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Christmas Jello Poke Cake is an easy dessert made with cake mix and red and green Jello. This easy recipe is perfect for the holiday season!
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Christmas Jello Poke Cake Recipe
If you’re looking for the perfect dessert for Christmas, try this easy Christmas poke cake. We have been making this festive dessert during the holidays since I was a kid.
My mom used the original recipe from Jell-O to make a double layer cake. The top layer was infused with red Jello and the bottom had green. I made this recipe even easier by baking the cake in a baking dish.
This colorful cake is a crowd favorite perfect for holiday parties and family dinners. Best of all, it’s absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients for this Christmas dessert recipe. They should be easy to find in your grocery store. Full amounts are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- White cake mix — A box cake mix keeps things easy, but you can make a homemade cake if you prefer. You will also need the ingredients listed on the box to make the cake.
- Jello gelatin — I used strawberry jello and lime jello, but any red and green flavor is fine. You won’t need the entire box.
- Water — hot water or boiling water to dissolve the gelatin powder.
- Cool Whip — the classic frosting for poke cakes. Make sure it is thawed. You can use whipped cream, frosting or any brand of non dairy whipped topping.
- Holiday sprinkles — to top the cake
How to Make a Christmas Poke Cake
First, make and bake the cake according to directions on the box mix. Allow the cake to cool completely.
Use a large straw or the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes evenly in the cake.
Sprinkle part of the red and green dry gelatin mix into separate bowls. Pour hot water into the bowls, and mix until the gelatin is dissolved.
Use a spoon to carefully pour the liquid Jello into the holes in the cake. You want colorful red and green ribbons mixed throughout the cake, so alternate the colors as you go.
Then, gently spread the thawed Cool Whip over the top of the cake.
Decorate with holiday sprinkles on top of the Cool Whip. Place the cake into the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
How to Store Poke Cakes
Store this delicious dessert in the refrigerator. If you have leftovers, cover the cake with plastic wrap or keep the slices in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
You can make the Christmas cake 2 days ahead of time, but don’t decorate it until the day you are serving. If you want to make this dessert ahead of time, you can freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 3 months.
Expert Tips
A white cake works best as the colors really pop. You can use yellow cake mix or vanilla cake mix if that’s what you have.
Don’t follow the directions on the box of Jello. Follow directions in this recipe. Use half of a small box or 1/4 of a large box of Jello and only hot water, not cold water.
Be sure to let the cake cool slightly before you add the gelatin. It’s also best to let the Jello cake set for a couple of hours in the fridge before serving.
More Poke Cake Recipes
If you love Jell-o poke cakes as much as we do, try my strawberry jello poke cake or my lime jello poke cake or red, white and blue poke cake. You can find more easy desserts your family will love!
Christmas Jello Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil or melted butter
- ½ 3-ounce box strawberry Jello gelatin
- ½ 3-ounce box lime Jello gelatin
- 1 cup boiling water divided
- 1 8-ounce tub Cool Whip whipped topping thawed, or any whipped topping
- holiday sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 ℉
- Grease or spray a 9 X 13 pan with cooking spray
- Add the cake mix, eggs, water, oil (or butter) to a large mixing bowl, and beat with hand mixer until well combined
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish, and bake for 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and top springs back lightly when touched
- Remove from oven, and allow to cool slightly
- Use the handle of a wooden spoon or a wide drinking straw to poke holes evenly in the cake
- Add the strawberry gelatin powder to a small mixing bowl, stir in a ½ cup boiling water, and mix until powder is completely dissolved
- Add the lime gelatin powder to a small mixing bowl, stir in the other ½ cup boiling water, and mix until powder is completely dissolved
- Spoon the red and green dissolved gelatin mixture over alternating sections of the cake
- Place in refrigerator, and refrigerate until completely cooled, about 2 hours
- Top with whipped topping or whipped cream, and garnish with holiday sprinkles before serving
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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What fun! Such wonderful colors and flavors! Bringing this to the office Christmas party for sure!