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Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes » Cake Recipes » Moist Lemon Cake Recipe

Moist Lemon Cake Recipe

By Lynette on January 7, 2019 · 100 Comments

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lemon cake
lemon cake icing glaze

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!

lemon cake on plate with fork

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

Lemon Jello Cake Recipe Butter Angel Food Cake Pan

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.

Easy Lemon Cake Recipe In Mixer

Using a mixer, mix the yellow cake mix, oil, orange juice and instant pudding together.

Moist Lemon Cake Recipe Batter

Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each egg.

Lemon Jello Cake Batter In Pan

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.

lemon cake icing glaze

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.

Powdered Sugar in Strainer

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.

Moist Lemon Cake Recipe Glaze

Mix the lemon juice and melted butter into the powdered sugar.  It is a glaze so it will not be thick.

easy lemon cake on cooling wrack

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.

lemon cake recipe sliced on plate with fork

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!

More Simple Cake Recipes

  • Lemon Lime Jello Poke Cake
  • Orange Delight Cake Recipe
  • Chocolate Cake Recipe (No mixer required!)
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easy lemon cake on cooling wrack

Moist Lemon Cake Recipe

★★★★★ 4.8 from 12 reviews
  • Author: Lynette Rice
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 50 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 8
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: bake
  • Cuisine: American
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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

Scale
  • 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

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F.  Butter and flour an angel food cake pan.
  2. 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.
  3. Bake in 350˚ F for 50 minutes.  Let cake cool for 10 minutes and then remove from pan.
  4. To make the glaze, mix the confectioner’s sugar, melted butter and lemon juice.
  5. 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

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @cleverlysimple on Instagram and hashtag it #cleverlysimple

Originally shared in 2014.  Updated 2019.

« Life At Our Farmhouse (December 2018)
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About Lynette

Lynette is the home cook, recipe tester and photographer for Cleverly Simple which she created in 2010.  Most of her recipes come from the treasured recipe box passed down from her great-grandma, grandmother, and mother.

Lynette’s recipes and projects have been featured in Country Living, Good Housekeeping, House Beautiful and others.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sam

    February 03, 2022 at 11:14 pm

    This recipe looks fun what size instant pudding would I use

    Reply
    • Sam

      February 03, 2022 at 11:26 pm

      Thanks found out what size I needed I will make this soon and thank you for the recipe

      Reply
  2. Kathy

    June 06, 2021 at 12:07 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Lynette

      June 06, 2021 at 12:58 pm

      Hi! You’ll need (1) 3.4 oz package of lemon instant pudding. Enjoy!

      Reply
  3. Lynne

    April 05, 2021 at 11:31 pm

    I made this for Easter – it was simple to make and was one of the best cakes I’ve ever made! Fantastic!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lynette

      April 12, 2021 at 10:23 am

      Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it! It’s perfect for Easter dessert!

      Reply
  4. Reev

    March 21, 2021 at 6:07 pm

    Hi – Just wondering if I want it more “lemon-y” can I add a little lemon extract?

    Reply
    • Lynette

      March 29, 2021 at 9:30 am

      Sure! Give it a try and let me know how it goes.

      Reply
  5. Cheri M

    November 18, 2020 at 5:41 pm

    Just wondering why you need butter in the glaze. Would it work to substitute the butter with more lemon juice?

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Lynette

      November 20, 2020 at 11:28 am

      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. 🙂

      Reply
      • Lisa Hirschey

        March 04, 2021 at 12:16 pm

        Would cook and serve lemon pudding mix work?

        Reply
  6. Kathe

    October 23, 2020 at 10:13 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Lynette

      October 26, 2020 at 3:53 pm

      Thanks for the feedback. I should not have any popup ads. (I agree, they are annoying.) I will check into it. Thanks!

      Reply
      • LPUCKETT

        October 19, 2021 at 1:22 pm

        Hello can you use Lemon Supreme box cake instead?

        Reply
  7. Sofia fernandes

    August 27, 2020 at 3:19 pm

    Hi dear wht is lemon pudding u hv used I lok ur recipe thank u❤

    Reply
    • Lynette

      August 29, 2020 at 12:08 pm

      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.

      Reply
    • nora

      July 25, 2021 at 6:05 pm

      hello i want in french if possible

      Reply
  8. Lora Beaumont

    May 02, 2020 at 6:50 pm

    Very moist and flavorful! I will make this cake again.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lynette

      May 20, 2020 at 3:46 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it Lora!

      Reply
      • Connie E.

        September 25, 2020 at 2:58 am

        Hi. I will be making this delicious looking cake very soon. Can it be baked in a bundt pan?

        Reply
        • Lynette

          September 27, 2020 at 11:06 am

          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!

          Reply
          • Lori

            December 26, 2021 at 10:06 am

            I made in a Bundt pan and it was great!
            Always get rave reviews with this recipe!

            Reply
            • Lynette

              January 11, 2022 at 10:48 am

              Awesome! I am so glad you enjoyed this cake. It stays so moist!

              Reply
            • Laurie

              January 14, 2022 at 6:35 pm

              I needed this answered as well. Thank you! Did you have to adjust the cooking time?

              ★★★★★

              Reply
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Lynette Rice head shotHi, I’m Lynette. My desire is to help women who feel uninspired weave time honored recipes into their routines to create a sense of simplicity. Most of my recipes come from the treasured recipe box passed down from my great-grandma, grandmother and mother. And I want to share them with you.  Learn more.

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