Description
A festive and colorful Christmas Poke Cake featuring layers of white cake, vibrant red and green jello, creamy vanilla pudding, and whipped topping, perfect for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 (15 oz) box white cake mix
- Ingredients called for on cake mix box (typically eggs, oil, and water)
Jello Layers
- 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
- Red and green sprinkles or decorations
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare dish: Preheat oven to 350°F or temperature specified on cake mix box. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray and set aside.
- Mix and bake cake: In a mixing bowl, prepare the cake batter according to the cake mix instructions, then pour into the prepared dish. Bake according to the package directions (approximately 30 minutes) until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool and poke holes: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or a fork, poke holes about 1 inch apart all over the cake. Allow the cake to cool further while preparing the jello.
- Prepare jello mixes: In two separate bowls, dissolve each jello packet (strawberry and lime) in 1 cup of boiling water, stirring until fully dissolved.
- Pour jello over cake: Alternate pouring the red and green jello mixtures in rows over the cake so the jello seeps into the holes. Use enough jello to fill the holes but not necessarily all of it. Refrigerate the cake for about 15 minutes to set the jello.
- Make pudding topping: Whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix and milk until thickened, then fold in the thawed whipped topping until smooth and combined.
- Top and chill: Spread the pudding and whipped topping mixture evenly over the chilled cake. Refrigerate the cake for an additional 2 hours to fully set and chill.
- Serve: Before serving, sprinkle the cake with festive red and green sprinkles or decorations. Enjoy your Christmas Poke Cake!
Notes
- The festive flavor and colors run all the way through the cake, making it visually appealing and delicious.
- Use the exact amounts of boiling water to ensure the jello properly seeps into the cake holes.
- Allowing the cake to cool adequately before poking the holes helps prevent the cake from being too soft and crumbling.
- You can substitute the sprinkles with crushed candy canes or edible glitter for extra holiday flair.
- If desired, chilled fruit such as strawberries or kiwi slices pair well as garnish on top.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approximate)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
