Christmas poke cake recipe is a colourful, festive treat that’s ideal for holiday gatherings. It starts with a plain white cake that is baked and then, when it has cooled a little, pierced with holes. When you pour colourful gelatin—usually red and green—into the holes and let the flavours seep in, the magic happens.
To get a smooth and creamy finish, a layer of whipped topping is applied on top of the cake after it has been chilled to set the gelatin. Sprinkles, miniature candy canes, or other seasonal decorations can be used to provide an additional touch of festive pleasure to the cake.
This simple cake is a great treat for family get-togethers or Christmas parties since it has a tasty, refreshing flavour and layers of colour.
Also Read: Traditional christmas fruit cake recipe
Ingredients you’ll need
Cake Mix (or homemade cake): Serves as the poke cake’s foundation. For convenience, a boxed cake mix is frequently used, but for a more personalised taste, a baked cake can be utilised.
Pudding or Jelly (or Both): The purpose of the ‘poke’ portion of the Christmas poke cake recipe is to pour jelly or custard into the holes created in it after it has been baked. This gives the cake more flavour, moisture, and colour.
Jelly: To add vivid festive colours, use red or green gelatin (such as strawberry, cherry, or lime).
Whipped Cream or Whipped Topping Goal: After the jelly or custard has set, the Christmas poke cake recipe is typically covered with whipped cream or whipped topping (such as Cool Whip). This balances the sweetness of the cake and filling by adding richness and a light texture.
Frosting (Selective): The icing is applied on top of the whipped cream or custard layer in certain poke cake recipes. This could be cream cheese frosting, buttercream, or another frosting that goes well with the Christmas poke cake recipe flavour.
Christmas Decorations: Use holiday-themed decorations, such as sprinkles, edible glitter, crushed candy canes, or little holiday candies (M&Ms, chocolate chips, etc.), to add a festive touch to your cake.
Also Read: Gluten free Christmas cookies
Ingredients for Christmas poke cake recipe
- 1 box white cake mix (or vanilla, as per your preference)
- Ingredients needed for the cake (usually eggs, oil, and water—check your cake mix box)
- 1 box (3 oz) of red gelatin (strawberry, cherry, or raspberry flavour)
- 1 box (3 oz) of green gelatin (lime or any green-coloured flavour)
- 1 cup boiling water (for gelatin)
- 1/2 cup cold water (for gelatin)
- 1 tub (8 oz) of whipped topping (like Cool Whip)
- Optional decorations: sprinkles, mini candy canes, or other holiday-themed toppings.
How to make Christmas poke cake recipe
Instructions:
1. Prepare the cake: As directed on the packaging, prepare the white cake mix. Put it in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish to bake. After the cake has finished baking, take it out of the oven and let it cool for ten or so minutes.
2. Make a prong in the cake: Once the cake has cooled down a bit, mark the top of the cake with a fork or the end of a wooden spoon, making around 20 to 25 evenly spaced holes.
3. Get the gelatin ready by: Each gelatin packet (red and green) should be dissolved in one cup of hot water in two different basins. Until completely dissolved, stir. Once the gelatin has dissolved, pour half a cup of cold water into each bowl.
4. Over the cake, spread gelatin: To allow the crimson gelatin to soak into the holes, slowly pour it over one side of the cake. Repeat with the opposite side of the green gelatin. You can either let the colours mix together in a festive manner or make a pattern.
5. Let the cake cool: Allow the gelatin to properly set by refrigerating the cake for at least 4 hours or overnight. Add the whipped cream on top: When the cake is firm, cover the colourful gelatin with the whipped topping by spreading it evenly over the entire cake.
6. Decorate (if desired): Use festive sugar crystals, small candy canes, or sprinkles as holiday-themed garnishes. Serve the delectable Christmas poke cake recipe cold and sliced.
Serving Suggestions for Christmas poke cake recipe
1. Festive Topping: To give the poke cake a Christmas feel, top it with whipped cream and garnish it with crushed candy canes or vibrant seasonal sprinkles. Additionally, you can use colourful M&Ms with a Christmas motif or crumbled gingerbread cookies.
2. Layered Frosting: For a striking holiday hue, cover the cake with a layer of red or green jelly after poking it. You can add holiday-coloured fruits like blueberries, strawberries, or pomegranate seeds after layering with whipped cream.
3. Mini Portions: Spoon the Christmas poke cake recipe into colourful cupcake liners in tiny, bite-sized squares. This is ideal for serving to those who would rather have smaller servings or for a party environment.
4. Add some edible decorations as a garnish, like sugar or green fondant holly leaves or tiny marzipan snowflakes for a holiday effect.
5. Serve with Hot Cocoa: To enhance the dish, serve the Christmas poke cake recipe with a cup of hot chocolate garnished with marshmallows and peppermint stir sticks.
6. Poke Cake Parfaits: To create a sophisticated and entertaining parfait appearance, arrange slices of Christmas poke cake recipe in clear glasses with whipped cream and berries.
7. Sprinkle with Powdered Sugar: To create a snowy, wintery appearance, lightly dust the Christmas poke cake recipe top with powdered sugar.
8. Serve with Ice Cream: To contrast the rich feel of the poke cake with a cool, creamy treat, serve slices of the cake with a scoop of vanilla or peppermint ice cream.
9. Use a Christmas platter: To add to the Christmas atmosphere, serve the cake on a festive holiday platter with seasonal decorations around the sides.
Storage suggestions
Refrigeration: Poke cakes should be kept in the refrigerator because they usually include jelly, custard, or whipped cream fillings. The cake will not dry up and absorb any other smells from the refrigerator if it is stored in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap.
Avoid Freezing: Because of its moist texture and the inability of toppings like whipped cream or jelly to freeze, it is not advisable to freeze poke cakes. When the cake thaws, it could lose its flavour and texture.
Single Slices: To keep individual slices, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or put them in a different airtight container. In this manner, you can quickly take a bite when you need it.
Shelf Life: A poke cake keeps well in the refrigerator for three to four days. The texture might then start to deteriorate, particularly if there is fruit or whipped cream on top.
Decoration: It’s ideal to put any delicate or fresh embellishments, such as whipped cream or berries, on your cake right before serving. When you’re ready to serve, you can decorate the cake after storing it without any embellishments.
