Easy Old-Fashioned Jello Cake

For the strawberry poke cake:

• Boxed Cake Mix: I always use white cake mix, but you can poke holes into any baked cake mix with success.
• Oil: Canola, grapeseed, olive oil, avocado oil are great options.
• Egg Whites: Egg whites separated from the whole egg, NOT the stuff in the carton.
• Strawberry Jello: I use a large box of sugar-free jello for a lighter option (but you can use the real deal, of course).
• Boiling Water +cool water: to dissolve and “bloom” the jello powder.

For the whipped pudding frosting:

• Milk: Cold whole milk or skim milk as the lighter option.
• Pudding: Get creative with the flavors. Cheesecake, vanilla, and white chocolate pudding are delicious whipped into the frosting. I use sugar-free pudding for fewer calories and sugar.
• Vanilla Extract: enhances the flavor.
• Confectioners Sugar (optional): After mixing everything together, give it a taste. If it’s not sweet enough, gently fold in confections sugar.
• Frozen Whipped Topping: the base of your frosting. You can also use a cup of heavy whipping cream ( you’ll need to whip everything together with the paddle attached to your mixer).

Step 1: Prepare for baking. Preheat your oven to the temperature recommended on the cake mix box. Spray a 9″x3″ baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

Step 2: Combine wet ingredients with cake mix. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, add the oil, egg whites, cake mix, and water (use the amount of water as directed from the cake mix instructions). Mix to combine.

Step 3: Bake and cool. Pour cake batter into your prepared baking pan and bake for the time recommended on the cake mix box. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Step 4: Dissolve jello. Meanwhile, dissolve the jello in the boiling water. Then, add the cold water.

Step 5: Poke cake and chill. Once cooled, poke holes in the cake with a large skewer, leaving 2″ inches in between each hole. Be careful not to poke to the bottom. Pour the jello liquid over the top of the cake, so the liquid drips into the holes. Transfer your cake to the fridge, uncovered, for at least two hours to overnight.

Step 6: Make the frosting. Mix the cold milk, pudding, vanilla extract, confectioners sugar, and whipped topping in a separate bowl until smooth.

Step 7: Frost cake. Spread a thick layer of frosting over your cake and garnish with fresh strawberries.

Step 8: Store until serving. Transfer to the fridge until you’re ready to slice and serve.

Recipe Tips

• Wait until the jello powder is fully dissolved in the boiling water before adding the cool water.
• You can also add a tablespoon of the jello powder to your frosting for a subtle fruity flavor and a hint of color.
• Sneak a layer of fresh strawberries or strawberry pie filling on top of the cake before layering on the frosting.

Variations

Boxed Cake Mix

• Instead of white cake mix – you can use pound cake, yellow cake, funfetti cake, devil’s food cake, lemon cake, etc.
• You can also bake the cake from scratch.

Jell-O

• Switch up the fruit flavor – Swap strawberry jello for blueberry, raspberry, peach, orange, lemon, lime, or any other fun favorite.
• Use a combination of jello flavors – and pour the different flavors in a pattern, so when you slice into the cake, you get a colorful blend of each flavor.

Whipped Topping

• Instead of the whipped pudding frosting, feel free to keep it simple with Cool Whip or TruWhip (make sure it’s very cold).
• If cool whip isn’t your thing, top your poke cake with homemade whipped cream.

Storing & Freezing

Storing: Store your cake, covered, in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

Freezing: If you’re planning to freeze your poke cake for later, hold off on the frosting until then. To freeze your cake, wrap it whole in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Store in the freezer for 2 to 3 months, and thaw in the fridge before serving.

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