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This Red White and Blue Poke Cake recipe is an easy patriotic dessert filled with strawberry Jello and topped with Cool Whip, fresh strawberries and blueberries. Perfect for the 4th of July, Memorial Day or any patriotic holiday.
Red White and Blue Jello Poke Cake
We usually make this easy recipe for red, white and blue poke cake for our 4th of July dessert every year, but you can also make it for Memorial Day. This delicious cake is one of our favorite red white and blue desserts. This time, I changed the design so that everyone could have plenty of blueberries and strawberries with every bite of this easy dessert!
This patriotic poke cake isn’t a new idea, but since we make it every year, I thought it was about time to share it with you guys! You’ve probably seen the usual 4th of July flag cake recipe, topped with Cool Whip and blueberries and strawberries, right? Well, the only problem with that American flag cake design is that not everyone gets blueberries. And if you have kids, you know that can be a problem!
Why you’ll love this 4th of July cake
It’s like the classic American flag cake but better.
We add rows of fresh blueberries and strawberries on top of the whipped cream, there’s plenty of fruit in every bite, and everyone is happy — for one night, anyway!
Plus, you only need one flavor of Jello, so it’s super simple to make!
Ingredient Notes
You only need a few simple ingredients for this red white and blue cake recipe. Full amounts are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Boxed Cake mix — I like white cake mix for this recipe, but yellow cake mix will work.
- Eggs
- Vegetable Oil — or butter, but oil helps keep the cake moist
- Water — to dissolve the gelatin
- Strawberry Jello — or generic strawberry gelatin powder
- Cool Whip — or any white frosting
- Fresh fruit — fresh strawberries and fresh blueberries to make this a red white and blue cake
How to Make a Red White and Blue Poke Cake
For this patriotic poke cake, follow the package directions for making the cake. After the cake cools, you use the end of a wooden spoon or wide straw to poke holes in the cake.
Then, you mix Jello powder and hot water in a small bowl until the powder dissolves. Next, mix in cold water.
Pour the liquid Jello mixture into the holes and over the cake. Place the cake in the fridge and let it cool for about 2 hours before decorating with whipped topping and fruit.
How to Store Patriotic Poke Cake
Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. Store leftover poke cake in an airtight container or cover the cake pan with plastic wrap. The cake will be good for up to a day — the fresh fruit will start to become watery. I don’t recommend freezing the cake.
Variations
You can make this patriotic cake with strawberry Jello, cherry Jello, Blueberry Jello or a combination of red Jello and blue Jello flavors, although I personally don’t think the lighter shade of blue looks right in this cake.
If you don’t want to add fruit on top of the cake, you can use patriotic sprinkles or a combination of red and blue sprinkles. The cake will last up to 5 days without the fruit on top.
You can make fresh whipped cream or use white frosting in place of whipped topping.
Quick Tips
Use less water in the Jello when making a poke cake. Do not follow the directions on the package for regular Jello.
Be careful not to poke holes all the way through the cake. The liquid Jello will run out the bottom of the cake.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before frosting the cake.
If making the patriotic cake ahead of time, add the fresh berries right before serving.
More 4th of July Desserts
You can never have too many red white and blue recipes!
Red White and Blue Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 3-ounce box strawberry Jello
- 1 cup boiling water
- ½ cup cold water
- 8 ounces Cool Whip
- fresh strawberries, rinsed, dried and sliced
- fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉, and grease a 13×9 baking dish with non stick spray
- Prepare cake according to directions on box, bake in a lightly greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish according to package directions. Allow to cool
- Using the end of a wooden spoon handle or a large drinking straw, poke holes all over cake
- In a mixing bowl, mix the strawberry Jello powder with the hot water until it dissolves. Then stir in the cold water, and mix well
- Pour the Jello mixture all over the top of the cake and into the holes. Place in fridge to cool for 2 hours or until set
- Spread whipped topping evenly over cake, then top with rows of strawberries and blueberries. Refrigerate until ready to serve
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Hi,
I tried this recipe at home yesterday, and it turned out to be really delicious..
Thank you so much for such a yummy recipe. gonna save this and will share with others. keep sharing 🙂
So glad you liked it, Rachel. Thanks!
I made this for the forth ,and it was delicious!!
Wonderful, Tim! So glad that you liked it!
This will be a great dessert for the 4th celebration! Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
Such a lovely colors! Craving for this!
Perfect for the 4th! Love a good poke cake!
So perfect for the 4th of July! And so yummy with all those berries!!
This looks delicious! Loving the gorgeous fruit on it!
I love this for 4th of July! So perfect!!
Jello poke cakes are so fun to make! Perfect festive dessert for the summer!
We had a lot of fun making this! 🙂
So fun and festive! Perfect for 4th of July!
Thanks so much! It sure is!