Cranberry Poke Cake – Looking for the perfect cake for Christmas and Thanksgiving? Make this easy, tart and sweet Cranberry Poke Cake for all of your friends and family! Easy Christmas cake for a crowd.
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If you’re hosting a holiday event this year and need some inspiration for holiday desserts, here’s a simple, yet absolutely delicious Cranberry Poke Cake recipe. This holiday poke cake is super simple to serve for a large crowd. Filled with cranberry jell-o, topped with sweet whipped cream it makes the ultimate Christmas cake that’s truly hard to resist.
This post is about how to make the perfect easy Cranberry Poke Cake.
Cranberry Poke Cake Recipe
If you’re a fan of poke cakes, you have to try out this festive Cranberry Poke Cake! Cranberry Poke Cake is going to be a favorite at any holiday get together. Tart cranberries combine with sweet cake and creamy whipped cream for an extremely satisfying dessert. So easy and quick, even the kids can help make it! This poke cake is easy to make and perfect for a holiday celebration.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE
Easy to serve for a crowd. This recipe is versatile and will be loved by all holiday guests.
The perfect Christmas cake. This easy poke cake features the one and only Christmas fruit – cranberries. So it makes the ultimate Christmas flavored cake.
Great as a Thanksgiving dessert. As cranberry recipes are also popular during the Thanksgiving holidays, this cake will be a star of the show of your Thanksgiving dinner.
Sweet and tart flavor combination. If you love cranberry desserts, you know what I am talking about. The flavor combination is too good!
INGREDIENTS NOTES
Here’s your ultimate shopping list to make this easy Christmas poke cake!
White Cake Mix
Eggs
Vegetable Oil
Cold Water
Whole Milk
Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
Cool Whip
HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY POKE CAKE
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and spray a deep 9×13 cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the two cake mixes, eggs, oil, milk, and 1 cup of cold water. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until no lumps appear. It will seem thin, but this is what you want.
Pour into your prepared cake pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake (deeper than just the top bit of cake) comes out clean. Let cool for about 20 minutes.
Add the jello and boiling water to a medium mixing bowl and stir until the jello is dissolved. Place the jello in a pourable container (I use a glass measuring cup).
With the handle of a wooden spoon, or with a similarly shaped object, poke holes in the cake. There should be a hole about every inch and be careful to not go all the way through the cake. Just go a little over halfway through with the holes.
Slowly pour the jello over the top of the cake, first covering the holes and then any surface of the cake left after that.
Place the cake in the fridge, covered with plastic, for 4 hours or until the jello is set.
Place the cranberry sauce in a medium mixing bowl and use a fork or other utensil to break it up until no large chunks remain and it resembles a homemade style cranberry sauce.
Add the cool whip to the bowl with the cranberry sauce and fold it together until fully combined.
Frost the top of the cake with the mixture. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- Store in the fridge in a cake saver or similar container, for up to 5 days. Freeze without frosting in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Frost when ready to serve.
- If you like more frosting, double the frosting recipe.
- If you don’t want to use cranberry sauce for the frosting, you can skip it, or use a pack of cranberry jello mixed into it.
- Do not cook the cake any hotter than 325 degrees or it will be burnt in some places and raw in others. Slow and steady wins the cake game.
- If you don’t want to make such a thick cake, you can use just one with a smaller pan and cut the cake part of the recipe in half. You’ll want to adjust your oven temperature to 350 degrees and start checking the cake around 20-30 minutes through.
- It’s important to keep in mind that every oven is different and knowing your own oven is helpful in ensuring that you end up with the perfect cake.
RECIPE FAQ’S
CAN I USE DIFFERENT JELL-O?
Yes, sure. Although, then it won’t be necessarily a ”Cranberry Poke Cake”. But if you want to experiment with flavors, you can also use cherry, strawberry or raspberry jell-o powders for that red holiday color. You can also try out this Christmas Poke Cake using two different jell-o colors.
HOW TO STORE POKE CAKE?
Store the Jell-O poke cake, tightly covered with storage wrap or foil, in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Cranberry Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 2 white cake mixes (15.25 oz each)
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 box cranberry jell-o (3 oz)
- 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce (15 oz)
- 1 tub cool whip (8 oz)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and spray a deep 9x13 cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the two cake mixes, eggs, oil, milk, and 1 cup of cold water. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until no lumps appear. It will seem thin, but this is what you want.
- Pour into your prepared cake pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake (deeper than just the top bit of cake) comes out clean. Let cool for about 20 minutes.
- Add the jello and boiling water to a medium mixing bowl and stir until the jello is dissolved. Place the jello in a pourable container (I use a glass measuring cup).
- With the handle of a wooden spoon, or with a similarly shaped object, poke holes in the cake. There should be a hole about every inch and be careful to not go all the way through the cake. Just go a little over halfway through with the holes.
- Slowly pour the jello over the top of the cake, first covering the holes and then any surface of the cake left after that.
- Place the cake in the fridge, covered with plastic, for 4 hours or until the jello is set.
- Place the cranberry sauce in a medium mixing bowl and use a fork or other utensil to break it up until no large chunks remain and it resembles a homemade style cranberry sauce.
- Add the cool whip to the bowl with the cranberry sauce and fold it together until fully combined.
- Frost the top of the cake with the mixture. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
LOVED OUR CRANBERRY POKE CAKE? PIN IT FOR LATER!
This sounds delicious. I am going ro have to see if I can find cranberry Jello.
Delicious!
It is!
I can’t wait to make this!
Cakes are one of my favorite desserts and this looks super delicious. The addition of cranberry makes it extra special.
Can’t wait to try this! I love cranberry and this looks amazing.