July 4th Poke Cake (Red, White, and Blue!)

July 4th is just around the corner, and that means it’s time to start planning your celebration! Whether you’re staying home with the family, hosting a shindig, or bringing dessert to a potluck, this July 4th poke cake is the perfect make ahead treat.

With red, white, and blue in every slice, and delicious whipped cream frosting, this dessert is sure to be a hit. Don’t forget, this cake is also a festive addition to your Memorial Day and Labor Day celebrations,too. So break out the sparklers, grab the kids and let’s make some cake!

Why We Love this July 4th Poke Cake

• Taste: Plain white cake is livened up with plenty of fruity flavor, thanks to the jello infused throughout.
• Texture: White cake is light and fluffy, which is perfect for a hot summer day, but the jello helps to keep it moist as well.
• Ease: It does take some time to set up, but there’s no layering with this sheet cake. Which means it’s the perfect choice for a make-ahead dessert.
• It looks fantastic! Decorate your frosting with patriotic red, white, and blue sprinkles, or create a fruit flag on top for a show-stopping dessert.
• Poke cakes are also a great way to get the kids involved! Let them pour the jello into the holes and watch their faces shine when everyone ooohs and aaahs over their creation.

How to Make a July 4th Poke Cake (Red, White and Blue cake) :

To make things even easier for you, I created a simple photo guide below. For all measurements and a more detailed guide, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Make the Cake:

Preheat your oven to 350˚F. Grease a 9×13 pan with butter and flour. Set aside. 

Prepare your cake mix according to the directions on the box.

Pour into the a buttered 9×13 baking pan. Bake according to the box instructions. Allow the cake to cool a bit before moving on to the next step.

Poke Holes and Add the Jello:

Poke holes in an even grid throughout the top of the cake. You can do this with a straw, the back end of a wooden spoon, or a chopstick.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup boiling water, and the strawberry jello mix, until dissolved. Stir in 1 cup cold water. Set aside.

Repeat with the berry blue jello.

Pour the red and blue jello into the holes of the cake: Add a bit of red jello into the holes of the cake along a diagonal line across the grid, allowing the jello to drizzle along the diagonal line.

Repeat with the blue jello on the next diagonal line. Continue to alternate the red and blue jello until all the holes are filled.

Move the cake to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours. (Overnight is best.) 

Make the Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese on medium speed until smooth.

Mix in 1 cup powdered sugar until well combined. Repeat with the remaining powdered sugar.

Add vanilla extract, and mix for about one minute.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream with a mixer until it has increased in volume and begins to form soft peaks.

Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined.

Decorate the Cake:

Spread the frosting over the cake and smooth out with a rubber or offset spatula.

Decorate with patriotic sprinkles or fresh fruit. Refrigerate until you’re ready to enjoy!

Essential Tips:

Don’t skip these tips – read them before baking to avoid any potential mistakes.

• I made the diagonal stripes with the red and blue jello to ensure that every slice would have red, white, and blue in it. But feel free to get creative and make any pattern you like.
• If you add too much jello to your poked holes, it will make the cake soggy. Just add enough to make sure that you have plenty of color all the way to the bottom.
• You will likely end up with about half of each jello color left over. You can use the rest to make patriotic jello cups, or to make a second cake if you’re expecting a lot of people.
• Some people use a straw to drizzle their jello over the cake. I found that using a mini eye dropper (from this candy making set) was perfect. Only use about 1/2 of a dropper per hole, and then drizzle the rest along to the next hole in the line.

• Whichever utensil you use to poke your cake, make sure you wipe it down between pokes. Otherwise, you could end up with cake that tears apart, or holes that are too large and make the gelatin uneven.
• In a hurry? If you need to make the cake the same day as the party, you can place the cake and gelatin in the freezer for 30 minutes to one hour – just long enough to set the jello without freezing the cake.
• Try to avoid letting the different colors of jello mix together. Otherwise you may end up with some purple stripes instead of a red, white, and blue July 4th poke cake.

Want to make planning your party even easier? Stop guessing how much food to make and download our free cheat sheet at the bottom of the page. It helps you calculate exactly how much food you need for your party – from ice and drinks to cakes and cupcakes.

FAQs:

Do you pour the jello in the cake while it’s still warm or do you let the jello cool first?

You want to pour the jello in while it’s still warm so that it can easily seep into the holes. If you let the jello cool first, it will be more difficult for it to seep in and you may end up with jiggly jello on top.

Can I Use a Different Topping?

Yes! When we’re short on time, I often substitute regular whipped cream for the homemade frosting. I especially like regular whipped cream if we turn the top of the cake into a flag cake.

How can I Make this a Flag Cake?

Making a flag cake is really easy. Simply spread the white frosting on top of the cake. Then use blueberries to decorate a corner of the cake. Arrange red fruit (like sliced strawberries or fresh raspberries) to create the stripes. Easy peasy!

How to Store a Red, White & Blue Poke Cake

Because of the jello, whipped cream, and cream cheese, this cake needs to be stored in the refrigerator. Lightly cover the cake with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

I don’t recommend freezing the cake, as the whipped cream and cream cheese in the frosting may separate and become grainy.

If you liked my July 4th poke cake, you’re going to love my July 4th brownie pizza. Because there’s always room for chocolate…even when it’s hot outside.

Or you can check out all my 4th of July desserts and Memorial Day Desserts.

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