Cherry Limeade Poke Cake
What’s Inside: Tastes just like your favorite summer drink, in a shareable dessert form! A vibrant summer party recipe, this Cherry Limeade Poke Cake is a delicious and beautiful crowd-pleaser!
Cherry Limeade Poke Cake
Poke cakes get their name because you actually use the end of a big wooden spoon or other utensil to “poke” holes into the cake itself. This allows a topping (usually pudding or Jello-based) that is poured over top of the cake to soak down inside. The result is an injection of color and flavor that is sure to wow a crowd!
Cherry limeade is one of our favorite flavor combinations — it’s the perfect mix of sweet and sour! It all started with our Copycat Sonic Cherry Limeade recipe; we’ve even made Cherry Limeade Edible Slime (yes, slime!)
This Cherry Limeade Poke Cake is so pretty and super tasty too! It’s the perfect summer party recipe, with vibrant red swirls throughout the cake and bright fruits on top. Even better, it’s pretty easy to make with our box cake shortcut so you’ll look like you spent all day in the kitchen (even if you didn’t!)
Ingredients
- 1 box Lemon Cake Mix (plus ingredients listed on box to make the cake)
- Cherry Jell-O (3oz box)
- 1 cup boiling water
- 16 oz container Cool Whip or similar whipped topping
- 2-3 limes, zested and sliced
- 12 maraschino cherries with stems
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and coat a 13×9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or baking spray.
- In a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer, prepare cake mix according to directions on the box. Stir in 2-4 teaspoons of lime zest. Pour into your prepared pan and bake.
- While cake bakes, combine gelatin and 1 cup boiling water in a medium mixing bowl, stirring until jello dissolves.
- When cake is done baking, remove from oven and poke holes throughout the cake, using the end of a wooden spoon.
- Pour the cherry jello mixture over the cake, that it soaks into all the holes you just made.
- Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
- Open the container of whipped topping and stir 2 teaspoons of lime zest into it.
- Spread the Cool Whip on top of the chilled cake.
- Garnish with lime slices and maraschino cherries.
Frequently asked questions
Can You Use Real Whipped Cream?
For cakes where we use a whipped topping like a frosting, I generally stick with Cool Whip. Fresh whipped cream is made with dairy and often becomes more liquid-y after a few hours. Because the whipped topping is oil-based and hydrogenated, it stays fluffy.
Does This Cake Need to be Refrigerated?
Yes, I recommend keeping this cake in the refrigerator, in a covered airtight container. It should stay good for 2-3 days when properly stored.
More of our Favorite Easy Cake Recipes
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Grab a Free Printable Copy of our Lime & Cherry Poke Cake recipe:
Cherry Limeade Poke Cake
This flavorful and colorful cherry limeade poke cake is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 box lemon cake mix
- 1 box cherry gelatin
- 1 cup boiling water
- 4 teaspoons lime zest
- 1 container Cool Whip
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and coat a 13x9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or baking spray.
- In a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer, prepare cake mix according to directions on the box. Stir in 2-4 teaspoons of lime zest. Pour into your prepared pan and bake.
- While cake bakes, combine gelatin and 1 cup boiling water in a medium mixing bowl, stirring until jello dissolves.
- When cake is done baking, remove from oven and poke holes throughout the cake, using the end of a wooden spoon.
- Pour the cherry jello mixture over the cake, that it soaks into all the holes you just made. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
- Open the container of whipped topping and stir 2 teaspoons of lime zest into it.
- Spread the Cool Whip on top of the chilled cake. Garnish with lime slices and maraschino cherries.
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