baked cake!
These holes create little channels that allow the flavorful liquid (like Jell-O in this case) to seep into the cake, making it extra moist and delicious.
Ingredients Notes
- White Cake Mix, plus ingredients listed on the box: This is the base of our cake. If you’re a baking pro and want to make your own cake from scratch, you can certainly do that! Just use a white cake recipe that yields a 9×13 inch cake.
- Red Jell-O and Blue Jell-O: These are the stars of the show, creating the festive red and blue layers. If you can’t find pre-flavored red and blue Jell-O, you can always use plain-flavored gelatin and add a few drops of red and blue food coloring and some imitation flavor.
- Boiling Water & Cold Water
- Frozen Whipped Topping: This is a quick and easy way to top the cake. If you prefer homemade whipped cream, you can definitely use that instead. Just be sure to whip it to stiff peaks so it holds its shape on the cake.
- Powdered Sugar
- Sprinkles: To keep with the theme, use red, white, and blue sprinkles.
How to Make Red, White, & Blue Poke Cake
- Bake your cake and let cool.
- Poke holes over the entire cake. (I used the end of a wooden spoon)
- Mix up blue and red jello. (in separate bowls)
- Pour the jello into alternating holes in the cake.
- Cover and refrigerate.
- Whisk together topping.
- Spread and top with sprinkles.
Tips & Variations
- Don’t over-poke: Evenly distribute your pokes. The end of a wooden spoon works well, but wipe the end clean between pokes to avoid making them too big. Don’t poke all of the way to the bottom of the cake, and avoid overly large holes, which can make the Jell-O run out of the bottom or pool unevenly.
- Cool completely before Jell-O: Patience is key! The cake needs to be cool to the touch, otherwise the warm cake will melt the Jell-O and prevent it from setting properly. If you have time, refrigerate the cake for a couple of hours after baking.
- Channel your inner artist: Alternate red and blue Jell-O as you pour it into the cake’s holes. You can pour the jello into the holes using a measuring cup or bowl with a spout, condiment bottles, or a syringe. I found that the syringe (the pointed tip kind that you get with medication at the pharmacy) worked best. It took a bit longer but it was by far the easiest and most precise to keep the colors separated.
- Fresh berries for a bonus: For an extra pop of flavor and festivity, consider adding a layer of fresh berries on top of the cake before adding the whipped cream. Strawberries and blueberries work particularly well with the red and blue theme.
- I like to mix my whipped topping with powdered sugar for a few reasons. It thickens it a bit, which makes it easier to spread. It also holds up longer in the heat, which is nice if you’re bringing the cake to a picnic or BBQ.
Change Up the Colors!
Another great thing about this cake is that you can change it up for any holiday!
- Green & Red for Christmas poke cake
- Red & Purple for Valentine’s Day
- Orange & Purple for Halloween
- Rainbow poke cake for just a fun poke cake
STorage Tips
Since this poke cake features a whipped cream topping and Jell-O layer, storing it requires keeping it chilled to prevent spoilage. Here’s how to store your red, white, and blue poke cake:
Refrigerate: Store the cake in the refrigerator, covered tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This will help prevent the cake from drying out and absorbing unwanted odors.
Timeframe: The cake will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. The whipped cream topping might start to soften slightly after a day or two, but it should still be perfectly fine to enjoy.
Freezing: If you want to make this cake ahead of time, you can freeze it! Let the cake cool completely after assembling it (including the whipped cream topping). Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then again in aluminum foil. Frozen poke cake will keep for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
More Great Patriotic Recipes
- Patriotic Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- 4th of July Red, White and Blue Jello Shots
- American Flag Cake
- Firecracker Cupcakes
- Fourth of July Cake in a Jar
- 4th of July Cake Mix Cookies
- Red, White and Blue Fudge
- Patriotic Fruit Cones
- Boozy Cherry Bombs
Red, White, & Blue Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 white cake mix plus ingredients listed on the box (mine was 1 cup water, ½ cup oil, 3 eggs)
- 1 3 oz package red jello
- 1 3 oz package blue jello
- 2 cups boiling water divided
- 1 cup cold water divided
- 1 8 oz tub whipped topping thawed
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Bake your cake according to the package directions and let it cool for at least 30 minutes.
- Using the end of a wooden spoon poke holes over the entire cake. They should be about ½ – ¾ the depth of the cake, just don’t poke all the way through.
- In a small bowl or large measuring cup dissolve red jello in 1 cup of boiling water. When jello powder is dissolved stir in ½ cup cold water.
- In a separate small bowl or large measuring cup dissolve the blue jello in 1 cup of boiling water. When the jello powder is dissolved stir in ½ cup cold water.
- Carefully pour the red and blue jello into alternating holes in the cake. Be careful not to mix them or you will end up with a purple cake.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- In a medium bowl whisk together whipped topping and powdered sugar
- Spread whipped topping over the cake and top with sprinkles
Jenn’s Notes
- Don’t poke all the way through the cake or the colors will mix at the bottom and you will end up with purple.
- If you use the same bowl to mix the jello make sure to wash, not just rinse, it between colors or your jello will not be as clear and vibrant and may start to turn purple.
- You can pour the jello into the holes using a measuring cup or bowl with a spout, condiment bottles, or a syringe.
- I like to mix my whipped topping with powdered sugar for a few reasons. It thickens it a bit which makes it easier to spread. I also feel like it holds up a bit longer in the heat, which is nice if you are bringing the cake to a picnic or BBQ.
With this recipe do you use all the blue 1 1/2 cups and red 1 1/2 cups of jello? it seemed like too much liquid being added to the baked cake even with a ton of poked joles throughout. Thanks, cant wait to see if it turned out. I didnt use all of both colors but a good amount, I have not made a jello poke cake before.
We used it all and it wasn’t too much for us, but you can use less if you prefer! Enjoy!
I was thinking the same thing Alex! Think I’m going to make 2 cakes with fewer holes and divide the jello’s between the two.
I will add some vanilla pudding to the cool whip and some milk. I love making that frosting.
I’d like to try this cuz it looks great, but I’m not a fan of sprinkles. do you think the frosting would hold up if I put blueberries and strawberries on top instead?
Yes, for sure! And I won’t judge you too much for not liking sprinkles 🤣
I think I am really going to like this alot
Made this for 4th of July it’s so delicious!
Thank you so much for the great recipes
Do you see an issue with baking the cake a day ahead, leave at room temp then do the poke and refrigerate the day of (would serve late for dinner)? Camping and baking a cake is a bit more of a challenge.
I don’t see an issue with making the cake before without the Jello poured in it. Once you pour the Jello, it needs to be chilled for at least an hour before serving to allow the jello to soak into the cake though. So just make sure you are doing that and you should be good. Whisper voice… you can actually even use a store bought cake!
Do you use the whole egg or only the whites? I was wondering if the yolks would turn the white cake a yellow color?
Great question! I used the entire egg! Yolk and all!