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Red, White and Blue Poke Cake

Red, white and blue poke cake made with a classic white sheet cake and two Jell-O flavors that soak deep into each slice. Bright red and blue Jell-O stripes, topped with whipped topping, star sprinkles, and fresh berries for an easy Independence Day dessert.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 15 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

White cake
  • 1 box white cake mix, plus ingredients on box Use the package amounts for eggs and oil/water as directed.
Jell-O stripe soak
  • 3 oz box strawberry Jell-O
  • 3 oz box berry blue Jell-O
  • 1 cup boiling water, divided
  • 1 cup cold water, divided
Toppings
  • 8 oz whipped topping (Cool Whip), thawed
  • 0.25 Red and blue star sprinkles for garnish
  • 0.25 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.
  2. Poke holes all over the cake about 1 inch apart using the handle of a wooden spoon.
Make the red and blue Jell-O soaks
  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 so it soaks into the holes.
  2. Dissolve the blue Jell-O in 1 cup boiling water, stir in 1/2 cup cold water, then pour over the right half of the cake so it fills the holes evenly.
Chill, then top
  1. Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours until the Jell-O is fully set inside the cake (visual cue: the center looks firm, not liquidy).
  2. Spread the whipped topping evenly over the top of the chilled cake, then decorate with red and blue sprinkles and fresh strawberries and blueberries before serving.

Notes

For clean slices, chill the poke cake until the Jell-O is fully set and use a sharp knife to cut straight down; wipe the blade between slices. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days—Jell-O poke cakes typically don’t freeze well due to texture changes. For a lighter option, use a reduced-fat whipped topping if you want a similar creamy layer with fewer calories.