Skip to Content

Easy Funfetti Birthday Poke Cake

Funfetti birthday poke cake is a light vanilla cake dotted with colorful candy sprinkles and creamy vanilla pudding. Finished with a light and fluffy whipped topping, this simple cake is quick, easy to prepare, and perfect for serving a crowd. 

This cake is perfect for a kid’s birthday party or any time you want a light and festive dessert. You can serve it as is or add a scoop of your favorite ice cream or a drizzle of chocolate sauce to finish it off.

A slice of birthday cake with colorful sprinkles and a lit candle.

This colorful cake is quick and easy. Made with simple ingredients, it comes together with little effort and is the perfect cake for serving a crowd.

If you like cake that is a bit more decadent and full of chocolate, we suggest peek at our delicious Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake or Black Forest Poke Cake. They are just as easy and perfect for the serious chocolate lover in your life.

Jump to:

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchase

A funfetti birthday poke cake is a simple vanilla cake that has been marbled with vanilla pudding and finished with a fluffy, light whipped topping.

Colorful candy sprinkles are stirred into the cake batter, giving the finished cake a fun, confetti appearance.

Topping the cake with additional sprinkles makes it even more festive and fun. You can use rainbow sprinkles or keep it to one or two colors if there is a special occassion you are trying to theme your cake after.

This fun cake is light and moist and is great served as is, but to make it even more special, you can add a scoop of your favorite ice cream, (we love it with homemade Strawberry Ice Cream), a drizzle of chocolate or butterscotch sauce, or some fresh, seasonal berries such as sliced strawberries or fresh raspberries.

Poke cakes are quick, easy, and economical to make.  Using a box cake, instant pudding, and cool whip, they are always a huge hit.

If you want your cake to be more homemade, use your favorite 9×13 vanilla, white or yellow cake recipe instead of the boxed cake mix.

Because this cake is made in a 9×13 pan, it is easy to transport, cut, and serve, and one cake will make anywhere from 12 to 16 servings, which makes it ideal for birthday parties, and it is always a crowd pleaser.

Sliced of birthday cake on small plates, topped with sprinkles beside a small bottle of milk.

Ingredients & Substitutions

For a full list of ingredients and measurements, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Vanilla Cake Mix (and ingredients to make cake) – You will need one box of vanilla cake mix to make a 9×13 cake. You can also use white or yellow cake or your favorite homemade vanilla or white cake.  We use confetti cake mix for this recipe, which is a vanilla cake mix with little sprinkles already mixed in.

Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix – You need two boxes of instant vanilla pudding. If you don’t want to use vanilla, you add extra flavor by using different pudding mixes; chocolate, butterscotch, lemon, or pistachio would all taste great. If you don’t want to use pudding, the tangy flavor of homemade lemon curd tastes great with the light vanilla cake.

Milk – This will be mixed with the pudding for the filling and to make the whipped topping.

Frozen Whipped Topping – This creates a creamy, light frosting. If you prefer, you can use fresh, prepared whipped cream instead.

Candy sprinkles – You will want colorful candy sprinkles to create the confetti (or funfetti). You can mix rainbow colors, or keep it to one or two colors, depending on the theme you are looking for.

Ingredients for funfetti cake.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1 – Mix the cake according to package directions and stir in ¼ cup candy sprinkles. Bake the cake according to the package directions in a nine-by-thirteen baking pan and allow it to cool. Once it is cool, use the handle of a wooden spoon or the wide end of a chopstick to poke holes all over the baked cake.

A vanilla cake in a nine by thirteen pan poked with holes.

Step 2 – In a small bowl, mix one box of vanilla pudding with one and a half cups of milk. Whisk until the pudding starts to thicken, then pour the pudding over the cake, paying attention to filling the holes of the cake.

A nine by thirteen cake in a glass pan topped with vanilla pudding.

Step 4 – In a large bowl, mix one cup of milk and one box of vanilla pudding until it begins to thicken, then fold in the whipped topping. Spread over the top of the cake.

Decorate the top with candy sprinkles.

Cake in a rectangular glass pan with frosted with whipped cream and colorful sprinkles.

Place the cake in the refrigerator for a minimum of one hour to allow the topping and filling to set before serving.

DECORATIONS AND TOPPINGS

Decorating this funfetti cake is optional, but it makes it prettier and, depending on your choice, can add texture and flavors.

We like to top this birthday cake with colorful candy sprinkles. But you could top it with swirls of chocolate or caramel sauce, chopped nuts, or toasted coconut.

This cake tastes great with berries, fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries, adding flavor and color to this simple vanilla cake.

You could also add shaved chocolate or chocolate chips, chopped candy bars, gummy candies, fruity marshmallows, or anything else you can think of.

Serving Suggestions

While this moist cake is perfectly declicious served as is, there is nothing better than a slice of cake with a scoop of ice cream.

You can make a batch of easy no-churn oreo ice cream to go with this cake, or use your favorite ice cream from the grocery store.

We often serve this cake with extra whipped cream, fresh berries or homemade berry sauce, or a drizzle of chocolate.

Slice of birthday cake with rainbow sprinkles on a plate with a small bottle of milk.

Top Tips and FAQS

  • When poking the holes in the cake, make sure they are large enough to allow the thickened pudding to fill them. If you are having trouble, a fine tipped piping bag will allow you to ensure the holes are fully filled.
  • Let the cake rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving to allow the pudding and topping to set.
How long will poke cake keep?

Poke cake will keep for about five days when covered and stored in the refrigerator.

Can I make gluten-free poke cake?

You can easily make this cake gluten-free using your favourite gluten-free cake mix or homemade recipe. You will want to ensure all the other ingredients you use, such as filling and topping, are also gluten-free.

What type of cake mix is best for Poke Cake?

You can use any cake mix designed for baking a nine-by-thirteen cake, depending on the flavours you are looking for.

Printable Recipe

A slice of birthday cake with colorful sprinkles and a lit candle.

Funfetti Birthday Poke Cake

Funfetti birthday poke cake is a light vanilla cake dotted with colorful candy sprinkles and creamy vanilla pudding. Finished with a light and fluffy whipped topping, this simple cake is quick, easy to prepare, and perfect for serving a crowd.
No ratings yet
Print Pin Save Recipe Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Resting Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 145kcal
Author: Deanna

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven according to the package directions on the cake mix.
  • Mix the cake according to the package directions and stir in ¼ cup of candy sprinkles.
  • Pour the cake batter into a prepared 9×13 cake pan and bake the cake according to package directions.
  • Let the cake cool completely, then use the end of a wooden spoon or other tool, such as a wide chopstick, to poke holes in the top of the cake. You want holes that are about half an inch wide.
  • In a medium bowl, mix one box of the instant pudding with 1 ½ cups of milk just until it begins to thicken but is still runny. Use a small tipped piping bag or small spoon to fill the holes with pudding, then spread any remaining pudding over the top of the cake.
  • Mix 1 cup of milk with the remaining box of pudding just until it begins to thicken, then fold in the frozen whipped topping.
  • Spread the topping over the cake in an even layer. If you wish, you can reserve part to pipe swirls on top of the cake.
  • Decorate the cake with sprinkles, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes in order to allow the pudding to set.
  • Slice and serve as desired.

Notes

If you prefer to bake from scratch, you can use your favourite 9×13 white cake recipe.
Use any flavour of pudding you like to customise the flavours of this cake.
Using a piping bag to fill the holes in the cake will help ensure the holes are filled and create a moister cake.
Leftover cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Estimated Nutrition Facts
Funfetti Birthday Poke Cake
Amount per Serving
Calories
145
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
3
g
5
%
Saturated Fat
 
2
g
13
%
Sodium
 
143
mg
6
%
Carbohydrates
 
27
g
9
%
Fiber
 
0.2
g
1
%
Sugar
 
23
g
26
%
Protein
 
2
g
4
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

Subscribe to our Newsletter!Recieve a FREE 30 Minute Meal Ebook! Subscribe Here!!

More Easy Poke Cake Recipes

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Food Safety and Storage

This poke cake can be covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for about five days.

Sharing is caring!

Recipe Rating




THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.