Lemon Poke Cake

A no-bake lemon poke cake that you can whip up with just 4 simple ingredients to treat all lemon lovers in your family! Creamy, light, and zesty – this is a perfect summer dessert!

I absolutely love lemon desserts, and I honestly think it is such an amazing citrus to use in cooking! Plus, poke cakes are just such a childhood/old-fashioned way of baking sweet treats; it feels homey!

My best trick to make the lemon frosting made with pudding spread nicely is to pour it over the cake while it is still warm and use a spatula to push it into the holes and spread it into an even layer.

If you love poke cakes, check out my other recipes: Coconut Poke Cake, Candy Corn Poke Cake for Halloween, and Chocolate Mint Poke Cake.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• An easy recipe to make a perfect dessert for any occasion, from a potluck to a summer BBQ.
• You don’t need to zest lemons or juice them – this lemon cake recipe just uses lemon Jell-O and lemon pudding.
• Easy to customize. Don’t love citrus flavor? Use vanilla cake mix, chocolate, other fruit, or berries.
• The best lemon cake recipe for me. It tastes like Grandma’s baking and is much better than regular lemon loaf cake.

Cake Ingredients Notes

• Lemon cake mix plus cake ingredients from the instructions, or yellow cake mix (usually has vanilla, not lemon flavor). Gluten-free cake mix is also available.
• Instant lemon pudding mix, Lemon Jell-O, or another brand of instant pudding mix is good.
• Milk to make the pudding.
• Whipped topping. Use Cool Whip or homemade whipped cream.

Kitchen Equipment

• 9×13 cake pan greased with nonstick cooking spray
• Wooden spoon or butter knife
• Mixing bowl
• Silicone spatula

How To Make Lemon Poke Cake

Step 1: Bake The Lemon Cake

Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions on the box. Pour the cake batter into a 9×13 cake pan. Bake following the instructions, usually about 20-25 minutes.

Once baked, let the cake cool for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Make The Holes in the cake

Using the handle of a wooden spoon or a similar object, poke holes all over the top of the cooled cake.

Don’t go too deep and don’t wait until the cake is cooled completely; it is easier to make holes in the warm cake.

Step 3: Prep The Lemon Pudding

For the pudding layer, combine the pudding and cold milk in a medium bowl, whisking until smooth.

It will become slightly thicker once combined; it is ok.

Step 4: Fill The Holes With Pudding

Pour the pudding over the top of the warm cake, spreading it in an even layer over the top and pushing it into the holes.

Cover the cake and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours to allow the pudding to set; it will give enough time while the glaze seeps into the holes in the cake.

Step 5: Decorate With Cool Whip

Once chilled, spread the whipped topping over the top of the cake and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Storage

Keep lemon jello cake leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.

You can freeze the baked cake before you pour the glaze over it. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving again. I love it served cold.

Substitutions & Variations

• Frosting. Make lemon glaze for topping instead (or to go with) whipped topping or cream cheese frosting. Lemon glaze is super easy to make; you just need lemon juice, melted butter, and confectioners’ sugar mixed together.
• Add vanilla extract or lemon extract for more flavoring.
• Decorate with lemon slices, a bit of lemon zest, blueberries, and mint leaves.
• Instead of lemon pudding, you can make lemon curd.
• You can make this lemon poke cake in a bundt pan, too.
• If you don’t like big holes in the cake, use a fork to make them.

Expert Tips To Make The Best Lemon Pudding Poke Cake

• To make lemon filling from scratch, use powdered sugar, lemon zest, whipped cream, mascarpone or sour cream, and fresh lemon juice.
• To make the cake more moist, you can add some vegetable oil, sour cream, or Greek yogurt, and a little bit of fresh or bottled lemon juice.
• Check the doneness of the cake with a toothpick test. It should come out of the cake clean or with just a few crumbs sticking to it.
• Another variation of the lemon poke cake recipe is to mix the cake mix and pudding mix together for the cake batter, without leaving the jello mixture for the frosting.
• The hotter the cake, the more glaze it will soak in.
• Make sure to cool the cake before chilling it – otherwise, the frosting will become watery and runny.

Popular Questions

What Does Adding Sour Cream To A Box Cake Mix Do?

Adding sour cream to a box cake mix makes the cake super moist and fluffy. It adds extra fat, which helps the cake stay soft and delicious. It also gives the cake a richer taste, making it even more yummy! Greek or plain yogurt works the same way.

Can I Add Lemon Juice To Store-Bought Cake Mix?

Yes, you can add lemon juice to a cake mix! It gives the cake a fresh, tangy, concentrated lemon flavor. Just be careful not to add too much, or the cake might become too wet. 

If you love this cake recipe, you’re going to love these other lemon cake recipes, too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Great Poke Cake Recipes

Coconut Poke Cake

Jello Poke Cake

Peppermint Cake

Raspberry Cream Poke Cake

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