(photos updated 9/10/17)
Summer is upon us even if the official day hasn’t arrived. It’s been hitting nearly 90 here for a few days and I am not at all thrilled with that. I’ve been a Georgia gal for over 15 years now and still cannot understand why it has to be summer from May to September. Summer is three months, period. June, July, and August. This summer will be one for the books for me, I turn 50 next month and while I am very okay with that, it’s still FIFTY. Gah! Where on earth did the time go? Enough of that now! Summer means many things – pool parties, beach trips, working in the yard, fireworks, picnics, and more.
When the girls were younger, they would love for me to make them Poke Cakes. Whether it was with Jell-O or pudding, they loved them all. If you have never had a Poke Cake, you’re missing out! The recipe was on the back of a cake mix box and is super simple and fun to make. Bake up a white cake, poke holes with a fork over cooled cake, prepare and pour the your favorite Jell-O flavor over the cooled caked. Chill and then frost with whipped cream topping. Easy!
I love scanning the baking aisle in the grocery stores for new ideas and new products when I came across this Orange Crush gelatin and it hit me – Poke Cake! Orange Crush Creamsicle Poke Cake to be exact. I love these cakes! The refreshing taste of the cold cake with whipped cream – nothing better on a hot summer day.
My girls may be all grown up but I was feeling giddy at the prospect of this cake – as crazy as that sounds, it’s true and I was not disappointed with the results. No girls at home, meant more cake for hubby and me!
Orange CRUSH Creamsicle Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 white cake mix
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 - 6 ounce box of orange Jell-o
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 - 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding
- 1 cup milk
- 1 - 8 ounce container Cool Whip
- zest of an orange
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13 x 9 baking pan with non-stick spray.
- Mix the cake mix according to the back of the box, using orange juice in place of the water called for. Bake cake according to cake mix package directions. Remove from oven and poke holes all over the top with a fork or wooden skewer.
- Dissolve the orange crush gelatin in boiling water. Let cool 5 minutes. Spoon all of the gelatin over the top of the cake, making sure it goes in the holes. Cool cake completely in the refrigerator (at least 1 hour)
For the topping:
- Whisk together the vanilla pudding mix and milk. Fold in the Cool Whip.
- Spread over the top of the cooled cake.
- Sprinkle with orange zest. Serve.
- Store cake in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Enjoy!
mmm… this looks good. I wish I could eat this stuff!