Flag Poke Cake Recipe

This patriotic poke cake will be the star of the show at your 4th of July celebration! With its flag decoration made with strawberries and blueberries on top of a fluffy whipped topping, this easy red, white, and blue dessert presents pops of surprise color in each delicious slice.

If you’re looking for an easy dessert for Independence Day or Memorial Day, this is it! This festive cake is an easy way to jazz up a boxed cake mix by using flavored jello to create an explosion of color within the baked cake. It’s also a great cake to let the kids help with, too!

You’ll definitely want to plan ahead with this cake because it needs to be refrigerated between steps. I like to make it the night before and complete the steps right up to adding the final toppings. Just keep it stashed in the refrigerator overnight and add the flag decoration with the strawberries and blueberries in the morning or right before serving.

Once you cut into the first slice and serve it, be prepared for the oohs and ahhs when everyone sees the red and blue drizzles inside the actual cake. This easy poke cake is always a crowd-pleaser!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy – this cake uses boxed mixes for the cake and jellos and the frosting is a container of whipped topping. After baking the cake, all you have to do is assemble it!
• Delicious – the jello that infuses in the baked cake helps keep it moist and adds yummy flavoring. The frosting is light and the fruit on top adds juicy sweetness.
• Perfect for summer – potlucks, picnics, and summer entertaining make this cake an easy one to make and serve. It’s made in a 9 x 13 pan that’s easy for transport.
• Versatile – it’s super easy to change up the jello flavors, frosting and decorations so you can make it fit the occasion.
• Inexpensive – all the ingredients are easy to find and purchase and most are inexpensive, so that’s an automatic win-win!

What Is A Poke Cake?

The concept behind a poke cake is to take a baked cake and, by poking holes in it, add another ingredient, such as liquid jello or a sauce, to infuse the cake with color and flavor. When you cut into the cake, you’re greeted with a surprise filling.

How Do I Make The Holes?

To create holes in the cake, just use a straw, a wooden dowel, or the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes on top of the cake. The closer the holds, the more saturated the cake will be. For a more minimal look, space the holes further apart.

Tip: don’t poke completely through to the bottom of the cake; stop about 3/4 of the way down.

Ingredients Needed

• Box of white cake mix – you’ll bake the cake according to the box instructions.
• Water, vegetable oil, and eggs – These are the ingredients called for on the cake mix box. Double-check your box and make sure you have all the ingredients that your particular box calls for.
• Box of cherry gelatin – 3 oz box.
• Box of blueberry gelatin – 3 oz box.
• Boiling water – you’ll need this to help create the jello.
• Coldwater – you’ll need this to help create the jello.
• Whipped topping – thawed. This will be the topping for the refrigerated cake.
• Fresh strawberries, sliced – you use these to make the flag topping for the cake.
• Fresh blueberries – you use these to make the flag topping for the cake.

How To Make The Flag Poke Cake

These are general directions to give you an overview of the process. Make sure you refer to the recipe card down below for detailed instructions.

1. Make the cake according to the box instructions.
2. Cool the cake for 20 minutes before poking the holes in it.
3. Make the jello. Prepare both jello mixes according to the instructions in my recipe card, not the ones on the box. We’re making it just a little more concentrated than the boxed instructions.
4. Spoon the jello mixtures over the holes. Alternate between red and blue when filling the holes so you’ll have variation in the cake.
5. Cover and refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours. I usually let mine sit overnight.
6. Frost the cake with the thawed whipped topping.
7. Decorate the top with sliced strawberries and blueberries, making a flag pattern.
8. Keep it chilled until ready to serve.

Variations

• Jello – since this is a patriotic cake, any red and blue jello will work. For example, swap out the strawberry flavored for cherry or raspberry. You can adapt this poke cake recipe to any celebration by using jello colors and flavors to fit your theme.
• Frosting – swap out the Cool whip topping for a traditional icing, such as buttercream. You could also use a sweetened whipped cream cheese frosting.
• Decorations – swap out the strawberries and blueberries for red, white, and blue sprinkles and use those to create a flag or just sprinkle at random.

Can I Make This Cake Ahead?

You can make this cake, unfrosted, up to 3 days ahead and keep it tightly covered in the fridge before adding the thawed frosting.

How Do I Store Flag Poke Cake?

• Before serving, keep the cake refrigerated due to the whipped cream frosting.
• For leftovers, make sure you keep the cake covered and stored in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Other Poke Cake Recipes

Christmas Poke Cake

Red Velvet Poke Cake

Cannoli Poke Cake

Strawberry Shortcake Poke Cake

Pineapple Bundt Poke Cake

Pumpkin Cheesecake Jello Pudding Poke Cake

Tweets by MooreorlessCook