Strawberry Jello Poke Cake Easy Dessert

How to whip up an easy strawberry Jello poke cake with 5 simple ingredients. Old-fashioned Jello cake recipe that makes the BEST summer dessert!

Don’t you just love summer? Berry season rolls around, we have 4th of July desserts and BBQ to look forward to, and it’s the perfect time to make strawberry poke cake and lemon sheet cake.

slice of Jello poke cake with strawberries and blueberries on white plate with fork

My mom used to make a strawberry Jello cake every summer. Just like my favorite lemon poke cake, I remember it being such a cold, refreshing dessert on a hot day.

Now, you can make a homemade cake, like my homemade vanilla cake mix recipe, but a store-bought vanilla cake mix will work just fine too.

In fact, this recipe is technically semi-homemade because you use both a cake mix and strawberry Jello mix. It is a Jello cake recipe, after all.

What Is a Poke Cake?

Jello cake is cake soaked with liquid Jello and chilled. That means you can make this exact recipe with whatever flavor Jello you want; it doesn't have to be strawberry. I also make a delicious orange Jello poke cake and the best ever raspberry Jello poke cake!

In order to get the liquid Jello into the cake, you poke holes in the top of the cake first, then pour the Jello over the already baked, still warm cake and let it all soak in.

I usually use a fork to poke holes for liquid gelatin, but you may need to use the handle of a wooden spoon for thicker liquids.

Want to learn how to make Jello? <<— I'll walk you thru the quick and easy process!

Why I Think You'll Love Strawberry Jello Cake

This old-fashioned Jello cake is quick and easy to make, and it only uses 5 ingredients!
This recipe makes a cool and refreshing dessert that's absolutely perfect for a hot summer day.
Strawberry Jello poke cake is actually best if you make it ahead of time. It needs time to chill so that the strawberry flavor infuses into the cake.
Because it's best made ahead of time, this recipe is perfect for holidays or special events. I'll even show you how to make it into a Jello flag cake for the 4th of July!
Easily change it up with a different flavor Jello or an entirely different cake mix altogether. The sky is the limit!

Ingredients & Substitutions Notes

Vanilla Cake Mix – You can always make a homemade vanilla cake, but I prefer to use a French vanilla cake mix for this recipe. You can use any vanilla cake– yellow, white, French vanilla, etc. To make this recipe gluten-free, just swap it out for a gluten-free vanilla cake mix!
Water, Eggs and Canola Oil – How much water, eggs and canola oil to use will really depend on the cake mix you use. Some mixes call for milk and butter instead; and sometimes they call for more eggs. Just follow the instructions on the box for whatever cake mix you use.
Strawberry Jello Mix – Although I use a strawberry gelatin mix for this recipe, you can use just about any flavor you want. If you're gluten-free, I recommend finding a gluten-free strawberry gelatin mix. I'll go into more depth on this in the FAQ below.
Cool Whip – I prefer Cool Whip for this recipe, but you can also use homemade whipped cream, Dream Whip, etc.
Strawberries and Blueberries – To make this a Jello flag cake, I recommend using fresh strawberries and blueberries. Not only will they look better, but they'll also taste better!

How to Make Strawberry Jello Poke Cake Recipe

Start by spraying your 9″x13″ cake pan well with nonstick cooking spray. This will keep the Jello cake from sticking to the sides.

Make the Strawberry Jello Cake Batter

Mix up your cake batter in a large mixing bowl and bake it, according to the package directions, in a 9″x13″ cake pan.
When the cake is fully baked, remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 to 20 minutes. It's fully baked when a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Make an Old-Fashioned Jello Cake Topping

While your cake is cooling, mix the Jello mix in a large measuring cup according to the package instructions, first with the boiling water and then with the cold water, mixing until the powder is fully dissolved.
Poke holes all over the top of your cake with a fork, or even the handle of a large wooden spoon. Don't poke too many holes, or else your cake will be completely red, and we're going for red stripes in the cake instead.
Slowly pour the Jello mixture over the entire cake, and allow the cake to finish cooling.

steps for how to make a Jello cake recipe, cake batter in pan, poke holes in top of baked vanilla cake, and pouring liquid Jello onto cake

Once your cake has cooled, spread the Cool Whip and add the berries on top with a spatula.

Mmmm, it's just so good!

sliced strawberry poke cake with fresh berries on white plate with fork

How to Make This a Jello Flag Cake

If you want to make an American flag design on top of your Jello poke cake, just follow these simple steps after adding the whipped cream on top:

Be sure to wash (and dry) the berries before placing on your cake.
Add 5 or more rows of blueberries to the top left corner of the cake.
Stem and slice your strawberries length wise. Then add rows of strawberries to create the red stripes for your cake. I added 4 rows of strawberries to my cake.

Once the whipped cream and berries are on, chill your American flag cake for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

strawberry and blueberry American flag cake on wood countertop with berries

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ's

Why would my cake fall in the middle?

I can remember coming in from school and my mom yelling, “Don't slam the door; I have a cake in the oven!” There are several reasons a cake will fall in the middle. The most common cause for a cake sinking in the middle is it is under-baked in the middle. You can tell that your cake is fully baked when a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Make sure your ingredients are room temperature, and don't over-mix. And finally, try your hardest not to open the oven door while baking because this allows cool air to hit your cake and can cause the cake to fall.

Can I make a gluten-free strawberry Jello poke cake?

Yes, you can make this a gluten-free strawberry Jello cake by using a gluten-free cake mix. As for Jello and Jello pudding mix, Kraft Foods will not guarantee that Jello is fully gluten-free. While they do list any allergens on the ingredient label, they say they “sometimes purchase flavoring, color or spice ingredients from suppliers who do not list every possible source of gluten beyond what is required by law.” I recommend looking for an alternative gluten-free gelatin mix instead. And as always, check all your ingredient labels to make sure all your ingredients are truly gluten-free.

What about dairy-free?

Again, check ingredient labels. You'll need to find a dairy-free cake mix that doesn't use milk or butter, and you'll need dairy-free whipped cream (or choose a dairy-free canned icing instead).

Does Jello poke cake need to be refrigerated?

Yes, you should; in fact, it should be made in advance so that it has time to chill in the refrigerator before serving. This allows the flavors of the cake to infuse together– It should keep for at least 2 to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Can you freeze Jello poke cake?

You can freeze poke cake, but you really want to freeze it before adding the whipped cream topping. Once you've poured the liquid Jello over the cake, that's when you need to make sure it's covered well or sealed in an airtight container before placing it in the freezer.

Other Poke Cake Toppings & Variations

The great thing about poke cake is that the sky is the limit when it comes to toppings and variations. Seriously, you can do just about anything with a poke cake. Here are just a few ideas…

You can use any Jello, Instant Pudding or frosting flavor you want. Personally, I think that using a white cake mix paired with red raspberry Jello would be amazing!
You can also swap out the cake mix. I'm thinking something more along the lines of using a chocolate cake mix with raspberry or cherry-flavored jello. Yum!!
Instead of Jello, try using melted peanut butter with homemade chocolate frosting.
There are a lot of creative poke cake variations around, such as this coconut cream poke cake or even this key lime poke cake recipe.
You can also just pour on sweetened condensed milk or even cream of coconut. Throw some pureed or canned fruit on top for an easy and refreshing dessert!
You can also use canned pie filling. Strawberry, cherry or even blueberry pie filling pair well with a yellow cake.

More Quick and Easy Jello Desserts

My kids always ask for these strawberry Rice Krispie treats with Jello. Full of fresh berry flavor and pretty easy to make.
Whip up an easy strawberry Jello pie that everybody will love!
If you like Jello poke cake, you'll definitely love this easy and refreshing strawberry Jello salad!
I love strawberry just as much as the next person, but my favorite Jello salad remains to be this Mandarin orange Jello salad. HINT: The secret is in the cottage cheese!
This strawberry marshmallow fluff is similar to strawberry Jello salad, but there's no cottage cheese!
Make these Jello jigglers with just 2 ingredients– Great recipe for kids!
Try making a homemade Jello no bake cheesecake. Simple yet refreshing and incredibly delicious!

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