Patriotic Poke Cake White Chocolate (Printer-friendly)

Colorful white cake with red and blue gelatin pockets and a silky white chocolate ganache, perfect for Fourth of July.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 (15.25 oz) box white cake mix
02 - Eggs, vegetable oil and water as required by cake mix package

→ Gelatin Filling

03 - 1 (3 oz) box strawberry or cherry gelatin
04 - 1 (3 oz) box blue raspberry gelatin
05 - 2 cups boiling water, divided (1 cup per gelatin)
06 - 2 cups cold water, divided (1 cup per gelatin)

→ White Chocolate Ganache

07 - 8 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Topping

09 - 1 cup whipped cream or prepared whipped topping
10 - Red, white and blue sprinkles or fresh berries (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Prepare cake batter following the package directions, pour into the prepared pan and bake 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes.
02 - Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes across the warm cake about 1 inch apart; stop before you reach the pan bottom so each hole retains some crumb to hold the filling.
03 - In two medium bowls, dissolve each 3 oz gelatin box in 1 cup boiling water, stirring until completely dissolved; then add 1 cup cold water to each bowl and stir to combine.
04 - Alternate pouring spoonfuls of red and blue gelatin into the holes so colors are distributed evenly. Work gently to avoid overfilling. Transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill at least 2 hours until the gelatin is fully set.
05 - Place chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until it just begins to simmer, then pour it over the chocolate. Let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Let the ganache cool until slightly thickened but still pourable.
06 - Remove the chilled cake from the refrigerator and pour the ganache evenly over the top, spreading gently if needed. Let the ganache set at room temperature for 15–20 minutes.
07 - Spread whipped cream over the set ganache and decorate with sprinkles or berries as desired. Return to the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled before slicing.
08 - Slice the 9x13-inch cake into 12 portions and serve cold.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The bright stripes and creamy ganache make every bite look like a celebration—guests are always convinced it’s harder than it is.
  • Sneaking a peek at the cross section is just as exciting as taking the first forkful.
02 -
  • If the cake is too warm when you pour in gelatin, it soaks through instead of striping—patience pays off!
  • Letting the ganache cool a bit before pouring stops it from melting the frosting or the cake below.
03 -
  • Tapping the pan on the counter after pouring gelatin helps fill stubborn holes completely.
  • A little patience while chilling between steps truly makes those stripes pop in every slice.
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