Super moist lemon cake recipe that is made using box mix, orange juice and lemon pudding! This cake is made in an angel food cake and is poked with a toothpick to absorb the lemon glaze. Delicious!
There is something about lemon cake that is soooo refreshing! Also known as lemon drizzle cake, lemon poke cake and the moist lemon cake I can’t live without – this recipe is a favorite and it’s no surprise why!
I found this lemon ice pick cake recipe in my little recipe box from our wedding that I’ve had fun sorting through. Although I didn’t have an ice pick (as the original directions suggested to use), I did have a toothpick to make this lemon jello cake recipe. It’s so easy!
How To Make Moist Lemon Cake Recipe
Here’s what you need to make this easy lemon cake recipe:
- yellow cake mix
- vegetable oil
- orange juice
- instant lemon pudding
- eggs
- confectioner’s sugar
- butter
- lemon juice
You will also need an angel food cake pan to make this cake. Although, I think a 9×13 pan would work as well, you’ll just need to adjust the baking time. Make sure to butter and flour the angel food cake well.
Using a mixer, mix the yellow cake mix, oil, orange juice and instant pudding together.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each egg.
Place the batter into the angel food cake pan. Use a spatula to make sure it’s even. Bake at 350 degrees˚ for 50 minutes.
How Long Do You Cool The Cake Before Removing It From The Pan?
Once the cake is baked, let it cool on a cooling rack. I leave my cake in the pan for about 10-15 minutes and then remove it from the pan carefully. You want it to cool enough that the cake starts to separate from the pan, but not too long or the cake will start to become soggy.
What Icing Is Best For Lemon Cake?
For this recipe we will be making a lemon glaze as the icing. Because this cake is super moist and dense, a lighter glaze is the perfect compliment. I like how this lemon glaze gives a bit of a crunch to the cake and just enough lemon flavor to knock it out of the park.
Use a strainer when measuring the confectioner’s sugar so that it isn’t lumpy. A lumpy glaze isn’t a pretty glaze. You can see all the lumps in my confectioner’s sugar that I avoided by a simple strainer.
Mix the lemon juice and melted butter into the powdered sugar. It is a glaze so it will not be thick.
Using a toothpick, poke a generous amount of holes to the top of the cake. Then pour the glaze over the entire cake making sure to allow the holes you have poked to fill with the delicious lemon glaze.
Here’s a tip. To really maximize the glaze, put a cooling wrack over a cookie sheet and use it to collect the extra glaze. Doing it this way, I was able to pour the glaze over the cake three times to maximize the flavor.
That’s it! It’s so easy to make and it’s absolutely delicious. The lemon flavors are perfectly balanced with the sweet cake making this moist lemon cake a family favorite. Enjoy!
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Moist Lemon Cake Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8
- Category: Dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Moist lemon cake mix made with yellow box mix, orange juice and lemon pudding. Poked with a toothpick and drowned in a lemon glaze.
Ingredients
- 1 package yellow cake mix
- ½ Cup vegetable oil
- 1 Cup orange juice
- 1 package instant lemon pudding
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ Cup confectioner’s sugar
- 2 TB butter
- ⅓ Cup lemon juice (need 1.5 lemons)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Butter and flour an angel food cake pan.
- Mix together yellow cake mix, oil, orange juice and instant pudding. Add 3 eggs one at a time, beating after each egg. Spread batter in angel food cake pan making sure that the batter is even on all sides.
- Bake in 350˚ F for 50 minutes. Let cake cool for 10 minutes and then remove from pan.
- To make the glaze, mix the confectioner’s sugar, melted butter and lemon juice.
- Poke holes in cake with toothpick and add glaze.
Notes
To make sure the lemon glaze is not lumpy, use a strainer to remove lumps from powdered sugar before mixing with butter and lemon.
Keywords: moist lemon cake, easy lemon cake, lemon cake, lemon cake recipe
Originally shared in 2014. Updated 2019.
This recipe looks fun what size instant pudding would I use
Thanks found out what size I needed I will make this soon and thank you for the recipe
Hi going to make this today but don’t see anywhere that says what size pudding mix? My store carries 2 sizes 5.1 oz or 3.4 oz. I got 2 of the smaller sizes but if you could let me know which size that would be great. Thank you
Hi! You’ll need (1) 3.4 oz package of lemon instant pudding. Enjoy!
I made this for Easter – it was simple to make and was one of the best cakes I’ve ever made! Fantastic!
★★★★★
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it! It’s perfect for Easter dessert!
Hi – Just wondering if I want it more “lemon-y” can I add a little lemon extract?
Sure! Give it a try and let me know how it goes.
Just wondering why you need butter in the glaze. Would it work to substitute the butter with more lemon juice?
★★★★
The butter gives it a creaminess and a depth of flavor. Most frosting or glazes are made with butter. However, you can always adapt a recipe as you like. 🙂
Would cook and serve lemon pudding mix work?
Recipe sounds great but I got so frustrated reading through it with all the pop up ads. The car one actually came up 8 times.
Thanks for the feedback. I should not have any popup ads. (I agree, they are annoying.) I will check into it. Thanks!
Hello can you use Lemon Supreme box cake instead?
Hi dear wht is lemon pudding u hv used I lok ur recipe thank u❤
I used the lemon pudding you’ll find in the baking section of most grocery stores. Not all carry it but I highly recommend the Jello brand for flavor.
hello i want in french if possible
Very moist and flavorful! I will make this cake again.
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed it Lora!
Hi. I will be making this delicious looking cake very soon. Can it be baked in a bundt pan?
It’s a super moist cake so using a bundt cake might be a bit of a challenge. It’s not as dense as a pound cake. That being said, I’ve never tried it, so if you do and have success, please let me know!
I made in a Bundt pan and it was great!
Always get rave reviews with this recipe!
Awesome! I am so glad you enjoyed this cake. It stays so moist!
I needed this answered as well. Thank you! Did you have to adjust the cooking time?
★★★★★