12 Best Poke Cake Recipes
This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Poke cakes are an easy dessert that can be customized so many different ways. Here’s everything you need to know about this fun dessert recipe as well as 10 of my favorite poke cake recipes!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
All About Poke Cake
What is Poke Cake?
Poke cake is a cake that you poke holes in after baking. The holes are then filled with a liquid or filling — like condensed milk, pureed fruit, chocolate cream, or pudding to infuse extra flavor in each bite.
Quora.com
Where did Poke Cake originate?
Jello invented this recipe in 1969. The original version called for white cake, then using the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes in the cake and strawberry Jello was poured over the top. The cake was frosted with whipped cream and refrigerated until ready to serve.
Pouring the gelatin over the cake to soak in makes for a super flavorful cake with plenty of moisture.
Can you make Poke Cake without Jello?
Yes! Since the original recipe was published there have been countless variations, many not using jello. The most common alternative is pudding but there are variations that use neither Jello or pudding as well. Sweetened condensed milk, chocolate syrup, puréed fruit, and caramel have all been used in various recipes.
12 Best Poke Cake Recipes
Ready to get inspired? Here are some of my very favorite easy Poke Cake recipes!
1. OREO Poke Cake
This recipe uses chocolate cake, OREO pudding and cookies, along with a whipped cream and cookie crumble topping to make an indulgent (and addictive) chocolatey poke cake.
If you’re looking for a sweet tooth fix, you will definitely be a fan of this dessert!
2. Lemon Strawberry Poke Cake
This is a fun variation on the original recipe! A lemon cake gets drenched in strawberry Jell-O, topped with a fluffy lemon topping and covered in fresh sliced strawberries!
The combination of sweet strawberry and tangy lemon make this recipe perfect for summertime picnics and potlucks.
3. Cherry Vanilla Poke Cake
This fun poke cake was made for Halloween but taste delicious any time of year. White box cake mix is used just like the original recipe but it is soaked in cherry Jello and then topped with vanilla topping. A flavor combination made in heaven!
When serving at Halloween we like to top it off with plastic vampire fangs for fun!
4. Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake
With dazzling pops of red and blue cake tucked under a layer of colorful whipped topping and sprinkles, this Red, White & Blue Patriotic Poke Cake is an easy patriotic dessert that will be the star of the 4th of July or any summer cookout!
Start with vanilla cake and drench with both red and blue jello mix for that patriotic color. Unlike most poke cakes where we just pour the gelatin over the holes, with this cake we recommend using a spoon to keep the two colors distinct from each other in the cake.
After the cake chills, top it with whipped cream and red, white, and blue jimmies to finish it off!
5. Raspberry Poke Cake
Soft white cake is drenched in raspberry Jell-O then topped with fluffy whipped cream and fresh raspberries – this super simple Raspberry Poke Cake is definitely a dreamy dessert!
The fruity flavor of the raspberry gelatin makes this cake the perfect level of sweet and oh-so-moist and flavorful!
6. Triple Lemon Poke Cake
This is probably the most popular of my poke cake recipes! Soft lemon cake is soaked with lemon Jello, chilled then topped with the most gloriously fluffy lemon frosting. This all lemon dessert could not be more refreshing or delicious!
If you are a lover of all things tart and tangy, this is most definitely the poke cake recipe for you!
7. Lime Poke Cake
And of course where there is lemon, there has to be lime! Soft white cake is drenched in bright, tangy lime jell-o and topped with fluffy whipped topping. This would be a fun dessert to bring to a St. Patrick’s Day party with it’s fun green color!
8. Boston Cream Poke Cake
This might also be a favorite of mine! Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake is a simple twist on a classic dessert! Yellow cake is filled with pockets of vanilla pudding, then topped with a smooth chocolate frosting for an easy, addicting dessert!
It’s like have a Boston cream donut with each and every bite.
9. Coconut Cream Poke Cake (made into Cupcakes!)
This recipe is a coconut lover’s dream! Homemade coconut cake is soaked in a coconut cream topping and then finally, shredded coconut. It’s the first poke cake variation I ever posted on the blog!
10. Death by Chocolate Poke Cake
Finally, the poke cake of any chocolate-lover’s dream! It combines rich chocolate cake mix, chocolate chips, chocolate pudding, chocolate syrup, chocolate topping, and chocolate shavings to make a dessert that is truly over the top indulgent!
11. Tornado Cake aka “Do Nothing” Cake
While it doesn’t say poke cake in its name, Do Nothing Cake uses the same poke and pour method so I count it in my list of best poke cakes! This is a classic recipe with a mouthwatering coconut pecan topping that will have it gobbled up quickly!
12. Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake
Creamsicle Orange Poke Cake layers orange cake with a boost of extra orange flavor and finished off with a creamy whipped topping for a dessert reminiscent of your favorite sherbet treat. It’s the perfect summer dessert for potlucks or parties.
13. Christmas Poke Cake
Red and green Christmas Poke Cake is the perfect festive dessert for all of your holiday parties! Lime and cherry jello flavor a white cake topped with whipped cream and festive holiday sprinkles. This is the perfect holiday dessert for Christmas parties or potlucks!
