A refreshing lemon lime jello poke cake made with boxed cake mix, lime jello and topped with a homemade lemon pudding dream whip frosting.
Everybody likes cake. Well, maybe not 100 percent everybody, but there’s enough people in the world that like a good cake to make jello cake – and make it well. But with all the box mix opportunities that stare at you from the grocery store shelves, it’s hard to know how to make a cake unique – moist and amazing, while at the same time harnessing the ease of the box mix.
By the way, this moist lemon cake recipe is also amazing!
Here’s Why You Should Make This Jello Cake
- This unique yet amazingly moist cake has all the things.
- It has the slight tartness of lemon (thanks to the lemon box mix) and the sweetness of lime.
- It’s not a super tart jello cake (don’t think key lime pie) but still is refreshingly light.
- My grandma called it summer cake because of the flavors. I think this lemon lime jello poke cake can be made at any time. All the time. When that sweet tooth hits, this is the cake.
What Is A Poke Cake
A poke cake is a cake that you poke and fill with a unique filling like this lemon poke cake I’ve shared before. In this case, we’re taking a lemon cake mix, baking it and then poking it. Into the poke holes goes a lime jello. It’s super easy to do and I that the jello takes it to a new level of flavor and moist-ness.
How Do You Poke Holes In the Cake
I use the handle of a small spatula. You want something that’s wider than a toothpick, but more narrow then a typical handle you’ll find in your utensil drawer. For me, that comes in the form of a small spatula I had on hand. Once you have your tool of choice, you want to poke the fully baked and slightly cooked cake, with the handle. Each hole should be about 1 to 2 inches from each other.
How to Make A Lemon Lime Poke Cake
- Make the cake following the lemon cake mix directions.
- Let the cake cool.
- Poke the cake.
- Fill the poke holes with jello.
- While the cake is setting in the refrigerator, make homemade frosting.
- Frost the cake – and enjoy!
What I like about this cake is that it’s super simple to make and is topped with a delicious pudding frosting that is fluffy and light.
My grandma called this a refreshing summer cake. I agree. It’s refreshing, but I don’t think you’re limited to summer with this cake. It’s like sunshine in a cake pan – and we can definitely use sunshine during any season – especially the fall and winter here in Ohio.
So, whether you need a unique dessert for your next potluck, or you’re making a refreshing cake for your family. This lemon lime jello cake – is the way to go!
Enjoy!
More Simple Cake Recipes
Lemon Lime Jello Poke Cake
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- lemon supreme box cake mix
- vegetable oil
- eggs
- lime jello 3 oz
- 3/4 Cup boiling water
- 1/2 Cup cold water
Frosting
- lemon instant pudding 3.2 oz
- 1 envelope of dream whip
- 1 1/2 Cup cold milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven according to cake mix directions. Grease and flour a 9×13 glass baking dish.
- Bake the lemon cake as directed. Cool cake for 20 to 25 minutes.
- While cake cools make the jello. Combine lime jello and 3/4 cup boiling water. Once jello is dissolved add 1/2 cup cold water. Cool to room temperature.
- Poke holes into warm cake and pour cooled jello over the cake. Refrigerate.
- Once cake is cool, make the frosting by beating lemon pudding, dream whip and cold milk. Spread over the top of the cake and refrigerate.
Comments & Reviews
Can I use frozen cool whip for the envelope of dream whip
This is pretty much the same recipe my grandma always used. She called it refrigerator cake. She always used vanilla cake mix, cherry jello and vanilla pudding. So good. I also recently tried strawberry jello and lemon pudding. So versatile.
Hi Lynette!! As Melissa asked a few years back, can this be frozen with the icing already on it? Thank you!
Hi! Yes! This cake does freeze well. I have found that after it thaws, it is just as if just made. Just make sure to wrap it airtight so that there is no freezer burn. Freezer burn would alter the taste.
Would you put the frosting on the cake before freezing it? I’m hoping to make the cake ahead of time and take it camping.
Hey Melissa, I need to know the same!! Did you ever get a reply, in email maybe?? Or, did you freeze and did it work? Thank you! 😀
Oh Wow! I just found this recipe on Pinterest! My Mom used to make this exact cake in the summer! She also made one with strawberry jello and a white cake mix!! Same topping! I have not had this cake in about 50 years! This brings back so many memories of my Mom and my childhood! Thank you so much for posting this cake recipe. I have saved it to one of my boards.
I think that I am missing something here, like how many eggs are used? how much oil is needed? there is missing information and I think that I will pass on making it. I don’t like having recipes turn out wrong because of missing information.
As stated in the directions, the cake is made based on the cake mix instructions. The reason I do not list the vegetable oil and eggs is that it varies based on the brand you purchase. I think you’ll like this recipe and encourage you to make it follow the cake mix instructions as directed. Thanks.
I made this recipe and it was something my mom always made in the summer ! It was in my memory snd viola I found it and makes me very happy! It turned out just how I remember it years ago! My mom is in heaven so o couldn’t ask her how to do but Pinterest is the bomb!
I am so glad you found this recipe! I find great joy in sharing unique recipes from the past to bring them back. Thanks so much for letting me know!
My Mom used to make this cake in the summer as well! She is in heaven also so I could not ask her either! This cake brings back so many great memories!
I really really really wish you had noted somewhere (in the instructions step 3? Or by the water in the ingredients list?) that this recipe has a different amount of water than what’s on the jello package. Did I skim the ingredients list? Yes. But I have literally never made jello and didn’t realize your recipe has a reduced water qty compared to the package’s instructions. The cake mix got made according to the box, so it was easy to assume the jello would also. Thank you.
Hi Nissa, I’m sorry you had trouble! I just updated the recipe card to reflect the changes to make it less confusing in the future. Thanks for letting me know!
are you sure you don’t mean 1 1/2 cups of milk?
1/2 cup doesn’t sound like enough.
Yes! 1 1/2 cups of cold milk. Thanks for pointing out my error. 🙂
In the directions step 5, you say to mix pudding mix, dream whip and cold water. I think you mean cold milk, although there is cold water in the ingredients, but that is used with the jello.
You are correct! Thank you for letting me know of my error. I’ve updated the recipe. 🙂
I cannot find dreamwhip anywhere. Is there another way to make the icing? Maybe use whipping cream in place of the milk?
Thank you
I’m sorry you can’t find dream whip! Bummer! I’ve not tried anything else, but I think you could probably make the pudding as directed on the box and then fold in the cool whip? It would probably have a slightly different taste and be fluffier but I think it would be delicious.