Description
Celebrate the holidays with this festive Christmas Poke Cake featuring vibrant red and green jello poked into a fluffy white cake, topped with creamy vanilla pudding and whipped topping, and finished with colorful sprinkles. This fun and easy dessert is perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 (15 oz) box white cake mix, plus ingredients called for on box
Jello Mixture
- 1 (6 oz) box strawberry jello
- 1 (6 oz) box lime jello
- 2 cups boiling water
Topping
- 1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup milk
- 1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Decoration
- Red and green sprinkles or decorations
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F or the temperature recommended on the cake mix box. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish thoroughly with butter or nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Mix and bake cake: In a mixing bowl, combine the white cake mix with the ingredients specified on the box. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake according to the package directions, about 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool and poke holes: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes. Then, using a fork or the handle end of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the cake in roughly 1-inch intervals. Allow the cake to cool further while preparing the jello.
- Prepare jello: In two separate bowls, dissolve the strawberry jello mix in 1 cup boiling water, and the lime jello mix in another 1 cup boiling water. Stir each until completely dissolved.
- Pour jello over cake: Alternately pour the red (strawberry) and green (lime) jello over the cake in rows, making sure the liquid seeps into the holes poked earlier. You likely will not use all of the jello mixture. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to set the jello.
- Prepare topping: Whisk the instant vanilla pudding mix with 1 cup milk until it thickens, then fold in the thawed whipped topping gently until smooth.
- Assemble cake: Spread the pudding and whipped topping mixture evenly over the chilled cake. Return the cake to the refrigerator and chill for 2 hours to allow the topping and jello to fully set.
- Decorate and serve: Before serving, sprinkle the top with red and green sprinkles or decorations to enhance the festive look. Cut into pieces and enjoy this vibrant holiday dessert.
Notes
- Let the cake cool slightly before poking to avoid breaking it apart.
- Use a fork or wooden spoon handle to make evenly sized holes for the jello to soak in better.
- If you prefer, substitute whipped topping with freshly whipped cream for a fresher taste.
- For less sugar, consider using sugar-free pudding and jello mixes.
- Chilling the cake for the full 2 hours is important to ensure the pudding topping sets properly.
- Decorate with edible glitter or holiday-themed sprinkles for extra festive appeal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 280 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
