This Lemon Poke Cake is an easy, classic poke cake recipe that is the perfect tart sweet combination! It’s topped with a whipped lemon frosting that’s made with 3 simple ingredients.
Jello poke cakes are all the rave these days. Who knew you could turn a simple box cake mix into an extra special fabulous recipe! Be sure to try this Strawberry Poke Cake and this Oreo Poke Cake too!
If you are a lemon desserts lover, you are going to really love this cake recipe! I usually opt for Lemon Bars or this Blueberry Lemon Bread when I have a lemon dessert craving, but this recipe is so delicious and the perfect dessert to make for a summer barbecue or any special occasion.
This easy recipe uses a simple lemon cake mix mixed with instant pudding along with a few other ingredients to bring you an ultra moist and fluffy sheet cake. Instead of jello being poured into the poked holes, it’s a combination of frozen lemonade concentrate and powdered sugar that is poured into the holes that brings the magic.
You can also make this cake in a bundt pan or in 8 or 9 inch round cake pans too.
You can easily make this quick dessert cake ahead of time and refrigerate until you want to frost it. I would suggest no earlier than 3 days before you will be serving it.
Ingredients Needed
Cake
Lemon cake mix – 1 box (15.25 oz)
Instant lemon pudding – a 3.4 ounce small box
Eggs – at room temperature
Vegetable oil
Water
Frozen lemonade concentrate – a 12 ounce can thawed
Powdered sugar
Frosting
Whipped topping – like cool whip, thawed
Marshmallow creme
Powdered sugar
Lemon zest – optional
Substitutions/Variations
Use canola oil instead of vegetable oil if preferred.
For a lower calorie option, substitute ½ cup of unsweetened applesauce in place of the vegetable oil.
Use a white cake mix or a plain yellow cake mix for a milder great option.
How to Make this Lemon Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Prepare a 13×9 baking pan with light coating of cooking spray or oil.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cake mix and pudding together.
Beat in the eggs, water and oil and combine well.
Pour the batter into the lightly greased baking pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and place on wire rack
Cool for 15 minutes
In a small bowl, whisk together lemonade concentrate and powdered sugar until smooth
Using the end of a wooden spoon or large fork, poke holes into the baked cake about every ½ inch
Pour lemonade mixture over cake
Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour
Make the Frosting
In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix until fluffy. (I would start with 1 cup of powdered sugar but you may need to add more depending on how thick you want the frosting.)
Spread the icing over the entire cake.
Place in the refrigerator and store until ready to serve.
Tips
Make a day head (up to 3 days) and store in the refrigerator without the frosting.
Store any leftovers covered in refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Lemon Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box lemon cake mix 15.25 oz
- 3.4 oz box instant lemon pudding
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed from a 12 oz can
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Frosting
- 8 oz container whipped topping, thawed
- 7 oz container marshmallow creme
- 1-2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Prepare a 13×9 baking pan with light coating of cooking spray or oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cake mix and pudding together.1 box lemon cake mix, 3.4 oz box instant lemon pudding
- Beat in the eggs, water and oil and combine well.3 large eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup water
- Pour the batter into the lightly greased baking pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and place on wire rack
- Cool for 15 minutes
- In a small bowl, whisk together lemonade concentrate and powdered sugar until smooth1 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed, 1 cup powdered sugar
- Using a wooden skewer or large fork, poke holes into cake about every ½ inch
- Pour lemonade mixture over cake
- Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour
Make the Frosting
- In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix until fluffy. (I would start with 1 cup of powdered sugar but you may need to add more depending on how thick you want the frosting.)8 oz container whipped topping, thawed, 7 oz container marshmallow creme, 1-2 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- Spread the icing over the entire cake.
- Place in the refrigerator and store until ready to serve.
- Store any leftovers covered in refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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