This moist and fluffy Lime Poke Cake is a simple yet stunning cake that is sure to be a crowd pleaser at all your holiday festivities.
Lime Poke Cake
The vibrant green color of this cake goes hand in hand with St. Patrick’s Day and really makes this cake a standout beauty! Not only is pretty, but it’s also so sweet and tasty. Lime jello soaks into the tender and fluffy white cake making it so moist and giving it the most incredible citrus flavor.
This cake isn’t just great for St. Paddy’s Day, it’s the perfect dessert for Christmas, Easter, springtime parties, or anytime you need a pop of green on your dessert table.
What is a Poke Cake?
Poke cake recipes are a guaranteed way to make a super-moist dessert that everyone will love. If you’ve never heard of a poke cake before, they’re basically a sheet cake that you poke large holes in. Then you pour liquid Jello or pudding mixture over the top of the cake and allow it to seep down into the holes.
Strawberry Poke Cake, Banana Pudding Poke, Oreo Poke Cake are a few of my favorite go-to recipes when I need to take a dessert to a party or covered dish. But now, with all the refreshing lime flavor in this recipe, I have a brand-new favorite and after you take that very first bite, I think you will too!
What’s Needed to Make Lime Jello Poke Cake Recipe?
- White cake mix (plus, water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box)
- Lime Jell-O gelatin
- Whipped topping
- Green sprinkles
- Water
How to You Make Lime Jello Poke Cake
Step One: Bake Cake
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Spray bottom of 9×13 cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. (use clear glass pan)
- In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and egg whites with electric mixer until combined. Pour cake mixture into baking pan. Bake cake for length listed on the back of the cake box (probably about 25-30 minutes) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Remove cake from oven and let cool in baking dish.
Step Two: Poke Holes in Cake
- Combine lime jello mix with one cup boiling water. Stir until dissolved, then add ½ cup cold water.
- Using tongs of a fork, poke holes in cake, about every ½ inch.
- Pour dissolved lime gelatin over top of warm cake. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
Step Three: Frost and Decorate
- Spread whipped topping over top of the cool cake. Sprinkle with green jimmies or a little lime zest.
- Garnish with a few fresh lime slices and serve!
To keep this delicious cake fresh, cover cake with a lid if your cake pan has one or place some plastic wrap over the top. Place in the fridge up to 3 days.
You can also freeze this cake. Wrap the cake with plastic wrap, then again with aluminum foil. Label it with the date you made it and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, wait to add the whipped topping right before you are ready to serve it.
Tips for Making the Best Poke Cake
- To make larger holes in the cake, use the end of a wooden spoon to poke the holes. This really allows the jello to soak in. You can also use a large utility fork or a heat proof large drinking straw.
- You want to be really generous when it comes to poking holes in the cake. Be sure and make holes along the edges and the corners so the jello mixture can soak in there as well.
- Even though the jello won’t be setting up, it does take time for it to saturate the cake really well. This may take up to a couple of hours, so be sure and take that into account when planning to make it.
You sure can! That is one of the best things about this recipe. You can make it a day or two in advance and keep it in the fridge. Because the color in the green sprinkles may bleed onto the white whipped topping, wait to add those until right before serving.
Yes indeed! Just make cupcakes using the same directions as you did for this cake. Once the cupcakes have cooled, poke them with wooden skewer to make the holes. Spoon the liquid jello mixture over the tops and finish them off with whipped cream and green sprinkles.
Variations and Add-ins for Lime Jello Poke Cake
Topping: If you really want to satisfy a sweet tooth, you can substitute the whipped cream with cream cheese frosting for a truly decadent dessert.
Key Lime Cake: Make this recipe an easy key lime poke cake by adding some fresh key lime juice to the whipped topping and to the cake mix.
Lemon lime poke cake: Easily make this into a refreshing lemon lime jello poke cake by following directions but using a lemon cake mix instead of white cake mix.
Fruit toppings: Add ever more color and flavor by adding fresh berries to the top of the cake. Raspberries look beautiful combined with the green cake during Christmas
Cake Mix: While this cake uses white cake mix, you can use any of your favorite cake flavors. Or if you have a really great homemade sheet cake recipe you prefer, you can certainly use it. To get the pretty effect of the green gelatin mixture, a cake that’s light in color works best.
Want More East Cake Recipes?
- Eclair Cake
- Butterfinger Poke Cake
- Blueberry Dump Cake
- Pig Pickin Cake
- Pecan Dump Cake
- Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Lime Jello Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 egg whites
- 1 cup water boiling
- 1/2 cup water cool
- 1 box 3.3 ounce Jell-O gelatin lime
- 1 ,12 oz. container whipped topping
- Green sprinkles
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 350°F.
- Spray bottom of 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and egg whites with electric mixer until combined. Pour cake mixture into baking pan and cook for length on package (probably about 25-30 minutes) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Remove cake from oven and let cool in baking dish.
- Boil 1 cup of water and mix gelatin package in water until dissolved. Add ½ cup cold water.
- Using tongs of a fork, poke holes in cake, about every ½ inch.
- Pour dissolved lime gelatin over top of cake. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Spread whipped topping over top of cake. Sprinkle with green jimmies.
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Comments & Reviews
Shirley Neault says
I had this for the 1st time about 30 years ago at work. They put flaked coconut colored with green food coloring and sprinkled over. Was soooo good. Must remember to store in refrigerator. Original instructions I believe it stated let cool and place in fridge for at least an hour, then spread the cool whip and store in fridge until ready to serve.
You can always use yellow or vanilla cake mix as well. Looks and tastes just as good.