Easy Patriotic Poke Cake (Red, White and Blue Marble Cake)
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
This Patriotic Poke Cake is the ultimate easy dessert for Memorial Day or the 4th of July. Featuring a stunning red, white, and blue marble sponge filled with creamy cheesecake pudding, it’s a festive crowd-pleaser that looks professional but takes minutes to prep. Plus, it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert for your summer cookout!
Independence Day is such a patriotic holiday that it deserves a show-stopping dessert that doesn’t keep you stuck in the kitchen. This Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake is my favorite way to celebrate because it’s a total crowd-pleaser that stays incredibly moist.
If you’re looking for other easy entertaining ideas, you could pair this with my Chessman Banana Pudding or my Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle for a full holiday spread.
Table of contents
- Why You’ll Love This Red, White, and Blue Cake
- Ingredients You’ll Need for Red White and Blue Cake
- How to Make Patriotic Poke Cake
- Key to Success #1 – Tint the Cake Batter Using Gel Food Coloring
- Tips for the Best Red White and Blue Poke Cake
- Can You Make Patriotic Poke Cake Ahead of Time?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Easy Summer Desserts for a Crowd
Why You’ll Love This Red, White, and Blue Cake
- Easy to make with boxed cake mix
- Perfect make-ahead dessert for parties
- Super moist from the cheesecake pudding filling
- Bright red, white, and blue colors make it holiday-perfect
- Feeds a crowd easily
- Great for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and summer BBQs
Ingredients You’ll Need for Red White and Blue Cake
This patriotic poke cake uses simple ingredients to create a festive dessert that tastes amazing.
- White cake mix
A boxed white cake mix keeps this recipe quick and easy while giving the colors a bright, vibrant appearance. - Ingredients called for on the cake mix box
Usually eggs, oil, and water depending on the brand of cake mix you use. - Instant cheesecake pudding mix
This is what makes the cake incredibly moist and creamy. Cheesecake pudding gives the cake a richer flavor than vanilla pudding. - Milk
Used to prepare the pudding filling. - Cool Whip whipped topping
Adds a light and fluffy topping that pairs perfectly with the pudding-filled cake. - Patriotic sprinkles
Red, white, and blue sprinkles make the cake festive and fun for holidays. - Red and blue gel food coloring
Gel food coloring creates bright colors without thinning the cake batter.
How to Make Patriotic Poke Cake
This cake comes together surprisingly quickly and looks so pretty once sliced.
Key to Success #1 – Tint the Cake Batter Using Gel Food Coloring
We’re keeping this Patriotic Poke Cake easy by starting with a box of white cake mix.
Prepare the cake batter according to the package directions, then divide the batter evenly into three bowls. Leave one bowl white, tint one bowl red, and tint one bowl blue using gel food coloring.
Tip! I like to leave the white batter in the original mixing bowl and only use two smaller bowls for the colored batter. It saves on dishes.
For the red batter, I used Americolor Super Red gel food coloring.
For the blue batter, I wanted more of a navy blue shade, so I mixed:
- 3 drops Americolor Royal Blue
- 2 drops Americolor Fuchsia
- 1 drop Americolor Super Black
Stir the food coloring into the batter until the color is evenly distributed, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so no white batter remains.
Americolor is my favorite gel food coloring because the colors stay vibrant and a little goes a long way.
Tips for the Best Red White and Blue Poke Cake
- Use gel food coloring instead of liquid food coloring for brighter colors.
- Add the sprinkles right before serving so they do not bleed into the topping.
- Chill the cake for several hours before serving for the best texture.
- Do not overmix the colored batter or the colors may become muddy.
- If you want a darker navy blue color, add a tiny drop of black food coloring to the blue batter.
Can You Make Patriotic Poke Cake Ahead of Time?
Yes! This is one of my favorite make-ahead summer desserts.
You can make the cake the night before your party and refrigerate it overnight. I recommend waiting to add the sprinkles until shortly before serving so the colors stay bright and crisp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cheesecake pudding is my favorite for this recipe because it adds a rich, creamy flavor that pairs perfectly with the white cake and whipped topping.
Yes, homemade whipped cream works well, but Cool Whip tends to hold up better for outdoor summer parties and cookouts.
Sometimes blue food coloring reacts with the yellow tones in cake mix batter. Using gel food coloring and adding a tiny amount of black food coloring can help create a deeper navy blue color.
Yes. Freeze the cake without the sprinkles for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
You can make this cake up to 24 hours in advance. In fact, it tastes even better after chilling for several hours.
Red White and Blue Patriotic Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 14 oz box white cake mix, + ingredients called for on the box
- 2 boxes (3.5 oz each) instant cheesecake pudding mix
- 3 ½ cups milk
- 8 oz tub Cool Whip whipped topping,
- Patriotic sprinkles
- gel food coloring in red and blue
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
- Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Divide the cake mix evenly into three separate bowls. Use gel food coloring in red and blue to tint two of the bowls of cake batter. Stir until each color is consistently distributed. Leave the other bowl of batter white. *See Note about the blue batter
- Working quickly, spoon each color of cake batter into the greased baking dish. Try to keep the red and blue batter separated by only spooning the colored batter onto the white batter. Continue spooning the batter into the dish until all batter has been added. Bake for 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes then use the handle end of a wooden spoon to poke holes about 1 1/2 inches apart all across the cake, poking about 3/4 of the way through the cake. Cool completely.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and both boxes of pudding mix until the mixture is just slightly thickened. Pour pudding over the cool cake. Spread the remaining pudding over the top of the cake.
- Refrigerate for 20 minutes until the pudding sets completely. Top with Cool Whip. Garnish with Patriotic red white and blue sprinkles or candies.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition Facts
⭐ Leave a comment and rating below — it helps other readers!
👩🍳 Did you make any changes or substitutions?
I’d love to hear how it turned out in your kitchen.
📌 Save this recipe so you can make it again.
📧 Want more easy family dinners like this in your inbox?
Join my free Dinner Idea Box newsletter for simple family dinners every week.
More Easy Summer Desserts for a Crowd
If you need another easy dessert for cookouts, potlucks, and summer holidays, here are some of my favorite crowd-pleasing recipes that are always a hit with family and friends.
Your cake looked so pretty I decided to try it. Unfortunately, mine did not look like yours. Maybe clearer instructions on how to do the batter in the pan as mine looks like a checkerboard instead of swirled all over. It will still taste delicious but, not so pretty.