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close up of a slice of poke cake with a fork and strawberry garnish on top
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Easy Old-Fashioned Jello Cake

A low fat, low sugar recipe for delicious strawberry jello poke cake made with white cake mix, strawberry jello and a whipped pudding frosting. 
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Refrigeration Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings 24
Calories 171kcal
Author Amee

Ingredients

  • 1 box white cake mix
  • cup oil Olive oil, canola, grapeseed, and avocado oil are great options.
  • 3 egg whites from whole eggs, not the carton of egg whites
  • 6 oz box strawberry jello I use large box of sugar-free jello for a lighter option
  • 1 cups boiling water
  • ½ cup cold water
  • 1 cup cold milk You can use low-fat milk to lighten it up
  • 3.4 oz pudding cheesecake, vanilla, and white chocolate are great options. I used sugar-free to reduce calories and sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • confectioners sugar to taste I leave it out completely
  • 8 oz frozen non-dairy whipped topping thawed, you can also use a cup of heavy whipping cream

Instructions

  • Combine the oil, egg whites, cake mix, and amount of water as directed on the box and mix until combined.
  • Pour into a 9x13 baking pan sprayed with baking cooking spray and bake according to package directions (since this can vary slightly per mix)
  • Allow the cake to cool to room temperature.
  • While cake is cooling, mix the jello with the boiling water until dissolved and add the ½ cup of cold water.
  • Prick holes in the cake with a large skewer or fork every two inches being careful not to go all the way to the bottom. Pour jello mixture over the cake.
  • Refrigerate uncovered overnight, or at least two hours.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, use a whisk attachment to mix the last 5 ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Spread on the chilled cake. Refrigerate until served. Store in the refrigerator and garnish with fresh strawberries, if desired.

Notes

  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 225mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 36IU | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg