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Cherry Poke Cake is a delightful dessert with fruity cherry flavor! Simple to make with a white cake mix, cherry jello that gets ‘poked’ into the cake, and topped with a cheesecake-like fluffy and creamy frosting.
For another one of the easiest cakes that also uses flavored gelatin – be sure and try my Strawberry Jello Poke Cake!
Beautiful Cherry Poke Cake Recipe (Cherry Cheesecake Poke Cake)
This simple dessert is something your entire family will love and it’s the perfect desert to take to your next gathering, summer parties, Holidays, or backyard bbqs. I love poke cakes because they need some refrigeration time in order for the gelatin to set and for the flavors to blend together – so make it the day before and it’s ready for when you need it!
I also love this delicious dessert because there are so many ways to switch it up. Just mix & match the jello flavor with the canned pie filling for a new desert each time.
Cut into the cake and you’ll see a stunning dessert with white cake and pockets of cherry flavors and color throughout. If you’re a cherry lover then be sure and also try my Easy Cherry Crisp, Cherry Chocolate Cake, and Cherry Dump Cake.
Simple Ingredients
- White Cake Mix – A simple boxed cake mix is the base of this easy poke cake. I use the Betty Crocker brand or Duncan Hines but any boxed cake mix (white cake mix) will work just fine, even the generic store-brand.
- Egg Whites – We just want to use the egg whites to keep the cake as white as possible.
- Water – I always recommend using a filtered water, like from a water bottle, to avoid an odd taste in desserts from unfiltered water.
- Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil
- Cherry Jello – A box of jello in ‘cherry’ flavor is what gets poked into the holes.
- Boiling Water
- Ice Cold Water – Fill a cup or bowl with water and ice and let it get really cold, and then measure out the 1/2 cup needed. You want to make sure the water is ice cold so the jello can cool down quickly.
- Softened Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Cherry Pie Filling – This is optional but really delicious! It also makes the cherry poke cake look really pretty for serving. You can either spread the pie filling over top of the cake, or spoon some on each serving before eating.
How To Make Cherry Jello Poke Cake (Simple Steps & Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the white cake mix, egg whites, water, and oil. Use an electric hand mixer to blend until the batter is smooth. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before ‘poking the holes’ into the cake.
Use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes into the cake that are 1-inch apart from each other.
In a small, heat-proof bowl, whisk together the cherry jell-o powder and boiling water until the jello has completely dissolved. While continuing to whisk, slowly add in the ice cold water. Pour gelatin mixture over the cake making sure that the jello goes into all of the holes.
Cover the cake pan with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
In a mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add in the heavy whipping cream and continue beating until stiff peaks form and the mixture is thick. Spread the whipped cream cheese frosting over top of the cake in an even layer. Be sure and push some of the frosting into the holes to help finish filling them all the way.
Spread the cherry pie filling over top the whipped topping layer. Cut into squares and serve! You can also cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for several hours before serving it. I prefer doing this because I like the whipped cream cheese frosting chilled for serving. Leave the cherry pie filling off of the cake if wanted and dollop spoonfuls of it over each slice before serving.
How To Store Leftover Poke Cake
Store the cake inside the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The cake actually tastes better and better the longer it’s in the fridge. For serving purposes, I do recommend serving it within 24 hours of making the cake. The texture of the cake is more firm, chilled, but still flavorful. The cake gets softer as it sits in the fridge for longer.
Cover the cake with a lid or plastic wrap, or remove individual slices to an airtight container, for storing in the fridge.
Tips & Substitution Ideas
- Make a cherry almond poke cake and add 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of almond extract in with the cake mix and other ingredients. Almond is always a perfect compliment to the cherry filling and cherry flavors in the cake.
- Some other garnish ideas include mini chocolate chips (think cherry + chocolate flavors), fresh cherries that have been chopped up, maraschino cherries, or try some chocolate curls made using a chocolate bar and a vegetable peeler.
- Make a cherry cake by adding some maraschino cherry juice in place of the water called for in the recipe.
- You want to make sure that you are poking large enough holes so the jello mixture can seep down into the holes and set up. Poke finger size holes all over the cake in an even pattern. You could use something smaller like a wooden skewer, but I have found the larger holes end up looking better when the cake is cut into.
- Mix & match the jello flavor with the canned pie filling for a new dessert each time! Try using strawberry jello + strawberry pie filling, raspberry jello + raspberry pie filling, or a berry jello + mixed berry pie filling.
- To save time you can use an 8 ounce container of Cool Whip rather than using heavy whipping cream. Beat the powdered sugar and cream cheese until smooth and then stir in the thawed Cool Whip until combined well.
More Delicious Poke Cake Recipes
- Oreo Poke Cake
- Hawaiian Poke Cake
- Peaches and Cream Poke Cake
- Easy Butterfinger Poke Cake
- Banana Pudding Poke Cake
- Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake
Cherry Poke Cake
Ingredients
Cherry Poke Cake
- 1 box (14.25 oz) white cake mix
- 4 large egg whites
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 box (3 oz) cherry jello
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup cold water
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting & Garnish
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.
Make The Cherry Poke Cake
- In a large mixing bowl, add the white cake mix, egg whites, water, and oil. Use an electric hand mixer to beat until the batter is smooth. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top.1 box (14.25 oz) white cake mix, 4 large egg whites, 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center of the cake comes out clean. The edges of the cake should be pulled away from the pan and lightly golden brown.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before 'poking the holes' into the cake.
- Use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes into the cake that are 1-inch apart from each other.
- In a small, heat-proof bowl, whisk together the cherry jell-o powder and boiling water until the jello has completely dissolved. While continuing to whisk, slowly add in the cold water. Pour gelatin mixture over the cake making sure that the jello goes into all of the holes.1 box (3 oz) cherry jello, 1 cup boiling water, 1/2 cup cold water
- Cover the cake pan with plastic wrap, or a lid, and place it in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
Make The Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting & Serve
- In a mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add in the heavy whipping cream and continue beating until stiff peaks form and the mixture is thick.4 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- Spread the whipped cream cheese frosting over top of the cake in an even layer. Be sure and push some of the frosting into the holes to help finish filling them all the way.
- Spread the cherry pie filling over top the whipped topping layer. Cut into squares and serve!* You can also cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for several hours before serving it. I prefer doing this because I like the whipped cream cheese frosting chilled for serving. Leave the cherry pie filling off of the cake if wanted and dollop spoonfuls of it over each slice before serving.1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
Notes
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