• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Meatloaf and Melodrama logo
  • Home
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
    • Collaborate
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
      • Collaborate
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Meals » Recipes » Desserts

    Lime Jello Poke Cake Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Mar 6, 2023 by Dee

    Lime Jello Poke Cake is a super easy delicious cake that is light, fluffy and the perfect dessert for St. Patrick's Day. This simple cake recipe is a real crowd pleaser, perfect for potlucks or any special occasion. via @meamel

    Lime Jello Poke Cake is a super easy delicious cake that is light, fluffy and the perfect dessert for St. Patrick's Day. This simple cake recipe is a real crowd pleaser, perfect for potlucks or any special occasion.

    Jump to Recipe -
    lime jello poke cake with cool whip frosting and St. Patrick's Day sprinkles
    Jump to:
    • FAQ
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make Lime Jello Poke Cake
    • How to Store
    • Recipe Variations
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    We make this easy lime jello poke cake every year for St. Patrick's Day dessert. It's such an easy dessert because it starts out with a box of cake mix, and you use whipped topping for the frosting.

    I love Jello poke cake recipes because you can customize them with different flavors, and they are perfect desserts for just about any occasion.

    Try my red white and blue poke cake or Strawberry Poke Cake and find more easy desserts in my dessert recipes archives.

    FAQ

    Why is it called poke cake?

    It's called poke cake because you poke holes in the cake and fill the holes with Jell-o, syrup or pudding for decoration and flavor.

    What is the best way to poke holes in a poke cake?

    The best way to poke holes in a poke cake is with a large straw or the handle of a wooden spoon. The holes will be large enough to hold liquid so you can see the color when the cake is sliced.

    cake mix, eggs, lime jello, water, oil and cool whip

    Ingredients

    You only need a few simple ingredients for this easy cake recipe. They should be easy to find in your grocery store.

    • Box of vanilla cake mix -- and ingredients to make the cake, according to package directions
    • Lime Jell-o -- or any brand lime gelatin
    • Water -- to make the Jello
    • Cool Whip -- or any whipped topping to frost the cake, thawed
    • Festive Sprinkles -- I used St. Paddy's Day sprinkles

    How to Make Lime Jello Poke Cake

    First, make the cake and bake cake according to directions on the package. You will need a 9x13 cake pan for this recipe.

    Allow the cake to cool down. It doesn't need to be completely cool, but it shouldn't be straight out of the oven.

    Poke holes in the cake using a large drinking straw or the end of a wooden spoon.

    poke holes in cake with large straw

    Then, add the lime gelatin powder to a medium bowl. Pour in one cup hot water and mix until the gelatin dissolves. Then, mix in the half cup of cold water.

    Pour the liquid Jello mixture evenly over the entire surface of the cake. You want to make sure all of the holes are filled with Jello.

    pour lime jello into holes in cake

    Place the cake into the refrigerator and allow it to cool for 2 hours or until the Jello is absorbed.

    You can even refrigerate the cake overnight if you need to make it ahead of time.

    spread cool whip over poke cake

    Spread the Cool Whip evenly over the top of the cake. A rubber spatula is perfect for this.

    Then, add decorative sprinkles over the whipped topping. I found some cute Saint Patrick's Day sprinkles online, but you can use any green sprinkles or decorative green sugars.

    Green, white and gold is the ideal color combo for this Irish holiday!

    lime jello cake in baking dish with St. Patrick's day sprinkles on top

    How to Store

    Refrigerate this festive lemon lime Jello poke cake until you are ready to eat. Store leftover poke cake in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 3 days.

    Recipe Variations

    You can use a box of white cake mix, vanilla cake mix, yellow cake mix or lemon cake mix in this jello poke cake recipe.

    Make a lemon lime poke cake using lemon cake mix. You can dust lime zest or a mix of lime and lemon zest over the cake instead of sprinkles. Fresh lime slices would be perfect for a lemon lime Jello cake!

    Make homemade whipped cream and use that instead of Cool Whip. You can also use your favorite frosting here.

    If you don't have a large drinking straw or wooden spoon, you can use a wooden skewer or a large fork or knife to poke holes in the cake.

    slice of lime jello poke cake with cool whip topping on plate

    Recipe

    lime jello poke cake with St. Patrick's Day sprinkles on a white plate

    Lime Jello Poke Cake

    Published by Dee
    Lime Jello Poke Cake is a super easy delicious cake that is light, fluffy and the perfect dessert for St. Patrick's Day!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Refrigeration Time 2 hrs
    Total Time 2 hrs 40 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 176 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 box white cake mix
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 cup water
    • ½ cup vegetable oil
    • 1 3 oz box lime Jello
    • 1 cup boiling water
    • ½ cup cold water
    • 1 8 oz tub whipped topping, like Cool Whip thawed
    • sprinkles

    Instructions
     

    • Prepare cake according to directions on box, bake in a 9x13 inch baking dish, and allow to cool slightly
    • Using the end of a wooden spoon handle or a large drinking straw, poke holes all over the cake
    • In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix the lime Jello powder with the boiling water until the powder fully dissolves. Then, stir in the cold water and mix well
    • Pour the Jello mixture all over the cake and into the holes. Place the cake in fridge to cool
    • Spread whipped topping evenly over the cake, then decorate with festive sprinkles. Refrigerate until ready to serve

    Notes

    You can substitute homemade whipped cream for the Cool Whip or use your favorite frosting.
    Use white cake mix, vanilla cake mix, yellow cake mix or lemon cake mix.

    Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 317mgPotassium: 42mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 60IUCalcium: 102mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

    I hope you enjoy this festive lime poke cake as much as we do. With such pretty green colors nestled in the fluffy white cake, this is a delicious dessert for St. Patty's Day or anytime during spring and summer.

    If you do try this green jello poke cake, please leave a comment and/or star rating.

    For more Jello recipes and easy dessert recipes, sign up for the weekly newsletter and follow on social media.

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    Pin
    Share
    Tweet

    More Easy Desserts

    • lemon dump cake with whipped cream on the table
      Easy Lemon Dump Cake Recipe without Cream Cheese
    • strawberry jello poke cake with cool whip and fresh strawberries
      Strawberry Jello Poke Cake Recipe
    • brownie batter dip with mini chocolate chips and sprinkles on graham cracker
      Brownie Batter Dip (No Bake Dessert)
    • Easter brownies with Cadbury mini eggs and sprinkles on top
      Easter Brownies Recipe with Mini Eggs

    You May Also Like

    strawberry jello poke cake with cool whip and fresh strawberries
    Strawberry Jello Poke Cake Recipe
    bowl of pistachio salad with pineapple and maraschino cherry on top
    Pistachio Salad Recipe
    dunkaroo dip (funfetti cake batter dip) in a serving bowl with animal crackers and rainbow sprinkles on top
    Dunkaroo Dip (Funfetti Cake Batter Dip)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Review Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Danielle says

      March 07, 2023 at 7:49 pm

      I never grew up with poke cakes but I saw this recipe on your instagram post and I thought it looked very interesting, and my son loves lime flavors. So I made this and it was actually great, and my son liked it too. Moist and simple, I used white cake mix and it was still good.5 stars

      Reply
    2. Tracy says

      March 07, 2023 at 2:23 pm

      Deliciously light and fluffy! I love your poke cake recipes5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        March 07, 2023 at 6:11 pm

        Thank you so much for the compliment, Tracy!

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m the blogger, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

    More about me →

    Trending Recipes

    • baked breaded pork chops with panko bread crumbs and mashed potatoes on plate
      Baked Breaded Pork Chops
    • ground beef pasta, creamy shells and beef, in creamy tomato sauce in dutch oven
      Creamy Shells and Beef
    • Easter bunny bait snack mix with popcorn and candy in glass bowl
      Bunny Bait Snack Mix
    • easy strawberry jello fruit salad on plate
      Strawberry Jello Fruit Salad
    • baked kielbasa and sauerkraut in casserole dish with parsely
      Grandma's Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe
    • no bake banana pudding with cool whip and nilla wafer cookies and sliced bananas
      Easy No Bake Banana Pudding
    • slices of grandma's nut roll with swirls walnut filling on a white platter
      Grandma's Nut Roll Recipe
    • easter lamb cake decorated with buttercream frosting, colored coconut and jelly beans
      The Best Easter Lamb Cake Recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • All About Dee
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As Seen On

    as seen on buzzfeed delish country living forbes southern living

    Copyright © 2023 Meatloaf and Melodrama