Strawberry Jell-O Poke Cake

My mom made every single one of my birthday cakes when I was growing up, and from ages 6 to 11, it was always a Jell-O poke cake. I loved the bright berry-colored stripes that ran through the cake, and the fruity flavor in each bite. Mom would slather the top with frozen Cool Whip or her own whipped cream frosting. It never got old!

Poke cake with Jell-O became popular in the late 1970s and 1980s, mainly because of the 1976 marketing campaign that introduced the recipe. To make Jell-O poke cake, you simply poke holes in a baked cake, pour over liquified gelatin, and let it chill. The Jell-O adds texture but doesn’t get jiggly. The fun part is that the cake is super customizable. Whatever variety you use—strawberry, cherry, lemon— will add colorful lines to the interior of this cheery, chilled cake.

Serve Jell-O poke cake at birthday parties and summer potlucks, or any time you want to bring a smile to someone’s face. When I take a bite, I feel like Anton Ego in Ratatouille: The rush joy from the sugar, strawberry and whipped cream immediately zaps me back to the happiest childhood birthday memories.

Jell-O Poke Cake Ingredients

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• White cake mix: We like to keep things easy-breezy with a boxed cake mix, but feel free to make a vanilla cake or white cake from scratch.
• Eggs: Use large room-temperature eggs for the cake. Room-temperature eggs are best for baking because they incorporate more easily into the batter.
• Canola oil: A neutral cooking oil like canola oil adds moistness to the cake. Vegetable oil is an acceptable substitution.
• Frozen strawberries: The liquid from frozen, sweetened strawberries combines with the powdered gelatin to fill the poked holeas.
• Strawberry gelatin: Strawberry is the classic flavor for Jell-O poke cake recipes. It has big berry flavor, especially when combined with strawberry juice. It also gives the cake the bright pinkish-red stripes you’re after.
• Whipped topping: Our recipe calls for frozen whipped topping, but you can make fresh whipped cream to spread over the top. Either will taste divine, but you can control the sugar in homemade whipped cream to make it less sweet.

Directions

Step 1: Make the cake batter

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, eggs and oil; beat them on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and beat the batter for another two minutes.

Step 2: Bake the cake

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Pour the batter into a greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Bake it until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Poke the cake

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Using the end of a wooden spoon, poke the cake at 1/2-inch intervals.

Editor’s Tip: The end of a wooden spoon gives just the right diameter for a poke cake, whether for liquid gelatin or custardy pudding. The whole idea is to see the stripes, so you want some width to the hole. You can space the holes 1 inch or 1-1/2 inches apart.

Step 4: Pour the liquid Jell-O

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Drain the juice from the strawberries into a 2-cup measuring cup and refrigerate the berries. Add water to the juice so that it measures 2 cups and pour it into a small saucepan.

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Bring the liquid to a boil, and stir in the gelatin until it’s dissolved. Chill it for 30 minutes.

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Then, gently spoon it over the cake.

Editor’s Tip: Spoon over the entire cake, but make sure plenty goes into the holes.

Step 5: Chill the cake

Chill the cake for two to three hours.

Editor’s Tip: It’s imperative to allow the cake to chill and set before frosting and serving it. The Jell-O should set, although it won’t be super jiggly like when you serve gelatin alone.

Step 6: Frost, chill and serve

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Frost the cake with the whipped topping, then top it with the chilled strawberries. Cover and refrigerate the cake for at least one hour. Refrigerate any leftovers.

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Jell-O Cake Variations

• Make it faster: While using a boxed cake mix is already a pretty easy way to make Jell-O poke cake, if you need even more of a shortcut, buy a premade, unfrosted white or yellow cake at a local bakery. Go directly to Step 3. You could even get away with a frosted cake if you remove the frosting before poking the holes and adding the whipped topping.
• Use a different flavor of gelatin: Think of the colors of the rainbow here. Raspberry, lime, orange, lemon, cranberry, cherry and pineapple are just a few Jell-O flavors. Use your favorite!
• Use a different flavor of cake: The fruity stripes look better with white or yellow cake, but you can make a poke cake with lemon cake, banana cake, chocolate cake—any flavor you like!
• Make a Jell-O pudding poke cake: Using the same process, you can make things like Boston cream pie poke cake, peanut butter chocolate poke cake or banana and butterscotch poke cake with different flavors of cake and instant pudding mixes.
• Make it boozy: Apply your love of Jell-O shots to a poke cake. Spike the liquid with a fruit liqueur or spirit before pouring it over the cake.
• Make poke cupcakes: To make a cupcake version, bake cupcakes according to the instructions. Poke them with a wooden handle, bamboo skewer or fork. Drizzle the Jell-O liquid over the top and into the holes, then chill, frost and serve.

How to Store Jell-O Poke Cake

Jell-O poke cake should be stored in the refrigerator because of the whipped topping and gelatin. Refrigerating it also keeps the structure of the cake intact. Poke cake with Jell-O lasts up to five days in the fridge.

Can you freeze Jell-O poke cake?

There are a few ways to freeze a Jell-O poke cake. Without the topping, freeze the cake after you poke holes in it (they come out nicer when you poke a slightly warm cake). Wrap the unfrosted cake in plastic and aluminum foil and store it in the freezer for up to two months. Thaw the cake in the refrigerator before adding the gelatin.

Freezing a frosted poke cake isn’t ideal because the whipped topping might change texture when thawed, but if you must, freeze it uncovered first. Once solid, wrap the cake tightly and store it for up to two months. You can freeze a whole cake or individual slices this way. Thaw it in the refrigerator before serving it.

Can you make Jell-O poke cake ahead of time?

You can make the cake portion of a Jell-O poke cake ahead of time and store it in the fridge or freezer. Poke holes in the cake before storing it, though. Getting suitable holes is easier when the cake is still a bit warm. After poking the holes, allow it to cool, then wrap it tightly.

Jell-O Poke Cake Tips

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

It’s best to poke holes in your cake when it’s warm. A completely cooled cake will have a more crumbly texture, and the holes won’t be as clean. You can use a fork to poke the holes in a poke cake, but it’s better to use something wider, like the end of a wooden spoon.

Can you use fresh strawberries for Jell-O poke cake?

For Jell-O poke cake, you can use fresh strawberries instead of frozen ones. Clean and slice fresh berries, add sugar, and let them sit for at least 30 minutes. Macerating the strawberries will draw out liquid, which you want to add to the gelatin before pouring over the cake. Decorating the top of the cake with pretty halved fresh strawberries is a good look.

Why is my Jell-O poke cake soggy?

A few things will cause a soggy poke cake with Jell-O. The holes should be spaced at least 1/2 to 1 inch apart; if they’re too close, there will be too much Jell-O in one area, resulting in a soggy cake. Pour the Jell-O when the cake is cooled (but still a little warm). If it’s too hot, it will turn the cake texture to mush. Allowing the cake to chill and set for a few hours is necessary; if you rush it, your cake will be liquified.

How do you get a clean slice of Jell-O poke cake?

To get a clean slice of Jell-O cake, use a serrated knife and clean the knife after each slice. That way you won’t make a mess of the whipped topping. Also, make sure the cake is chilled when serving.