Patriotic Jello Poke Cupcakes: 4th of July Cupcakes

Name: Patriotic Jello Poke Cupcakes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 68 min
Ingredients: 12 white cupcakes (can be store-bought or home made); 1.5 oz blue jello (half of a small box); 1.5 oz red jello (half of a small box); 1 cup boiling water (divided); 8 oz whipped topping; Red, white and blue sprinkles

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Enjoy these easy Jello Poke Cupcakes as the perfect patriotic treat this 4th of July! Made foolproof with a boxed cake mix, whipping cream topping and capturing the holiday spirit in red, white and blue these simple cupcakes are perfect for your holiday menu.

A red, white and blue Jello poke cupcake sitting on a table. — These Jello Poke Cupcakes, decked out in red, white and blue are the perfect way to celebrate America!

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Easy Poke Cupcakes for 4th of July

These are the easiest-ever patriotic cupcakes! Celebrate America with these festive treats that are so simple even the kids can make them.

These Jello Poke Cupcakes are red, white and blue and full of holiday spirit. Using boxed cake mix and whipped cream topping keeps things super simple.

I’m a huge fan of cake mix desserts, and I know this easy 4th of July Cupcakes recipe will make you a fan too!

This recipe for Fourth of July Cupcakes couldn’t be easier! It uses boxed cake mix to create a yummy white cupcake that’s semi-homemade. And Cherry and Berry Blue Jello add flavor and color to make this dessert festive and fun.

Red, white and blue sprinkles top store-bought whipped cream making this very little work but such a cute dessert idea for Independence Day celebrations.

These are also great cupcakes to serve for Memorial Day, Labor Day, the Olympics and any other time you want to show off your pride for America.

These quick and easy patriotic cupcakes are colorful and fun! Add these Jello Poke Cupcakes to your holiday menu! (And make sure you add these Red, White and Blue Berry Bruschetta Cookies!)

What is a Poke Cupcake?

A poke cupcake is just like a poke cake! You simply bake a cupcake then poke holes.

The holes are then filled with another flavoring, like Jello, caramel, fruit preserves, condensed milk, etc.

You could make poke cupcakes for a gender reveal, use them to match a color scheme for any type of birthday party and match school colors for a graduation party!

Ingredients

While we are using red and blue Jello flavors to make these festive and patriotic, you can use any color or flavor you want to suit the occasion.

As you’re making your shopping list, be sure to check the boxed cake mix to see what ingredients it requires.

You could make the white cupcakes from scratch but using a cake mix speeds up the whole process! And tastes delicious!

The white cake mix really shows the Jello colors the best and plays up that patriotic color scheme. Whipped topping also helps add to the red, white and blue theme, as do red, white and blue sprinkles (if you can’t find any just buy red and blue separately).

Directions

A pan of baked white cupcakes next to red and blue Jello.

Step 1

Bake your cupcakes per the instructions on the box and let cool.

A pan of baked cupcakes with holes poked in the top for Jello.

Step 2

Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke about 3 holes in each cupcakes.

You can poke all the way to the bottom of the cupcake. That will ensure the color is throughout the cupcake.

Keep in mind Jello can stain so make sure to put them on something to protect your counter for this next step!

I want to make patriotic cupcakes, not a patriotic counter!

A spoon adding liquid red Jello to a poked hole in the top of a baked cupcake.

Step 3

Add 1/2 cup of boiling water to the red Jello and 1/2 cup of boiling water to the blue Jello. Stir until Jello is fully dissolved.

Using a spoon, drip the Jello into the holes of the cupcake.

If you are trying to create Fourth of July Cupcakes, you will want to make sure each cupcake has some red and blue.

Easy jello poke cupcakes sitting on a table with one frosted with whipped cream.

Step 4

Make sure to let them rest in the fridge for about 20 minutes to let the Jello set up!

Step 5

Then spoon on some whipped cream topping.

What I love about icing cupcakes with whipped cream is how forgiving it is! You can just use the back of a spoon, or more fancy decorating tools.

It looks good every time!

Cupcake sitting on a table with red, white and blue sprinkles on top and color through out the batter.

Step 6

A few red, white and blue sprinkles make these the cutest and easiest cupcakes for 4th of July!

I used white cupcake liners but you could also change it up and do something with a more festive feel.

Top Tips

Try to only put one color of Jello into a hole. This will keep the colors pure and not mix together to create purple.

Whipped cream doesn’t do well in warm weather so make sure to ice them right before serving and serve them when they are to be eaten.

That warm July weather could easily make them look a little droopy. You could always make some Vanilla Buttercream instead. That has a lot more flavor, but takes much more work!

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I use to poke holes?

The easiest thing to use to poke holes in your cupcakes is the end of a wooden spoon. But anything can work! Cake is soft so you don’t need anything too intense. A wooden skewer works to create smaller holes. You could even use a straw.

What if I have some Jello leftover?

You can turn the leftover Jello into Jello Shots. They’d be so cute in these plastic syringes!

A red, white and blue cupcake cut in half on a table so you can see the colors of the cake inside.

It’s an easy way to add more flavor to a basic cupcake. My Strawberry Jello Cupcakes are a must-try also!

I like to share a few easy dishes with the neighbors. This Strawberry Angel Food Cake travels really well and is a perfect summer fruit dessert.

A few more easy recipes you might also enjoy!

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