Cherry Cheesecake Poke Cake
Cherry Cheesecake Poke Cake features the tangy and sweet flavors of cherry cheesecake prepared over a base of tender, moist white cake loaded with delicious cherry Jello.
If you’re looking for the perfect dessert for lunches, dinners, backyard BBQs, and potlucks, then we have it right here. Check out this delicious poke cake.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This delicious recipe is loaded with all the flavors we love about cherry cheesecake, and it’s semi-homemade, so it’s incredibly easy. What’s not to love about that?
- It uses simple ingredients you can find easily at your local grocery store.
- It’s semi-homemade, so it’s ready in a snap.
- The sweet cherry and tangy cheesecake flavors are perfect for the summer.
🛒Ingredients
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- White cake mix
- Cherry gelatin
- Boiling water
- Softened cream cheese
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Whipped topping
- Cherry pie filling
- Graham cracker crumbs for topping.
See the recipe card below for quantities.
🔪 How to Make Cherry Cheesecake Poke Cake
Making this recipe is just as easy as shopping for the ingredients. It only takes a few simple steps, and it’s one of the easiest cakes you’ll ever make.
Step 1: Make the Cake
Make the cake according to the package directions, baking it in a 9×13 pan. Let it cool completely. Then, use a skewer, straw, or handle of a small wooden spoon to poke holes all over the cake.
Step 2: Add the Cherry Jello
Combine the cherry gelatin and boiling water and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Let it cool slightly, then pour it over the top of the entire cake. Chill the cake in the refrigerator while you make the cheesecake.
Step 3: Make the Cheesecake
Beat the cream cheese, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar together until smooth and creamy. Then, fold in the whipped topping.
Step 4: Add the Cheesecake
Spread the cheesecake mixture evenly over the top of the cake and chill again for at least another hour.
Step 5: Finish the Cake
When ready to serve, spread the cherry pie filling evenly over the top of the cake and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs if desired. Cut into pieces and serve.
📝Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!
- Other Fruit – Use any of your favorite fruit pie filling and fruit Jello flavors like pineapple, blueberry, strawberry, and the like.
- Cake Mix – You can use any flavor of cake mix that you think would be delicious with your fruit filling of choice.
Check out our other great no-bake cherry cheesecake recipe!
🥄 Equipment
You’ll only need a handful of basic equipment to make this recipe.
- Measuring cups
- Baking dish
- Wooden spoon, straw, or skewer
- Whisk or hand mixer
- Spatula
🥫 Storage
You can store this cake tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 1 month.
💭 Tips
Although this is one of the easiest cake recipes you’ll ever make, we do have some tips to help you make it the best that it can possibly be.
- Always let your cake cool completely before adding the Jello so it doesn’t get soggy.
- Let your Jello cool until it’s very warm but not hot. This helps the cake maintain its integrity.
- You can adjust the size and distribution of your cake holes by using either a straw, skewer, or the handle of a wooden spoon.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
It’s a cake that has holes poked all across it to accommodate the liquid Jello that is then poured over the top of the cake. It results in a super moist cake that is full of extra flavor from the Jello.
Depending on the desired size of the holes, simply use a straw, skewer, the handle of a wooden spoon, or even a fork to poke holes all over the cake. Try not to poke all the way through!
They first appeared in American kitchens around 1970 after Jello released a print advertisement for the cake in a bid to increase its sales.
Allow the cake to chill completely. Then, place it in an air-tight, freezer-safe container. Lay clingwrap directly on top of the cake, then seal the lid and freeze for up to a month.
🍽 More Recipes
Do you enjoy poke cake? Then try these delicious recipes:
- Snickers Poke Cake Recipe
- Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake
- Red White and Blue Poke Cake
- Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake
- Chocolate Turtle Poke Cake
🧾Cherry Cheesecake Poke Cake
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
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Cherry Cheesecake Poke Cake
Equipment
- Measuring cups
- Baking dish
- Wooden spoon, straw, or skewer
- Whisk or hand mixer
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix prepared
- 1 3- ounce package cherry gelatin
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 8- ounce package cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 8- ounce can whipped topping
- 2 21- ounce cans cherry pie filling
- Graham cracker crumbs for topping optional
Instructions
- Prepare the white cake mix according to the box instructions and bake in a 9×13 pan.
- Allow the cake to cool completely, then use a skewer or straw to poke holes all over the cake.
- Combine the cherry gelatin and boiling water and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then pour it over the top of the cake.
- Place the cake in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the cheesecake topping. Beat together the cream cheese, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Fold in the whipped topping.
- Spread the cheesecake mixture over the top of the cake and return the cake to the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour.
- When ready to serve, spread the cherry pie filling over the top of the cake and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs, if desired.
Is the can of whipped cream the same as Cool whip in a carton?
You can use Cool Whip instead. The canned whipped cream is lighter than Cool Whip so we like it better but the other will work also.
Delicious and will make again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So happy you liked this easy recipe!!