Gelatin adds vibrant color and fruity sweetness to every slice.

Poke cakesare a fun and playful way to upgrade a basic sheet cake.

This strawberry poke cake cake must be refrigerated.

Jello Cake served on a plate with a fork

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Cover it and store it in the fridge for up to two days.

After that, the cake my be too mushy to be enjoyable.

You may also freeze it for about three months.

Whisk in a glass bowl of yellow cake mix

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To do so, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap before placing in the freezer.

Thaw overnight in the fridge, and eat within 24 hours.

It will turn mushy rapidly.

Yellow cake mix spread evenly in a baking pan

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What Happens When You Add Jell-O to Cake Mix?

Adding Jell-O to cake mix imparts moisture and tendernessand a pop of whatever flavor you choose.

This recipe calls for strawberry, but modify with any flavor you like.

Fork poking holes in a baked cake mix

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How Do You Poke a Poke Cake?

This cake gets its distinctive look and flavor from the Jell-O that seeps into holes poked into the top.

To poke a poke cake, first bake it.

Cake mix infused with gelatin mix

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Take it out of the oven, and let it cool.

Pour your gelatin, pudding, or other ingredient on top.

Let it sit until the cake absorbs all the liquid.

For more inspiration, check out ourlemon-lime poke cakeand ourred, white, and blue poke cakerecipes.

Ingredients

Baking spray with flour

1(15 1/4-oz.)

grated lemon zest plus 3 Tbsp.

fresh juice (from 1 large lemon)

1(3-oz.)

strawberry gelatin mix (such as Jell-O)

1cup boiling water

3/4cup cold water

1(8-oz.)

Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with baking spray.

Bake cake:

Spread batter evenly in prepared baking pan.

Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

Remove from oven; let cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes.

Using tines of a fork, poke holes spaced about 1/2 inch apart all over surface of cake.

Whisk cold water into gelatin mixture; spoon evenly over cake.

Chill cake, covered, until cake absorbs liquid and is set, about 2 hours.

Store cake, covered, in refrigerator up to 2 days.