Lemon Poke Cake

Lemon Poke Cake is a deliciously sweet and tart treat made with a boxed lemon cake mix, instant lemon pudding mix, and fluffy whipped topping! The best part, it only requires 15 minutes of hands-on prep time!

Warmer weather is best enjoyed with good company and a tasty lemony dessert like this one, Lemon Meringue Slab Pie or Lemon Bars!

Look no further than this bright, flavorful Lemon Poke Cake to make for your next gathering! It has a sweet yet lemony tart taste that will have friends and family coming back for seconds!

This layered, chilled treat is a delicious way to cool down as the weather starts to warm back up! Its vibrant and sweet flavor curbs your sweet tooth without the weight of a heavy dessert!

What I Love About Lemon Poke Cake

• Easy To Make! This Lemon Poke Cake Recipe requires zero kitchen skills! Simply bake the cake, mix up the pudding, and spread out the whipped topping!
• Delicious Layers! I love a good layered dessert like this one that has lots of texture and flavor!
• Plenty Of Servings! This easy-to-make poke cake has a dozen servings! Making it a great option when you need to feed a large crowd!
• Add A Fun Topping! The cake is topped with fresh lemon slices and lemon zest, but you can take it a step further by making Candied Lemon Slices to place on top instead!

Lemon Poke Cake Ingredients

Begin making this Lemon Poke Cake by whipping up the lemon cake base! This is made with a boxed lemon cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs.

Once the cake has been baked and cooled, it gets covered in the creamy lemon pudding! To make this layer, all you need are boxes of instant lemon pudding mix and whole milk.

The dessert is then topped with the cool whip; however, feel free to make your own Homemade Whipped Cream instead! I then like to finish this Easy Lemon Cake off with lemon slices and lemon zest!

How To Make Lemon Poke Cake With Pudding

1. Mix the cake mix with water, vegetable oil, and eggs. Afterward, pour the batter into a prepared baking dish.
2. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out lean. Then allow the cake to cool.
3. Poke holes over each inch of the cake and set it aside.
4. Whisk the pudding mix and milk together until smooth. Next, pour it over the cake, spreading it out evenly.
5. Chill in the refrigerator.
6. Spread the whipped topping over the pudding layer and top with sliced lemons and zest. Serve and enjoy!

Lemon Poke Cake FAQs

Can I Make This Poke Cake Recipe With Jell-O Instead Of Pudding?

Of course, the dessert will turn out to be lighter but still delicious! I’d suggest grabbing a couple of boxes of lemon Jell-O mix to ensure you have enough.

Then instead of pouring the Jell-O over the cake, I’d pour it directly into the holes on the poke cake. Afterward, place the Lemon Jello Cake in the fridge for 2 hours to allow the Jell-O to set.

What Do I Use To Poke Holes In The Cake?

I prefer to use the handle of a wooden spoon. However, you could also use a straw or even a skewer. The handle of a butter knife would also work just fine though it will create thick slits instead of holes, which is perfectly fine!

How Do I Store This Lemon Poke Cake?

Keep it tightly covered in the refrigerator and enjoy it within 3 to 4 days.

If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review; I love hearing from you! And don’t forget to join our Busy Family Recipes Facebook Community and share your photos of the dishes you made there!

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Lemon Poke Cake

Lemon Poke Cake is a deliciously sweet and tart treat that's made with a boxed lemon cake mix, instant lemon pudding mix, and fluffy whipped topping! The best part, it only requires 15 minutes of hands-on prep time!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lemon cake, lemon pudding cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cooling Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 15 people

Calories: 131kcal

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (15oz.) box lemon cake mix
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 2 (3.9oz.) boxes instant lemon pudding mix
• 2 cups cold whole milk
• 8 ounces whipped topping thawed
• Lemon zest and slices for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9×13-inch baking pan with a light coating of cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs. Mix until thoroughly combined.
  1 (15oz.) box lemon cake mix, 1 cup water, ½ cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs
• Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool, then using the handle of a wooden spoon poke holes over each inch of the cake. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the pudding mix and milk. Whisk together until smooth.
  2 (3.9oz.) boxes instant lemon pudding mix, 2 cups cold whole milk
• Pour pudding over cake and spread evenly.
• Refrigerate for one hour.
• Spread the whipped topping over the pudding layer.
  8 ounces whipped topping
• Top with sliced lemons and zest. Serve.
  Lemon zest and slices

NUTRITION

Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 38mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 0.001g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 111IU | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 0.2mg