We think this festive red, white, and blue Jello poke cake is the perfect dessert for the long Fourth of July weekend for several reasons! It's easy to make, easy to do ahead, and stash in the refrigerator! It's pretty, cool, light, and refreshing after a long day outdoors!
The cake recipe is simple as can be; it starts with a white cake mix, two packages of Jello or your favorite store brand of gelatin dessert, a container of whipped topping like Cool Whip, and sprinkles! Make the cake according to the directions on the box.
You can use any cake mix you like for a Jello poke cake, but a boxed white cake mix is ideal for this dessert. The flavor is relatively neutral, allowing the strawberry and blueberry flavors to take center stage, and the crisp, snowy white appearance really sets off the cheerful, bright gelatin colors.
The store-brand gelatin was on sale for 99 cents (wow!), so I used their strawberry-banana and berry blue flavors. They are such bright, happy colors and a great flavor combo, too!
I suggest using the "egg whites only" version of the directions on the box so the cake is white as snow. Use the amount of oil, egg whites, and water as directed on the box and bake it in a nine-by-thirteen-inch pan according to the cake mix directions.
I always like to bake a poke cake in a glass cake pan to show off the pretty effect! Of course, if you want to make your own white cake from scratch, that's fine, too! Go for it!
While baking the cake, make the Jello, but NOT according to the directions on the box. To make Jello for a Jello poke cake, you'll use half the amount of water recommended in the Jello package instructions.
This will create a firmer Jello that will set up well in the cake without making it too wet. This proportion of water to Jello will soak into the cake while still maintaining its structure.
Use a 3-ounce package of Jello mixed with just one cup of boiling water and stir until it is completely dissolved. Do not add any more water. Let it cool at room temperature while the cake bakes.
Sugar-free Jello works great, and that's what I used when I made this cake!
When the cake is done, let it cool on a rack for about twenty minutes, then poke the cake in rows with the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour the Jello evenly in alternating rows.
My hands aren't very steady, so I found it easy to use plastic squeeze condiment dispensers like you use for ketchup and mustard. Pour the cooled jello into the bottle and replace the lid! It worked perfectly!
I get a pack of two at Dollar Tree, and I use them for lots of things like honey and olive oil! I love Dollar Tree and I never fail to find useful, fun, and inexpensive things to use in my kitchen there!
Do this as carefully and slowly as possible to keep the colors separate. Remember that red and blue mixed together make purple, not a color in our beautiful flag, and that's not the look you want! Don't be Betty-in-a-hurry; instead, be a "Careful Cathy." 😉
After you've poured the Jello over the cake, refrigerate it for a few hours, allowing the Jello to set and infuse into the cake.
When the cake has chilled, it's time to top it with an 8-ounce container of whipped topping. This works better than whipped cream because it will remain stable while the cake is refrigerated.
Remember to defrost the unopened whipped topping in the refrigerator for at least four hours without stirring it to maintain the volume you want. The cake can sit in the refrigerator covered with plastic film as long as it takes for the whipped topping to defrost; it is very chill and patient.😉
I love what sprinkles can do for a dessert of any kind! Choose the sprinkles that make you smile to top this pretty poke cake! The adorable little flags are probably from Dollar Tree, too!
A Jello poke cake is a great dessert for any occasion, and you can combine colors for any season or event! They are so pretty, so easy, so light, and so refreshing!
We feast on July 4th, so we need a light dessert! This would be great for Memorial Day or Labor Day picnics, too. We love celebrating the red, white, and blue! Here are some of our favorite picnic recipes: Amish Macaroni Salad and Holy Guacamole.
A light, cool, and refreshing cake poked with two flavors of jello and frosted with whipped topping and sprinkles for a pretty Fourth of July holiday dessert!
**The white cake will look the whitest if you use the "egg whites only" recipe on the cake mix box.
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Love, GB (Betty Streff)
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