If you need a fun and festive dessert that doesn’t take much effort, this 4th of July Poke Cake checks every box. It starts with a boxed cake mix, gets its colorful stripes from red and blue Jell-O, and finishes with a whipped cream cheese frosting, sprinkles, and fresh berries. It’s bright, patriotic, and so simple to pull together—perfect for cookouts, parties, or making ahead the day before.
Y’all know that Southerners love poke cakes and dump cakes and anything made with Jell-O. They’re all usually quick and easy and the perfect dish to take to church supper or summer cookouts.
This patriotic poke cake is so easy to make. You use a boxed white cake mix, add vanilla pudding mix to it, then bake it. The poking part is red and blue Jell-O. Children and adults alike absolutely gobble up this cake every time I make it.
Testing notes for 4th of July Poke Cake
- We tested this cake with Duncan Hines Classic White Cake Mix. This cake mix consistently produces a moist cake with a tender crumb.
- We have also frozen this cake to save time. If freezing, you’ll want to leave off the frosting.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
I am all about easy, so I have several quick and easy cake recipes on this site, and I hope you’ll try them all. My favorite is my Granny’s Chocolate Sheet Cake, but my family also loves my One Layer Cake, Strawberry Jell-O Cake, Red White and Blue Cake, and the Peanut Butter Snack Cake.
Ingredient notes
Here are a few things to know about the ingredients in this recipe.
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Box white cake mix: We prefer Duncan Hines Classic White cake mix.
Cream cheese: You can use ready-made cream cheese icing if you really need to save time, but I think it has an artificial taste. It’s so easy to just whip a block of cream cheese with a little sugar and vanilla.
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Patriotic Poke Cake
Ingredients
The ingredients listed for the cake below are based on a Duncan Hines Classic White Cake Mix. Use the ingredients called for on your cake mix box and add one box of instant vanilla pudding mix.
For the cake:
- 1 15.25-ounce box Duncan Hines Classic White cake mix
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup neutral oil
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 3.4-ounce box instant vanilla pudding (not prepared, just powder mix)
For the Jell-O:
- 1 3-ounce box blue Jello mix (any blue flavor)
- 1 3-ounce box red Jello mix (any red flavor)
- 4 cups water, divided
Icing:
- 1 8-ounce tub Cool Whip, thawed
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon imitation vanilla (so there's no color)
- 2 tablespoons red, white, and blue sprinkles
- 2 cups fresh mixed berries (I used strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.)
Instructions
- Prepare your dish. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick spray and preheat your oven according to the package instructions on the cake box.
Cake
- In a large bowl, with a hand or stand mixer, combine 1 15.25-ounce box Duncan Hines Classic White cake mix, 1 cup water, ½ cup neutral oil, 3 large egg whites, and 1 3.4-ounce box instant vanilla pudding (not prepared, just powder mix).
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish and bake according to the package directions.
- Once baked, allow the cake to cool completely before covering and placing it in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour. You want the cake to be chilled throughout.
- Once chilled, use the handle of a wooden spoon (or something of similar size) to poke holes in the cake 1-inch apart and ¾ of the way to the bottom of the cake. Do not poke all the way through to the bottom of the cake.
Jell-O
- Mix the Jell-O with water according to the package directions. Use a tablespoon to pour the Jell-O in the holes. Alternate between colors, one color per hole. You may not need all of the Jell-O.
- Place the cake back into the refrigerator and chill again for at least 1 hour.
Icing
- Using a hand or stand mixer, mix 8 ounces cream cheese until smooth and creamy with no lumps. Add 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon imitation vanilla (so there's no color) and mix well.
- Mix in 1 8-ounce tub Cool Whip, thawed and blend until the icing is smooth and well-mixed.
- Ice the top of the cooled cake evenly and arrange 2 cups fresh mixed berries (I used strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.)over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons red, white, and blue sprinkles. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Nutrition
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Questions and tips
This cake is so versatile and adapts to any occasion with different colors of Jell-O. You can use red and green to make a Christmas cake or pink and blue for a baby shower.
- Use pre-made cream cheese icing if you want. Omit the powdered sugar and vanilla.
We recommend storing this cake in the refrigerator to keep it chilled. It’s best if consumed within about 3 days. Otherwise, it starts to get a bit soggy.
If you want to add a little more flavor to the boxed cake mix, you could use a banana pudding mix or a coconut pudding mix. Just be sure you stick with something that’s not colored.
