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How to make my family’s favorite summer dessert, lemon cake. Easy recipe anyone can make for a moist, fluffy dessert covered in a citrus-y lemon glaze.
My mom and grandma must have both had the same lemon cake recipe, because growing up, I remember both of them making this cake. Lemon cake is a family favorite, as are lemon cupcakes, lime vanilla poke cake cupcakes, and lemon poke cake (without the pudding).
Easy means this is a cake mix recipe. Don’t worry, though, because it’s more than just a cake mix.
My favorite thing about this cake is the lemon glaze that creates a slightly crispy top and then soaks down into the cake. Just like my strawberry Jello cake, this is a poke cake too.
I’m going to show you how to make it, and then below you’ll find the printable recipe so you can make it too. It’s a very quick and easy summer dessert, my kind of recipe. Like my favorite yellow cake recipe, lemon cake is perfect for your next church potluck or outdoor cookout.
Gather your ingredients for a lemon cake recipe:
- lemon cake mix
- lemon instant pudding mix
- eggs
- water
- canola oil
- powdered sugar
- lemon juice (or frozen lemonade concentrate)
Tips for how to make lemon cake:
Pre-heat the oven to 350°.
First you’ll mix the cake mix and the instant pudding mix together. Then add in the eggs and water, beating everything together for about 2 minutes.
Add the canola oil; then beat for another 2 minutes.
Pour the cake batter into a rectangular 13″x9″ cake pan, and smooth it out evenly in the pan with a spatula. Place it in the oven and bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
How to make a lemon glaze for your cake:
Meanwhile, mix up the lemon glaze.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and lemon juice, which will create a really thin glaze, creating a lemon drizzle cake.
- When the cake is done and while it’s still hot, poke it all over with a fork.
- Then pour or spoon on the glaze and spread it evenly over the cake.
The glaze will soak down into the cake, creating a really moist texture to the cake and a slightly crunchy top layer. It’s so good!
Looking for more scrumptious cake recipes?
Kitchen tools you may need to make lemon pudding cake:
Mixer – I use my mixer just about every time I bake anything.
Cake Pan – You’ll need a 13″x9″ rectangular cake pan for this cake.
Spatula – Where would I be without my spatulas? I have a whole slew of them because we’re ALWAYS using them.
Cake Tester – Dan bought me a cake tester awhile back, and I’ll tell ya, it’s come in so handy! Although a toothpick works really well too.
Deliciously Easy Lemon Cake Recipe
How to make my family’s favorite summer dessert, lemon cake. Easy recipe anyone can make for a moist, fluffy dessert covered in a citrus-y lemon glaze.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 box lemon cake mix
- 3.4 ounces lemon instant pudding mix
- 4 whole eggs
- 3/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup canola oil
Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
Cake:
Pre-heat the oven to 350°.
Mix together the cake mix and the instant pudding mix.
Then add in the eggs and water, beating everything together for about 2 minutes.
Add the canola oil; then beat for another 2 minutes.
Pour the cake batter into a rectangular 13"x9" cake pan, and smooth it out evenly in the pan with a spatula.
Place it in the oven and bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
Glaze:
In a medium bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and lemon juice, which will create a really thin glaze, creating a lemon drizzle cake.
When the cake is done and while it's still hot, poke it all over with a fork.
Then pour or spoon on the glaze and spread it evenly over the cake.
The glaze will soak down into the cake, creating a really moist texture to the cake and a slightly crunchy top layer. It's so good!
And it's now ready to serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
You can substitute 4 ounces of frozen lemonade concentrate for the lemon juice.
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published on June 28, 2012, but was re-published with bigger photos and more details in June of 2018.
i am so happy to have found this recipe. my mom made this all the time for my dad. and all of her recipes where lost after she passed, so i am slowly but surely rebuilding it. thank you so very much for sharing, i am off to look through the rest of your recipes to see if you have anything else i need.
Heather, thanks so much. You are so welcome. My mom and grandma both made this cake all the time, and it was one of my favorite desserts. I hope you enjoy!
What is salad oil?
Hellene, it’s a term my grandmother used. When a recipe calls for that, I use vegetable or canola oil.
Just made this yummies
Tabitha, I hope you enjoy!:) It’s one of my favorites for sure.
I have been searching for this cake for two years until I tried your recipe and its been a success every since. Thank you for the perfect lemon crunch cake recipe. May God keep blessing your ideas.
Thank you so much, Margie! This is wonderful to hear. I’m so glad you enjoyed. I think it’s about time for me to make this again.:)
I need a recipe that I can make and travel with, I will be driving on a 5 hour trip. Do you think this would be ok to make a day ahead and to take with me on a trip?
Kathy, I’ve actually made it a day ahead before. I’ve only traveled to church potluck or family dinner with it, but it seems to travel well. I do like to keep ours in the fridge or cooler; it just stays fresh that way.
Oh Mel! Thank you so much for the recipe! My Mother and Grandmother always made this lemon cake. I’ve been searching for Mom’s recipe for a year now. We can’t find it! This is it! Thank you again! Your a life saver!
Oh Linda, I love this! Thank you so much for sharing… I’m so glad you found this recipe. I hope you enjoy!
We LOVE lemon desserts at my house. This cake looks perfectly moist and delicious!!
Michele, we do too! Lemon is definitely a favorite around here. It’s so moist and yummy. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this on Waste Not Wednesday-Faeries and Fauna. I have always wanted to make a lemon cake, and this looks very doable and delicious!
Thank you, Kristine! It is very doable and definitely one of my family’s favorite desserts. It doesn’t last long.
Absolutely Amazing. Tried it the first time and it was perfect! Thank You.
Yay, Nita! Thank you so much for sharing. I’m so glad you enjoyed it.