This super moist lemon cake recipe is incredibly soft, fluffy, and moist, thanks to the method of poking holes with a toothpick to absorb the lemon glaze in every bite! It’s, by far, the most moist lemon cake you’ll ever try and it’s super easy to make too since we’ll use box mix, orange juice, and lemon pudding!
This is one of those old-fashioned poke cake recipes. Why did they ever go out of style? The poking brings flavor and moisture to the cake. If you love this recipe you will also like Lemon Lime Jello Poke Cake and my Kentucky Butter Cake.
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 use), I did have a toothpick to make this lemon jello cake recipe. It’s so easy!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: This moist lemon cake recipe is incredibly simple and requires basic ingredients. Just mix, pour into a pan, and bake. Even the delicious lemon glaze is super easy to make!
- Perfectly Moist: This cake recipe is a foolproof way to get a moist lemon cake, thanks to the method of poking holes with a toothpick and pouring lemon glaze on top. It absorbs into the crumb to make it deliciously moist and tangy.
- Family Favorite: The refreshing lemon flavor, combined with the moist cake layers, makes this a hit with all ages. It’s a dessert that’s sure to be requested time and again.
- Versatile: While this recipe calls for an angel food cake pan, it can easily be adapted for a bundt pan or even made into delightful lemon cupcakes. This is the easiest lemon jello cake recipe!
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Key Ingredients
- Yellow cake mix: This is your base for the cake. It saves time and helps guarantee that the cake has the perfect texture every time.
- Vegetable Oil: This is the main source of fat that will keep your cake moist and rich in flavor.
- Orange Juice: Adds a refreshing citrus twist to the cake, complimenting the lemon flavor.
- Instant Lemon Pudding: This is the secret ingredient that gives the cake its intense lemon flavor and moistness.
- Eggs: These will bind your ingredients together. Make sure they are at room temperature so they incorporate more easily into the batter.
- Confectioner’s Sugar: This will sweeten your glaze to just the right level. Use a strainer to remove lumps from powdered sugar before mixing with butter and lemon for the lemon fglaze.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice will add the perfect fresh lemon flavor to your glaze, which will be absorbed into the cake.
- Butter: The fat in this recipe gives the glaze a beautiful buttery flavor and the right consistency as well.
Equipment
- Angel Food Cake Pan – You will need this specific type of pan to achieve the perfect shape for your cake. You can also use a 9×13 pan, but remember to adjust the baking time accordingly.
- Mixing Bowl – This is where you’ll combine your cake mix, oil, orange juice, and instant pudding. It is essential to have a sufficiently large bowl to accommodate all your ingredients.
- Toothpick – This simple tool is surprisingly essential. You’ll use it to poke holes in the cake after baking, which allows the glaze to seep in and give the cake that extra lemony goodness.
- Strainer – The trick to getting the perfect glaze is to use a strainer when measuring the confectioner’s sugar so that it isn’t lumpy. Trust me, it makes all the difference.
How to Make
Preparation
First things first, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. You’ll also need to prepare your angel food cake pan by thoroughly buttering it AND dusting it with flour. This helps guarantee that the cake will be released easily once it is baked. Do not skip this step!
Step 1 – Mixing the Cake Batter
In a large bowl, combine your yellow cake mix, oil, orange juice, and instant pudding. Now, it is time to add the eggs. Crack them into the bowl one at a time, beating well after each addition. Once your batter is well mixed, pour the mixture into your prepared angel food cake pan. Make sure to spread the batter evenly on all sides.
Step 2 – Baking the Cake
Place your pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50 minutes. After baking, let your cake cool for 10 minutes before you remove it from the pan. This cooling time is crucial to make sure that you don’t break the cake when you take it out.
Step 3 – Preparing the Lemon Glaze
While your cake is cooling, you can prepare the lemon glaze. In a bowl, mix together confectioner’s sugar, melted butter, and fresh lemon juice. Stir until everything is well combined.
Step 4 – Adding the Glaze to the Cake
Once your cake is out of the pan, it is time to add the glaze. The cake will still be warm. Using a toothpick, poke holes all over the cake. Then, pour the glaze over the cake, making sure it seeps into the holes you’ve created. This will give your cake a moist, lemony flavor throughout.
Expert Tips
- Sift your powdered sugar: To avoid lumps in your lemon glaze, strain the powdered sugar before mixing it with butter and lemon juice. This simple step helps guarantee a smoother, more appealing glaze.
- Use a cooling rack to help with glaze: To really maximize the glaze, put a cooling rack 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.
Variations
- Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting: If you’re a fan of cream cheese frosting, this variation is for you. Simply swap the lemon glaze with cream cheese frosting for a more creamy finish. You can also add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to your cream cheese frosting to enhance the lemon flavor.
- Lemon Cupcakes: If you’re looking for a more portion-controlled dessert, convert this lemon cake recipe into lemon cupcakes. Just pour the batter into a cupcake pan instead of the angel food cake pan. Make sure to adjust the bake time to around 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Lemon Buttercream: For buttercream fans, try this variation. Substitute the glaze with a lemon buttercream frosting. The rich, buttery flavor compliments the tartness of the lemon cake perfectly. Add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to your buttercream for a delicious twist.
What to Serve With
- For a refreshing summer dessert, serve a slice of this moist lemon cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The creaminess of the ice cream perfectly compliments the lemon flavor.
- If you’re hosting a brunch, serve this lemon cake alongside a cup of hot coffee or tea. The citrusy notes in the cake will brighten up your morning!
- If you’re a fan of lemon desserts, why not pair this cake with a glass of homemade lemonade? The tartness of the lemonade will accentuate the lemon flavor in the cake.
- For an elegant presentation, garnish each slice with fresh lemon slices, edible flowers, and a sprinkle of confectioner’s sugar. It is a simple touch that adds a lot of visual appeal.
- This moist lemon cake also makes a great base for a trifle dessert. Layer pieces of the cake with lemon curd, whipped cream, and fresh berries for a delicious treat.
FAQs
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 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.
Yes, you can use a bundt pan for this recipe. Just make sure to butter and flour the pan properly to prevent the cake from sticking.
Absolutely! This batter can be used to make delicious lemon cupcakes. Just adjust the baking time accordingly since cupcakes will bake faster than a full cake.
Yes, adding lemon zest to the batter will give your cake an extra lemon flavor. Just be sure to finely grate the zest to guarantee that it blends well into the batter. You can even a few drops of lemon extract or lemon syrup.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerate: Once your lemon cake has completely cooled on a rack, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. It can be refrigerated for up to a week. For the best lemon flavor, bring it to room temperature before serving.
- Freeze: Unfortunately, due to the moist nature of this lemon cake recipe, I don’t recommend storing it in the freezer. The high moisture content can cause the cake to become soggy when thawed.
- Reheat Instructions: If you’ve stored your cake in the refrigerator, you can reheat individual slices in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds. Be sure not to overheat as it can make the cake dry.
More Lemon Desserts You’ll Enjoy
Serving Size
- What to Expect: This moist lemon cake recipe will yield a delicious dessert that serves up to 8 people.
- How to Scale: If you’re planning a larger gathering and need to serve more than 12 people, you can easily double this lemon cake recipe. Just make sure to use a larger pan or two angel food cake pans. Follow the rest of the instructions as directed, but keep an eye on the baking time as it may vary with a larger quantity of batter.
Moist Lemon Cake Recipe
Equipment
- tube pan
Ingredients
Lemon Cake
- 15.25 oz Yellow Cake Mix
- 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 Cup Orange Juice
- 3.4 oz Instant Lemon Pudding
- 3 large Eggs
Lemon Glaze
- 1 1/2 Cup Confectioner's Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1/3 Cup Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Butter and flour a tube cake pan.
- In a large bowl, 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 oven for 50 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool for 10 minutes and then remove from pan.
- To make the glaze, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, melted butter and lemon juice in a small bowl.
- While the cake is still warm, poke holes in cake with a toothpick and add glaze. Let cake fully cool before storing.
Comments & Reviews
Denise Dalman says
What can you substitute for the orange juice?
Lynette says
I have never tried it with any other juice but you definitely can give it a try. Keep in mind that while the consistency will be the same, the flavor will change. If you don’t use another citrus based juice, you may want to change the type of pudding used in the recipe as well. Let me know what you decide and how it turns out.
Virginia says
We loved this moist lemon cake.
Linda T says
A cake cannot be called a made-from-scratch cake if you are using cake mix. It can be called a doctored up box cake. A scratch cake is made starting with flour, sugar, eggs, etc., and all ingredients for the recipe and combine them to make the batter.
Brandi B. says
Was that comment really necessary? Do you feel better stating the obvious? It sounds like a delicious recipe to me.
Annette says
Dear Linda…When you made your “made from scratch cake” did you take grains and grind them to make your flour??? Did you take the sugar cane and extract the sugar?? if not…tsk,tsk,tsk… you can’t call your cake “made from scratch” either. You, like most of us, buy all ready made ingredients from a store. Stop being so legalistic. This cake does sound yummy and I’m going to make it and call it my “made from scratch cake” too.
Brenda L Kennair says
My first time to make this!! It is great!!! Have to do it again for my special cake!!!!
Maria says
Hi i was reading the rexipe here i couldnt find the yellow cake mix but i found the lemon cake mix instead and also how do i use the lemon instant puding do i had the powder in tjer or do i make the puding first before i make the cake i need to know soon please. And thank you.
Lynette says
You can use lemon cake mix, but it’s going to be even more lemon-y. The yellow cake mix gives it a bit more balance, but go fit! Let me know how it turns out. You just mix the lemon pudding mix into the cake. You do not need to pre-make the pudding. 🙂
Delicious says
I made this cake using lemon Jell-O instead of lemon pudding it was awesome!
Lynette says
Great idea! I’ll have to try that the next time I make this lemon cake. Thanks for sharing!
Wanda says
Does this cake need to be refrigerated, not stated anywhere
Lynette says
Hi Wanda, like most cakes you can leave it on the counter if you’re going to eat it in the next 2 – 3 days. If not, I would put it in the refrigerator.
sylvia says
I will be making this cake for a church auction. How many days ahead of time may I keep in the refrigerator.
This recipe sounds soooo tasty.
Lynette says
If you’re making it more than one day ahead I would freeze it and then let it thaw about 12 hours before serving. Let me know how it turns out!
Jana K says
I live in Czech, and here we do not have anything like “package yellow cake mix”, but we gave things like flour or baking powder. is that it? and if, what is the weight of “package yellow cake mix”? in grams, ideally.
Lynette says
Hi Jana, most of our cake mixes are around 15 ounces here in the United States. The cake mix does include more than just flour and baking powder. To be honest, I’m not sure what exactly. In order to make the cake per the box instructions you typically only add oil, eggs and sometimes water.
Miranda says
I made this cake for Thanksgiving!! It is a winner melt in your mouth. I didn’t use the angle food cake pan. I tried the Bundt cake pan came out good. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I will make this one again.
Kim says
Can I bake it in a bundt pan instead?
Lynette says
HI Kim, I don’t see why not. I’ve never tried it in a bundt pan so you may have to adjust baking time. Let me know how it goes!
Kay says
I make it in a bundt pan every time and it works fine. I use to make an orange cake with the yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding mix and orange juice and then add OJ to the glaze instead of lemon. Also a few chopped pecans in the bottom of the bundt pan. We moved and I’ve lost my recipe so this one is as close as I can come to it. Kinda like the tart lemon taste better!