Jello Poke Cake is the perfect dessert to bring to family gatherings, pot lucks, holidays and more. With just a few ingredients, this cake is super easy to make and even the kids can help.
This strawberry Jello Poke Cake is loaded with flavor and made easily with simple ingredients. The entire family will love this easy cake recipes for the creamy and delicious texture.
This is the perfect and easy Valentines Day Recipe, or for any occasion. You may even like to make this Paula Deen Strawberry Cake Recipe, Strawberry Poke Cake, Easy Jell-O Popsicles, Valentine’s Day Cake Balls or these Pink Velvet Cupcakes.
What's in this post: Jello Poke Cake
Why This Recipe Works
This easy dessert recipe is perfect for your summertime BBQ or for an easy Christmas Recipe. Top with your favorite fresh berries for a crowd pleasing dessert.
If you have been making our recipes for awhile, you know I am a big fan of using what we have or can get on sale at the grocery store. So, I love recipes that are versatile and easy to make work lots of different ways.
Ingredients
- White Box Cake Mix – You will also need any ingredients listed on box including eggs, oil and water
- Jello Mix – We used strawberry but you can use any flavor
- Cool Whip – You can also use Homemade Whipped Cream
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
How to Make Jello Poke Cake
- Step 1 – First, prepare the cake mix as directed on the box and bake by placing ingredients in a large bowl and stir. Bake the cake in the oven in a 13×9 inch pan and let the cake cool completely.
Step 2 – Now, it is time for the fun part. Poke the cake all over.
Step 3 – Next, prepare the jell-o as directed. Mix the Strawberry Jell-O into the boiling hot water in a medium bowl.
Step 4 – Then spoon over cake mix until you have used all of the mixture.
Step 5 – Chill the jell-o poke cake and top with whipped cream. We also added fresh strawberries.
Recipe Tips
- Cool Cake – Before topping the strawberry jello cake with whipped cream, make sure it has cooled completely.
- Gelatin – The strawberry gelatin needs to cool before pouring on the cake, so make sure to plan accordingly.
- Poke Holes – Poke holes evenly over the cake so the jello mixture evenly distributes throughout the cake.
- Toppings – You can use cool whip to top the cake or frost the cake with store bought frosting. We have even topped with a strawberry sauce for a delicious cake.
- Cupcakes – This recipe can easily be made into cupcakes. Pour cake batter into paper liners in the muffin pan. Then poke holes in the cupcakes to pour the jello mixture. This makes the perfect individual dessert at your next BBQ.
Variations Ideas
We typically use a white cake mix for this recipe. But here are some of my favorite cake flavors that would work with this recipe:
- Yellow Cake
- Angel Food
- Lemon Cake
- Strawberry Cake
- Chocolate Cake Mix
- Vanilla Cake Mix
Feel free to also change the flavor of Jello Mix to what you prefer. You can make this recipe with cherry jello, lime jello, or lemon jello.
How to Poke Holes in a Cake
- You can use a fork to poke the cake
- The end of a wooden spoon also works as well.
- Another idea is to use a toothpick.
This is such an easy recipe so just use what you have and make this amazing cake.
Does Poke Cake need to be Refrigerated?
Yes, the cake needs to place in the fridge until ready to serve. This is the best cake and so easy to make with just a few ingredients.
This is cake is perfect to make ahead of time. Then I cover and refrigerate until I am ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Storing leftovers is so easy with this jello cake. I cover with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator. It will stay good for about 3-5 days.
It normally doesn’t last that long in my house.
You can freeze the cake but I would do so before adding the whipped topping and berries on top of the cake. You can freeze the cake and then add your toppings when ready to serve.
More Poke Cake Recipes
- Easy Chocolate Poke Cake recipe
- Red Velvet Poke Cake Recipe
- Boston creme poke cake recipe
- Try one of our Best Poke Cake Recipes
More Easy Dessert Recipes
We love to hear from you. If you make this Jello Poke Cake Recipe, please leave a comment or a star review.
Jello Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 white cake mix box and any ingredients listed on box
- 3.3 oz jello mix strawberry (you can also use raspberry, cherry )
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 tub Cool Whip
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Prepare cake mix as directed and bake in a 9×13 pan. Let cool for 15 minutes.
- Poke cake with fork at ½ inch intervals.
- Prepare jell-o as directed. Spoon over cake mix until jell-o liquid is all gone.
- Chill 3 to 4 hours and top with whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
I have made poke cakes using a podwered sugar and milk. I poke holes in the cake while still warm. Next I pour the sugar glaze over the warm cake. It soaks in nicely.
Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!
I used lemon jello and grated lemon zest on top the cool whip.. it’s so good, light, and refreshing! The only bad thing with this cake is it’s so light you could eat 1/2 the cake in one sitting! ?
So glad you loved it and yes, I have that problem too!
Can I use pineapple cake mix for this cake
Yes, I think that would be great.
So delicious! Enjoyed preparing this dessert. Love it!
It was easy to make and very delicious! Thank you for these awesome recipes!
My family loves this cake. I poked cake, poured lime jello and added a heavy spinkle of unsweetened coconut before topping with cool whip. If you like coconut you’ll love this.
Oh that sounds delicious! I’m so glad you enjoy this cake.
When I was a kid my Mom used to make this for Sunday dinner desert…it was amazing then and still is amazing. So glad that I found the recipe again. It was one of my favorite cakes.
When I was a kid my Mom used to make this for Sunday dinner desert…it was amazing then and still is amazing. So glad that I found the recipe again. It was one of my favorite cakes.
Loved It – Next time I’m am going to try it with Lime Jello and tint the Col Whip green. Great for Christmas or St. Patrick’s Day./
Five ?? ???????? For Sure!
This is one of the most moist cakes you will ever eat! My family loves it. My husband is not big on icing, but this cake is his favorite.
This is one of the most moist cakes you will ever eat! My family loves it. My husband is not big on icing, but this cake is his favorite.
My family is diabetic and I made mine with sugar free jello and they all loved it very much just a Comfort cake!
Just LUV the jello poke cake recipe. Made 2 layer round jello poke cake, using a white cake mix with 1 red jello and 1 green, decorated with gummy holly leaves and berries cut-outs for a Xmas small gathering. Definitely not much left over and everyone raved about it, taste-wise and the gorgeous eye-appeal. Let you imagination run wild and try different cake mixes and jello to make make any occasion fun & special!
Quick, simple,refreshing dessert that can be made with different flavors. Young and old both love.
I made this with strawberry jello and topped it with fresh strawberries. It’s light and not overly sweet. It combines cake, fruit and whipped cream to make a yummy dessert. Everyone loved it. This is an easy and quick dessert.
We love the many variations you can do with this fun recipe. So simple and easy to make and the grandkids love helping with poking the holes in the cake. Have used too different flavors and colors of jello for different holidays….green and red for Christmas. Thanks a bunch.
I love this recipe. I use yellow cake because I think it gives it makes it flavorful. I make it often, everyone loves it.
Love this recipe! Brings me back to when I was a kid.
Looking forward to making it with my grandkids.
Loved this recipe it was moist and delicious. Rates a top 5
We love this recipe! It is definitely a regular request for celebrations, potlucks, and picnics. It’s also super versatile because you can use different flavors of cake mix and jello. We’ve also done a similar one using cake mix and pudding. So yummy! Thanks for the great recipe!
It is best when you leave it in fridge over night !
It is the best when you leave it in fridge overnight !
Can u use reddi whip instead of cool whip?
Yes, you definitely can. I would just top it right before serving as I think reddi-whip melts as it sits.
I have a new pan I want to use and I’m trying to come up with all the fun things I can make in it. It’s the shape of Mickey Mouse. I would Love to be able to make sure I can flip it out of the pan when it’s done so you can see his cute smile. What’s your thought about trying this cake with this pan? Or any other suggestions would be awesome. I’m not much of a baker. But looking for new hobbies. Thank you
I wouldn’t use this recipe as you have to poke holes in the cake and I wouldn’t want to poke holes in Mickey’s face. I would use a classic white cake mix for this pan. I have a great recipe that can be found here.
My kids loved this poke cake. Doesn’t take much time to make and perfect for a summer picnic
I made mine with yellow cake, sugar free Orange jello and added a little Orange vanilla twist rum to the jello mixture to give it a little kick. Added whip topping. Tasted like a creamsicle.yummy
That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!
I haven’t tried the recipe, my husband is diabetic. Can this be made with sugar free jello and sugar free cake mix?
Yes, I think that would work great!