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Jello Poke Cake is the easiest cake recipe you can make! This is a recipe for Strawberry Jello Poke Cake, but you can easily use your favorite jello flavor. The BEST part about this classic recipe is the frosting: no canned icing here: I’m adding a delicious whipped cream frosting to the top!
I love poke cakes (chocolate poke cake is favorite) but this one is a jello cake that is so easy and fast and tastes amazing. Poke cakes have been around forever and they are just what the name implies – cakes with holes poked in them and then you fill the holes with so many different things – pie filling, syrup, glazes, pudding and even liquid jello! The filling seeps into the cake creating unique flavor depending on what you use. It’s a really great way to dress up a regular boxed yellow or white cake mix.
This strawberry jello poke cake version is one of my favorites: With a homemade whipped cream frosting, strawberry jello flavor, and fresh strawberries – it’s absolutely delicious and screams summer.
Jello Poke Cake Ingredients
- 1 box of yellow cake mix (or use white cake mix)
- You’ll need the ingredients called for on the box to make the cake
- 1 small box of strawberry jello or strawberry gelatin (or really any flavor, see below the recipe card for ideas)
- You’re not making actual jello, instead you’ll need boiling water to make the strawberry jell-o powder dissolve and that’s what you’ll pour over the cake.
- Whipped Cream Frosting which uses cream cheese, sugar, and heavy whipping cream.
Dorothy’s Testing Notes
- Poke cakes are even better the next day after the jello has time to soak into the cake – frost the chilled cake and it’s better than strawberry icebox cake.
- You can use regular or sugar-free jello for this recipe, and even sugar free cake mix.
- I prefer poking the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon, but you can use a long skewer or fork instead.
- Want to use a homemade cake? Use my funfetti cake recipe and omit the sprinkles.
Strawberry Jello Poke Cake Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 approx 15 ounce box cake mix, plus ingredients to make the cake
- 1 (4 serving size) box strawberry Jello, , or any flavor
- 1 ¼ cups boiling water
- Whipped Cream Frosting, see note
Instructions
- Make the cake as directed on the box using the eggs, water and oil called for. Bake cake in a 9×13-inch pan as directed.
- Cool cake at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Stir the Jello powder into the boiling water until gelatin is dissolved.
- Using the back of a wooden spoon, poke about 20 holes in the cake, evenly spaced.
- Carefully pour the liquid Jell-O mixture over the top of the cake.
- Allow to cool for at least one hour before frosting. Frost as desired, garnishing with fresh berries if you want.
- Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Whipped Cream Frosting
- Buttercream Frosting
- Cool Whip
- Fresh whipped cream (won’t last as long; frost right before serving)
- Canned frosting
- The cake is best after sitting for several hours, so you can make it the day before.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for several days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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How to make Jello Poke Cake
- How to poke holes in cake: Once the cake has cooled a bit, poke holes all over the cake with the back of a wooden spoon.
- Only pour the liquid jello over the cake once the powder is dissolved.
- Don’t frost the cake until it’s cooled.
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Do I have to use two cake mixes for a sheet cake
No one is usually sufficient.
Can I make the Jello cake in a sheet cake pan for more people
Oh – did you mean a large sheet pan? Then yes, I think 2 cake mixes.
I will be making this! I will frost it with home made butter cream frosting. I would not recommend using canned frosting as it has a terrible flavor and consistency (my opinion). Whipped cream or Dream Whip would be a better option. Thank you for the recipe.
Would it work with jello pudding also? I was thinking about using strawberry cake mix with vanilla or banana pudding for the poke portion?
You can definitely use pudding for the filling – it just won’t dye the cake the way this one does. The pudding will fill the holes and make a delicious poke cake though! I do that all the time. Mix and match flavors too!
I’ve been making this cake for 20 some years now, when my 3 boys were little. We would make it on Christmas Eve and to this day we all still call it “Jesus Birthday Cake” even tho they are married now.
One thing they loved to do was experiment with different flavors of cake mix and flavors of Jello and puddings. After many years and flavors we still come back to our original- Lemon Cake Mix with Lime Jello. The icing we use is Lemon Instant Pudding and an envelope of Dream Whip mixed with 1 1/2 c. of cold milk. Whip together and it makes a fabulous icing!!
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