Christmas Poke Cake

Christmas Poke Cake is overflowing with a delicious sweet flavor and holiday spirit. It’s moist and tender and loaded with holiday cheer right down to the Christmas Peeps used to decorate it.

slice of christmas poke cake on small white plate

Although October is just now coming to an end, we’re already thinking about our Christmas treats. One of our favorite things about the holiday season is the sweets, and we love serving this delicious, festive cake wherever we go.

slice of christmas poke cake on small white plate

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s moist and tender and full of sweet flavor.
  • It’s super festive, with red and green colors and Christmas Peeps for decoration.
  • It’s incredibly easy to make.
  • It’s the perfect dessert for any holiday table.

🛒Ingredients

The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

This recipe uses simple ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store. We’re covering the highlights here, but you can find the complete ingredient list along with amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.

  • White cake mix
  • Christmas sprinkles
  • Cherry gelatin
  • Lime gelatin
  • Whipped topping
  • Christmas Peps
  • Christmas sprinkles

🔪 How to Make Christmas Poke Cake

Making this cake is incredibly simple. Like all poke cakes, it’s quick, easy, and delicious!

batter and sprinkles in a white bowl iwth a whisk

Step 1: Make the Cake

Make the cake according to the package direction, adding Christmas sprinkles to the batter. Bake according to the package directions until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Step 2: Make the Gelatin

Combine 1 cup boiling water with cherry gelatin in a medium mixing bowl and stir until dissolved. Then, whisk in 1/2 cup cold water and set aside. Repeat the process for the lime gelatin.

holes filled with red and green jello

Step 3: Poke and Fill

Using the end of a wooden spoon or a large straw, poke holes all over the cake. Then, spoon the gelatin into each hole, alternating between green and red, until all holes are filled. Then, chill for 3 to 4 hours.

frosted cake in a glass baking pan

Step 4: Decorate

Frost the cake with the whipped topping. Then, decorate with Christmas sprinkles and Christmas peeps. Enjoy!

📝Variations

Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!

  • No Peeps – Some people don’t like Peeps, and that’s okay. Just leave them off. The color and sprinkles still make it festive!
  • Different Holidays – You can use different colored gelatin and color your whipped topping for various holidays. Try orange gelatin and black whipped topping for Halloween, for example.
  • Homemade Whipped Cream – If you’re feeling fancy, you can make your own whipped cream.

If you think this looks good, we think you’ll ove this cherry almond poke cake.

🥄 Equipment

You’ll only need a handful of basic kitchen items to make this recipe.

  • Measuring cups and spoons.
  • Wooden spoon
  • Baking dish
  • Mixing bowls
  • Spatula

🥫 Storage

Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, store leftovers in an air-tight, freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

slice of christmas poke cake on small white plate

💭 Tips

This easy recipe only has a couple of tips. Don’t skip them. They’ll make your life much easier.

  • A small teaspoon or a small food syringe is the easiest method of getting the gelatin into the cake.
  • Be sure you only poke your holes 1/2 to 3/4 of the way down into the cake. You need to be able to slice the cake.

⁉️ FAQ

Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.

What is a poke cake?

A poke cake is a cake that has holes poked in it and then filled with a filling – usually gelatin.

Where does poke cake come from?

Supposedly, the first poke cake recipe was printed in a 1981 issue of Bon Appetit. Jello ran an ad that featured a two-layer cake that had been poked with a fork and had Jello poured over it.

How long is poke cake good?

Depending on the kind, poke cakes are generally good in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

🍽 More Recipes

Do you enjoy poke cake? Then try these delicious recipes.

📌 PIN IT!!

slice of christmas poke cake on small white plate

🧾Recipe Card

Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.

slice of christmas poke cake on small white plate

Christmas Poke Cake

This delicious Christmas poke cake is moist and tender, topped with whipped topping, and decorated with Christmas Peeps and sprinkles.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Cakes
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Chill Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 16 Servings
Calories: 183kcal

Equipment

  • Measuring Cups and Spoons
  • Wooden spoon
  • Baking dish
  • mixing bowls
  • Spatula

Ingredients

  • 15.25 ounces white cake mix made per the directions on the box
  • 1 tablespoon Christmas sprinkles
  • 3 ounces cherry gelatin
  • 3 ounces lime gelatin
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 8 oucnes whipped topping thawed
  • Christmas peeps
  • Christmas Sprinkles for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Prepare the cake mix according to the box directions and stir in the 1 tablespoon of Christmas sprinkles.
  • Spray a 9×13 baking dish.
  • Pour in the cake mix and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Cool the cake for 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile make the jello.
  • In a medium mixing bowl combine 1 cup boiling water with cherry jello and stir until dissolved.
  • Whisk in ½ cup cold water to the cherry gelatin and set aside.
  • In a separate bowl repeat the above with the lime jello and set aside.
  • Using the end of a wooden spoon or a large straw poke holes all over the cake.
  • Spoon the jello in the holes, I like to alternate red in one hole, green in another until they are all filled.
  • Refrigerate the cake covered for 3-4 hours to set.
  • Frost the cake with the whipped topping.
  • Decorate the cake with more sprinkles and Christmas peeps.
  • Serve!!
  • Refrigerate leftovers.

Notes

Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Strawberry or cherry jello will work.
I like to either spoon in the jello or use a little food syringe to get the jello into the holes evenly.
You can make your whipped topping from scratch or even use a white frosting if you prefer.
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 0.01mg | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 18mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 0.4IU | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating