Go Back

Red, White and Blue Poke Cake

Red, white and blue poke cake is a festive white sheet cake soaked with red (strawberry) and blue (berry) Jell-O stripes, then topped with whipped topping and patriotic sprinkles. The sliced cake shows vivid colored layers that soak through every bite for a classic Independence Day dessert.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 15 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 1 white cake mix Use the ingredients listed on the box (typically eggs, oil, and water).
  • eggs Use as specified on the cake mix box.
  • vegetable oil Use as specified on the cake mix box.
  • water Use as specified on the cake mix box.
Jell-O soak
  • 3 oz strawberry Jell-O
  • 3 oz berry blue Jell-O
  • 2 cup boiling water, divided Divide into 1 cup + 1 cup.
  • 1 cup cold water, divided Divide into 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup.
Topping
  • 8 oz whipped topping (Cool Whip), thawed
  • 1 red and blue star sprinkles for garnish
  • 1 fresh strawberries and blueberries for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake and cool
  1. Bake the white cake in a 9x13 pan according to package directions, then let it cool for 15 minutes so it doesn’t release steam while soaking.
Poke the cake
  1. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the cake about 1 inch apart so the Jell-O can soak through evenly.
Soak with strawberry Jell-O
  1. Dissolve the strawberry Jell-O in 1 cup boiling water, stir in 1/2 cup cold water, then pour slowly over the left half of the cake to fill the holes.
Soak with blue Jell-O
  1. Dissolve the berry blue Jell-O in 1 cup boiling water, stir in 1/2 cup cold water, then pour over the right half of the cake to create the red and blue stripes.
Chill
  1. Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours until the Jell-O is fully set inside the cake so it slices cleanly.
Top and garnish
  1. Spread the whipped topping evenly over the top of the chilled cake, then decorate with red and blue star sprinkles and fresh strawberries and blueberries before serving.

Notes

For the cleanest slices, chill until the Jell-O feels fully firm when you press lightly near the center. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze is not recommended because the Jell-O and whipped topping texture can change. For a lighter option, use an alternative whipped topping that fits your preference (such as reduced-fat whipped topping) and keep the chilling time the same.