These 4th of July Poke Cake Cupcakes are made using boxed cake mix, red & blue jell-o and cool whip. It’s the perfect easy and patriotic dessert!
Quick Tips
- Use 3 ounce boxes of strawberry jell-o and berry blue jell-o (store brand is fine too) – you may not use all of the jell-o for the cupcakes.
- Make sure that you fill the cupcake tins about 3/4 full so that your cupcakes rise all of the to the top of the pan. When I did this, it made about 18 total cupcakes instead of 24 like it said on the box
Equipment
- Cupcake pan
- Paper cupcake liners (if you’re using a silicone cupcake pan, you do not need paper liners)
- Medium microwave-safe mixing bowls (2) – I love these
- Mixing spoons
- Wooden skewer or straw (for poking the cupcakes)
- Measuring cup
Ingredient Notes
- Boxed Vanilla Cake Mix: baked per package instructions
- Strawberry Jell-O: 3 ounce box, made with 1/2 cup less of cold water than instructed on the box
- Berry Blue Jell-O: 3 ounce box, made with 1/2 cup less of cold water than instructed on the box
- Cool whip: 8 ounce package
- Patriotic sprinkles (optional)
Love these 4th of July Poke Cupcakes? Try these other patriotic desserts!
How to make 4th of July Poke Cake Cupcakes
These 4th of July Poke Cake Cupcakes are so easy to make! Making them can be easily divided into two steps.
- Make the vanilla cupcakes and jell-o
- Assemble the poke cupcakes
How to make the vanilla cupcakes and jell-o
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Use a hand mixer, stand mixer or whisk to make the vanilla bake batter per package instructions.
Spoon the batter into a cupcake tin lined with paper cupcake liners (if you’re using a silicone cupcake pan you do not need paper liners). Make sure that each cupcake well is filled ~2/3 full. This should make 16-18 cupcakes.
While the cupcakes are baking, make the jell-o. Follow the package instructions to make the jell-o but use 1/2 less cup of cold water than instructed for each flavor.
Bake the cupcakes until the tops just begin to brown and a toothpick comes out clean (about 18-22 minutes). Allow them to cool for 15-20 minutes before removing them from the pan to assemble the poke cake cupcakes.
How to assemble the poke cupcakes
To assemble the cupcakes, use a wooden skewer or straw to poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes. If using a wooden skewer, make about 6 pokes in cupcakes. If using a straw, make 4 pokes in the cupcakes (since the hole is larger).
Next, carefully spoon red jell-o into half of the holes and blue jell-o into the other half of the holes (you will have extra jell-o mixture that isn’t used). Set the cupcakes in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to allow them to begin to set.
Top them with cool whip and sprinkles! Store in the fridge.
Try these other cupcake recipes!
- Chocolate Cookie Dough Cupcakes
- Banana Sprinkle Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
4th of July Poke Cake Cupcakes
Equipment
- microwave safe mixing bowls
- cupcake pan (use 2 if you have them)
- Mixing spoons
- whisk
- paper cupcake liners
- measuring cups
Ingredients
- 1 box vanilla cake mix (batter should be made per package instructions)
- 1 box strawberry jell-o (3 ounce box)
- 1 box berry blue jell-o (3 ounce box)
- 8 ounces cool whip
- patriotic sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Use a hand mixer, stand mixer or whisk to make the vanilla bake batter per package instructions.
- Spoon the batter into a cupcake tin lined with paper cupcake liners (if you're using a silicone cupcake pan you do not need paper liners). Make sure that each cupcake well is filled ~2/3 full. This should make 16-18 cupcakes.
- While the cupcakes are baking, make the jell-o. Follow the package instructions to make the jell-o but use 1/2 less cup of cold water than instructed for each flavor.
- Bake the cupcakes until the tops just begin to brown and a toothpick comes out clean (about 18-22 minutes). Allow them to cool for 15-20 minutes before removing them from the pan to assemble the poke cake cupcakes.
- To assemble the cupcakes, use a wooden skewer or straw to poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes. If using a wooden skewer, make about 6 pokes in cupcakes. If using a straw, make 4 pokes in the cupcakes (since the hole is larger).
- Carefully spoon red jell-o into half of the holes and blue jell-o into the other half of the holes (you will have extra jell-o mixture that isn't used). Set the cupcakes in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to allow them to begin to set.
- Top them with cool whip and sprinkles! Store in the fridge.
