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Red, White and Blue Poke Cake

Red, white and blue poke cake is a festive Independence Day sheet cake with white cake soaked through by red and blue Jell-O. After baking and poking, you pour two colored Jell-O mixtures over opposite halves for vivid stripes, then top with whipped frosting and patriotic sprinkles.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
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: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

White cake
  • 1 white cake mix, plus ingredients on box Use the eggs, oil, and water called for on the box.
Jell-O layer
  • 3 oz strawberry Jell-O
  • 3 oz berry blue Jell-O
  • 2 cup boiling water, divided
  • 1 cup cold water, divided
Topping
  • 8 oz whipped topping (Cool Whip), thawed
  • 1 red and blue star sprinkles for garnish
  • 1 fresh strawberries and blueberries for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake and cool the cake
  1. Preheat and bake white cake in a 9x13 pan according to package directions, then let it cool for 15 minutes before proceeding.
  2. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the cake about 1 inch apart so the Jell-O can soak in.
Soak with strawberry and blue Jell-O
  1. Dissolve 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.
  2. Dissolve blue Jell-O in 1 cup boiling water, stir in 1/2 cup cold water, then pour over the right half of the cake.
Chill and top
  1. Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours until the Jell-O is fully set inside the cake.
  2. Spread 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, stripey slices, wait until the Jell-O is fully set before topping—then slice while the cake is cold. Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended because the whipped topping and Jell-O texture can change. For a lighter option, use whipped topping labeled “light” in the same 8 oz amount.