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This delicious patriotic cake is so easy to make and so delicious! Layers of tender moist white cake with pokes of raspberry or cherry jello, a layer of luscious vanilla pudding, and topped off with a layer of whipped cream and fresh berries to create a scrumptious American Flag!

Flag Day seems the most appropriate day to share this American Flag Fresh Berry Cake Recipe. I know, I know! You’ve seen hundreds of poke cakes with berries forming a flag before, how is this one any different?

Great Question! This Poke cake recipe is taken from an old family favorite cake recipe called “Yum Yum Cake”! My Mom used to make this cake for birthdays, pot lucks, and any number of occasions! It is one of my favorite cakes and so easy to make.

Most “Jello Poke Cakes” are made with a white or yellow cake mix. Dissolved jello is then drizzled down into the holes poked in the cake, and topped with whipped cream.

This Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake begins much the same way. A white, or yellow cake mix. The warm cake is poked with holes, and raspberry or cherry jello is drizzled into the holes. The cake is then chilled.

A layer of vanilla pudding is spread on top of the entire cake, followed by a layer of “cool whip”. It is chilled until set. Then heavy whipped cream is piped in a flag design and topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries to create an American Flag!

The layer of Vanilla pudding adds so much flavor and makes this the BEST most refreshing Poke Cake!

One simple step changes everything. I find this to be the case in most recipes. Everyone can make the same recipe, and it’s good…but then someone comes along and adds one more element and Wowza!! That recipe has gone from good to GREAT!!!

How To Make Red, White and Blue Jello Poke Cake

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with non-stick baking spray. Baking spray is a combination of oil and flour.

Prepare a yellow or white cake mix, I love Duncan Hines, per the boxed instructions. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and make sure that all ingredients are well combined.

Place cake in center rack of oven and bake 30–35 minutes until cake is golden and springs back when lightly pushed in the center.

Remove cake from the oven. While the cake is still warm… Poke holes all over the top of the cake with a round object.

TIP: I like to use the bottom end of a chopstick! It’s the perfect size whole. A lot of bakers use the end of a wooden spoon. That’s fine, it just tends to be a littler larger hole than I like for this cake.

How To create Jello Drizzle for Poke Cake

In a small bowl combine 1 small (3.5 ounce) package of raspberry jello, or other flavor, and 1 1/2 cups warm water. Mix until jello is completely dissolved.

TIP: Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl and the sides to loosen any bits of jello from the bowl.

Using a large ladle or spoon, carefully and slowly drizzle the jello over, and into, the holes poked all over the top of the cake.

Once the entire cake is covered with the jello mixture, place the cake in the refrigerator and chill until cool.

TIP: Don’t worry if the jello goes all over the top of the cake and not just in the holes. Y’all will make yourselves NUTS if you try to just put the jello in the holes! You don’t need to do that! You have kids and a partner for that!!!

Pudding Layer

While the cake is chilling…ya know just hanging out in the refrigerator…it’s a great time to make the pudding layer.

In a medium size bowl combine 1 Large box of Vanilla Instant Pudding (5.0 ounce box) with 1 1/2 Cup of cold milk.

NOTE: You use less milk than the box calls for if making regular pudding. This creates a nice thick pudding layer that won’t run off the cake.

Remove the Cake from the refrigerator and spread the vanilla pudding evenly over the top of the cake.

Top the pudding with a large container of Cool Whip Non-Dairy Topping! The layer should be about a 1/2 inch thick. You may not use the entire container of whipped topping, but the smaller container doesn’t contain enough to cover the cake.

Spread evenly over the top of the cake.

Chill cake again for an hour until the pudding layer and the cool whip topping have a chance to set a bit.

How To Make A Berry Flag Cake

In order to make the flag on the top of this delicious poke cake, use a butter knife or frosting spreader to “draw” the lines on the top of the cake.

There are two ways to make the “American Flag” at this point. You can simply lay the berries on the lines on top of the cool whip, or you can mix up a batch of heavy whipping cream and pipe stars on the cake in between the red berries for the white lines. This adds a more 3D effect and is also a little prettier.

TIP: If you don’t have a star tip or pipping bag…you can use a gallon size Ziploc bag and cut the tip off and make large dots!

How to Make Whipped Cream Frosting

In the bowl of your mixer add 1-1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream!

Using the whisk beater of your mixer, beat the whipping cream on high until it begins to thicken. As the mixer continues to mix, on high, add 6 Tablespoons powder sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Continue to mix until stiff peaks form.

Place whipped cream in the pipping bag and begin by pipping stars in the box for the “stars” on your flag.

Place a blueberry on top of each star in the star section.

Starting at the top of your flag and place a row of sliced strawberries, then pipe a row of stars, then a double row of raspberries. I find that doubling the raspberries gives you the width to match the strawberry rows.

Then a row of whipped cream and then a row of strawberries. Continue alternating until the cake is finished.

You should have two rows of sliced strawberries and two rows of raspberries!

Place the cake back in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

When ready to serve cut the cake into 16 squares. Use your whipped cream stars or whipped cream lines as your guides to cut the cake.

I love how the jello creates beautiful red stripes throughout the cake. The luscious layers of cold pudding and whipped cream with the fresh berries is not only super yummy, but refreshing! I love cold desserts in the summertime! Don’t you?

This is such a fantastic 4th of July Cake! So festive too! It’s great for Memorial Day, Flag Day, or any favorite Patriotic Holiday you want to celebrate!

I hope you enjoy this easy dessert as much as we do! It’s been a tradition for years at this Nest! You can never go wrong with an updated Retro Recipe!

Other Favorite Holiday Dessert Recipes

• Red, White, and Blue Vanilla Tartlets
• Easter Basket Cake
• Chocolate and Raspberry Buttercream Valentines Cupcakes
• Apple Pie Caramel Apples
• Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe
• Mini No-Bake Cheesecake Pies
• Top 10 Patriotic Desserts from Taste of Home

Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting my Nest today! I hope you’ll give this American Flag Jello Yum Yum Cake a try. It’s certain to be the “Stars and Stipes” of your party!

Happy Nesting!

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