Easy Patriotic Red White And Blue Poke Cake Recipe

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If you’re looking for an easy peasy patriotic dessert for Memorial Day, 4th of July, or Labor Day, this Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake can’t be beat! Since this cake is moist, filled with patriotic spirit, and bursting with flavor, it will be the star of your celebration.

red, white, and blue poke cake pin image

There are plenty of reasons to love poke cakes, including:

Can be made in advance
Are super easy to make
Feed a crowd
Available in tons of flavors
Practically fail-proof

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. It’s all fun and no pressure!

For this holiday, we do things like have a cookout, go to Water World or a baseball game, and we LOVE roasting s’mores in the backyard as we watch fireworks around the city (we live on a hill).

I love that it’s all about spending time outside, enjoying the outdoors, and making memories with loved ones and friends.

What’s not to love about that?

If you love the 4th as much as we do, try making a Sugar Cookie American Flag Fruit Pizza to go with this delicious poke cake.

And do them while you make this fun Fireworks Painting Craft Tutorial.

Happy 4th of July (or Memorial Day or Labor Day – ALL of the patriotic holidays)!!! Hopefully, you’re getting ready for a Fourth of July BBQ. This jello poke cake is filled with patriotic colors and is the perfect dessert for any of the summer holidays or get-togethers when it’s hot outside, and you’re trying to enjoy your guests instead of being trapped in a kitchen.

If you love poke cake, check out my Cheesecake Strawberry Poke Cake and Homemade Banana Pudding Poke Cake recipes!

The Wonder Of Red White And Blue Patriotic Poke Cake

If you’ve never made a poke cake before, you have to try it! They are SUPER easy to make and taste amazing. The Jello works wonders at keeping the cake extra moist and giving it a burst of color!

It probably comes as no surprise that every incredible poke cake starts with …cake! The cake acts like a delicious sponge to absorb the colorful Jello 🙂

Although I used a regular ol’ white cake mix from a box, you can totally feel free to bake your favorite cake from scratch. Either way you do it, it’s going to look – and taste – delicious!

How To Make Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake

Here’s what you’ll need and the process for making this delicious jello poke cake!

Ingredients

White boxed cake mix (plus ingredients to make the cake such as vegetable oil and eggs)
Blueberry Jello
Cherry Jello or strawberry Jello
Tub of cool whip thawed
Red and blue food coloring optional
Patriotic sprinkles

NOTE: Please refer to the handy printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for more recipe details.

Red, White, And Blue Jello Poke Cake Instructions

Follow this process!

Step 1 – Make The Cake

Mix and bake the cake according to the package directions in a 13 x 9 baking dish. Let the cake cool completely before the next step.

Step 2 – Prepare The Jello

Prepare box jello with one cup of hot water and ½ cup of cold water.

Step 3 – Poke The Holes

Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the cake.

Step 4 – Add The Jello To The Cake

Use a spoon and pour the red jello mixture into holes all over, then do the same with blue gelatin. Make sure not to pour both jello colors in the same hole, or you will end up with purple cake instead of Red and blue.

Step 5 – Refrigerate

Refrigerate this easy poke cake for 3-4 hours or overnight for the jello to set up.

Step 6 – Frost And Decorate The Cake

Then top the entire cake with the whipped topping. Feel free to use homemade whipped cream if you want (it’s SUPER easy and tastes better!).

Step 7

Use a toothpick and swirl the red and blue food coloring all over the top of the whipped cream if you want to!

Step 8

Use different Red White and blue sprinkles and even fresh berries on top of the cake to finish decorating the sheet cake.

Step 9

Cut and serve the cake and refrigerate the rest.

Recipe Tips

Although you could technically use yellow cake, white cake works much better for red, white, and blue poke cake so you can really see the colors!

When you mix up the boxes of blue Jello and red Jello (in separate bowls), don’t forget to use ½ cup less cold water than the instructions call for.

I like to use a spoon to direct the Jello where I want it in the cake so that I can get those clear red and blue areas. Concentrate on getting the liquid into the holes which makes those splashes of color in the white cake.

Another option is to put the Jello in a squeeze bottle which will give you more control over where the liquid Jello goes.

Ok, the cake is going to look pretty wet and soupy after you pour in the Jellos. But trust me – the refrigerator will transform it as the jello sets! The liquid Jello will firm up and make probably the softest, most delicious cake of all time.

Have fun decorating! The whipped cream on top of your Red, White & Blue Poke Cake is a blank canvas. Add berries (blueberries and strawberries or raspberries), swirls of food coloring, maraschino cherries, or fun patriotic sprinkles!

Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake Recipe FAQs

Here are some common questions I see readers ask.

What do you use to poke holes in a cake?

To poke holes in the cake just use:
handle or end of a wooden spoon
dowel
end of a chopstick
double tonged fork
I prefer using something that is around 1/2″ thick.

When is the best time to poke holes in the cake?

I recommend poking holes in the cake while it’s still warm because otherwise, you may crack the top of the cake.

How do I keep the colors separate?

Be sure that you pour the jello carefully into each hole or it will spill over the cake and the colors will combine to make a mess of your red, white, and blue poke cake.
Using a spoon or a squirt bottle can help make the process easier and faster.

Can you make a Jello poke cake ahead of time?

Yes! You can make a poke cake up to2 days ahead of time. Be sure to keep it fresh by wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap and keeping it in the fridge.
Wait to add the whipped cream and decorations until just before you’re ready to serve.

How do I store this Red White and Blue Jello Poke Cake?

After you decorate your poke cake, it will be better to store it in a pan with a lid or airtight container in the fridge rather than covering it with plastic wrap (which will ruin it).

Does Red, White, And Blue Poke Cake need to be refrigerated?

Yes, yes, yes! Always keep Jello poke cake in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it.

Can this patriotic cake be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze this Red, White, and Blue Jello Poke cake if you do it before adding whipped cream. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. It will keep in the freezer for 1 month.

Don’t the swirls and patriotic sprinkles on this red, white, and blue poke cake give you fun fireworks vibes?

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