Christmas Poke Cake is a colorful holiday party in a pan that is quick and easy to make and always brings festive cheer to family and friends!
When you’re swamped with holiday treat ideas and lots of holiday plans, make life simpler and fun with a Christmas Poke Cake! Pick up your favorite white cake mix, red and green jello, whipped cream, and sprinkles to make a jolly and festive cake that delivers big smiles!
Seasons Treatings
We never get tired of holiday goodies here, until after the New Year of course, when we have to detox from all of the sugar we ate! Until then we subsist on treats that look and taste like the holidays- sweet, magical, and with sprinkles. Christmas Poke Cake is all of these things and is one of my favorite recipes to make for my family and to bring to holiday parties to spread holiday cheer! Easy, breezy, and oh-so jolly, this poke cake is almost too easy to prepare, using a cake mix, colorful jello, whipped cream, and lots of sprinkles!
Fill the holiday treat table with more festive goodies like fun Cookies & Cream Marshmallow Treats and everyone’s favorite Christmas M&M Cookies!
Other Recipes to Serve with Christmas Poke Cake
- Start the party off on a great festive note and serve Spinach Dip Stuffed Crescent Roll Christmas Tree– it’s the perfect appetizer filled with everyone’s favorite spinach dip!
- Full of seasonal deliciousness, Crock Pot Cranberry Apple Cider is a great party drink for all ages!
Ingredients
Cake Mix: Pick up your favorite white cake mix, plus the ingredients listed on the back of the box that are needed to make the cake.
Jello: To make this cake festive you will need a box of cherry jello and a box of lime jello, or any flavor of jello as long as it’s red and green! You will also need boiling water to make the boxes of jello.
Whipped Cream: You will need a tub of whipped cream to spread over the top of the cake. If you have a great homemade recipe that makes 3 cups of whipped cream then that can be used.
Sprinkles: What would this cake be without sprinkles?!? Grab your favorite red, white, and green holiday sprinkles to decorate this cake!
How to Make Christmas Poke Cake
STEP ONE: Prepare the cake as instructed on the box in a 9-inch x 13-inch baking pan, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
STEP TWO: Once the cake is finished baking and has cooled, poke 1- 1 1/2 inch holes in the cake, using the end of a wooden spoon or two-pronged fork.
STEP THREE: Add the red jello to one bowl and the green jello to another bowl and pour boiling water over each. Stir the jello until the powder is dissolved.
STEP FOUR: Pour the jello over the rows, alternating between red and green. Refrigerate the cake for 3-4 hours.
STEP FIVE: Spread an even layer of whipped topping over the cake and add the sprinkles. Cut and enjoy the cake chilled.
Tips for Success
- To poke the holes in the cake, you can use either the end of a wooden spoon, a dowel, or a thick-pronged fork. There is usually a little bit of cake that sticks to the spoon or fork, so make sure you clean it before poking another hole to avoid a lot of cake crumbs on top of the cake.
- Once you pour the jello over the cake, it must be chilled for a few hours to allow enough time for the jello to set and soak into the cake. The bottom of the cake may be a little soggy if it doesn’t chill long enough.
- White cake is typically used in this recipe because it pairs well with the flavors of the jello, but if you prefer a yellow or other light-colored cake, that can be used instead.
Can I make Christmas Poke Cake ahead of time?
When the holidays are hectic it’s nice to know that some things can be done ahead of time to make life easier, like making this poke cake! Making this poke cake the day before is a great idea as the longer you let it sit, the better the jello can set and give the cake not only a great flavor but a wonderful texture as well. Prepare the cake completely the day before or wait to add the whipped cream and sprinkles until you are ready to serve, the choice is yours! If you choose to use homemade whipped cream, wait to make it and spread it on the cake until you are ready to serve so that the whipped cream doesn’t deflate.
Where did Jello poke cake come from?
The Jello Poke Cake, developed by General Foods Kitchens, was first advertised in the late 1970s but really took off as a popular dessert in the 1980s. The simplicity and few ingredients required made the poke cake not only easy to make but extremely versatile, with so many different options for flavors, fillings, and toppings. Poke cakes were made to make any occasion more fun and colorful, as you can see with this Christmas Poke Cake!
Poke Cakes for Every Occasion!
- Pumpkin Toffee Poke Cake
- RumChata Poke Cake
- Caramel Apple Poke Cake
- Strawberries and Cream Poke Cake
- Snickers Poke Cake
*This post originally posted on 12/09/2016.
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces white cake mix plus ingredients to prepare (1 box)
- 3 ounces lime jello mix
- 3 ounces cherry jello mix
- 2 cups water divided
- 8 ounces Cool Whip thawed
- Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour the cake batter into the prepared dish. Bake according to the package time for a 9×13 baking dish.
- Remove the cake from the coven and let it cool completely on a wire rack, about 2-3 hours.
- Using a small wooden spoon, dowel, or fork, poke holes in the top of the cake in rows at 1-inch intervals. (Be sure to clean your poking tool as you go so the holes don't get bigger due to stuck-on cake.)
- Pour the lime jello into one mixing bowl and the cherry jello into a second mixing bowl. Bring the water to a boil and then pour 1 cup of water into each bowl. Whisk until the gelatin has melted.
- Using a spouted measuring cup, pour the lime jello down one column of holes and then cherry down the column next to it. Repeat alternating columns until all the holes are filled.
- Refrigerate the cake for 3-4 hours.
- Spread the Cool Whip all over the top of the cake and then add your favorite Christmas sprinkles over the Cool Whip. Chill until ready to serve.
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