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Jello Poke Cake

5 from 7 votes
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Coming up with clever recipes for the holiday season can sometimes be a pretty challenging endeavor. Why not make something simple but looks intricate and amazing with this Christmas-themed Jello Poke Cake?

For another couple of easy cake recipes try Bisquick™ Coffee Cake or a simple Apple Dump Cake.

Table of Contents
  1. Jello Poke Cake
  2. Jello Poke Cake Ingredients
  3. How To Make Jello Poke Cake
  4. What Other Flavors Could You Make This With?
  5. Should You Make Your Own White Cake For This?
  6. Pin This Recipe To Your DESSERT Recipes Board and Remember to FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST!
  7. Jello Poke Cake Recipe
sliced red and green Jello poke cake

Jello Poke Cake

This recipe is more of a technique demonstration than a real recipe, as it only requires a simple box cake and some Jello mix.

The benefit of this technique is that it creates a really interesting visual cake, with dotted holes of Jello poured down the middle.

Alongside looking just like a Christmas tree, with its alternating green and red Jello bits, it also has the benefit of a really interesting texture.

While most of the cake is a pure white cake, you will get these mouthfuls that have bits of Jello in them, with each bite being a totally different flavor!

ingredients for Jello poke cake

Jello Poke Cake Ingredients

Make sure you look at the recipe card at the very bottom for the exact amounts, as there are a few fiddly ingredients here.

• White cake box mix

• Cherry Jello mix

• Lime Jello mix

• Boiling water

• Whipped topping

• Christmas sprinkles as you prefer

poked holes in white cake with Jello poured in

How To Make Jello Poke Cake

• Prepare the white cake box as instructed

• Poke the cake with the handle of a small wooden spoon, or some chopsticks if you have them until there are holes all over the top

• Place the two different Jello mixes as you prefer in different bowls

• Pour 1 cup of boiling water into each, stirring until dissolved

• Stir in some ice cubes until melted to cool completely down

• Carefully pour some of the cherry gelatin in one straight line over the poked holes from one end of the cake pan to the other

• Alternate the layering with the green gelatin, being careful not to pour over the top of the red

• Repeat in lines until the gelatin is completely used up

• Chill for 4 hours, or overnight, refrigerating until ready to serve

• Top with whipped cream and Christmas sprinkles when ready to serve

Jello cake frosted with red and green sprinkles

What Other Flavors Could You Make This With?

This recipe uses some of the most common flavors of Jello; cherry red and lime green. However, there is nothing stopping you from making your own variations with totally different Jello types!

Why not swap the cherry for strawberry Jello instead? To help clue in your dinner guests to what flavor they can expect, try topping your cake with some whipped cream and some quartered strawberries!

You could also totally move away from the Christmas tree look and go for a sweet dessert instead, with some butterscotch and vanilla Jello flavors instead! For toppings, why not melt some chocolate over the top of your cake? Or just keep it simple with a small dusting of some confectioners’ sugar?

a slice of Jello cake with a forkful taken out

Should You Make Your Own White Cake For This?

To make this fancy-looking Jello poke cake, I recommend that you use a regular white cake box mix. Some people take exception to the idea of using a box cake, claiming that it is somehow “cheating” to use a pre-prepared mix and insist on making their own.

Well, before you spend all day trying to get the texture of your white cake to absolute perfection, really consider using the box cake.

It is simpler, easier, and in many cases, way cheaper than making it yourself.

Plus, the people who make those box mixes know exactly what they are doing – they spend a lot of money coming up with the absolute best cake mix imaginable.

Enjoy a little cheater recipe now and then!

Looking for more delicious Cake recipes? Try these out:

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe

Chocolate Cake Recipe

Enjoy!

Love,

Karlynn

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How to make Jello poke cake! This colorful cake uses cake mix and two different types of Jello mix for a delicious and beautiful cake!
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Jello Poke Cake

How to make Jello poke cake! This colorful cake uses cake mix and two different types of Jello mix for a delicious and beautiful cake!
5 from 7 votes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
American
Servings
16
Calories
121
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients
 

  • 1 box white cake mix PLUS any ingredients listed on box
  • 1 box cherry Jello
  • 1 box lime Jello
  • 2 cups boiling water divided
  • one 8 ounce tub whipped topping
  • Christmas sprinkles of choice

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the white cake mix according to the box directions for a 9×13 cake.
  • Once the cake has been baked according to the box instructions, let it cool slightly.
  • Poke the cake with the handle of a small wooden spoon or a chopstick, until there are holes all over the top.
  • Place the gelatin flavors in two separate bowls. Pour 1 cup boiling water into each gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in two normal sized ice cubes until melted to cool down.
  • Carefully pour some of the cherry gelatin in one straight line over the poked holes from one end of the cake pan to the other. Alternate next with the green gelatin, trying not to pour over top of the red gelatin, Repeat in lines until the gelatin is used up.
  • Chill 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Refrigerate until ready to serve
  • Top with whipped cream and Christmas sprinkles when ready to serve.

Recipe Notes

  • mix and match the Jellos as you see fit for color and flavor!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 121kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Sodium: 226mg, Potassium: 20mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 14g, Calcium: 72mg, Iron: 1mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

Site Index Cake Cake mix Jello Jello cake

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  1. Debbie says

    Also try this with lemon instant pie mix. Cook as directed when still pour label overcake

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