Lime Poke Cake

I feel like I'm cheating writing a post on poke cakes. Nothing in the world could be easier. Want something to teach your kid how to make? This is it. Want to teach your non-cooking spouse a simple dessert so they can help you out once in a while? This is it. (On that note, I taught my husband how to make these and he made me one for my birthday one year, it was awesome!).

It's really simple. Your favorite flavor cake mix, a box of jello that compliments the cake flavor and a tub of cool whip. Make it in the morning before it gets too hot outside and stash it away for dessert later.

Bake your cake according to package directions. When it comes out of the oven, poke holes all over the top.

 Let the cake sit on the counter while you boil some water and add 1 cup of it to the package of jello. Stir it up really good (you won't end up with a tire patch jello cake if you make sure it's all the way dissolved) and pour it on the cake, paying special attention to getting it down in those holes you so lovingly poked.

Pop this lovely little jewel into the fridge for at least 2 hours, so the jello can set up.

 I usually make them in the morning and let it hang out in the fridge all day. Liberally frost it with your cool whip and there you go, simple dessert.

Don't write it off because it is so easy, there is such a complexity of spongy cake, cool jello and refreshing cool whip that you wouldn't guess that these cakes are so simple to make. The other good thing? There are a million different variations.

Ones we really like:

• white cake and peach, cherry, watermelon, grape, lemon, lime and orange jello
• chocolate cake and cherry, strawberry, blackberry (or berry) jello
• lemon cake with lemon, lime or orange

Now here's the fancy part......you can use pudding instead of jello. Fancy-schmancy huh? Just make a package of instant pudding and pour it over the holes-poked-in-the-cake like we did with the jello and refrigerate. When it comes out you can put pie filling over the top if you want. Chocolate cake, chocolate pudding and cherry pie filling make a black forest poke cake that is supremely good! 

Take on to your next get together and be amazed at how much people enjoy them. They'll think you did something amazing and you'll know how easy it really was :)