Lemon Poke Cake

When life gives you lemons, treat yourself to a tangy & sweet dairy-free Lemon Poke Cake! This recipe is kicked up with a zesty lemon glaze icing that infuses deep into the cake, creating the ultimate lemony treat. This retro 1960’s dessert is made using lemon Jell-O (jello, gelatin), store bought cake mix, and freshly squeezed orange juice for a luscious and citrusy flavor explosion. All this makes it super easy to make!

Refreshing citrus desserts like our orange flourless cake,  icebox lemon cake and lemony lemon cake are classic recipes that never go out of style. With every bite, you'll enjoy the tender cake complemented by a slightly crisp top created by the lemon glaze. It's a taste and texture sensation you won't be able to resist! I bet your mouth is watering just thinking about taking a bite into the sweet and sour moist dessert.

Jump to:

• Easy Portable Dessert
• Ingredients
• How to make Lemon Jello Cake?
• Preparing the Lemon Glaze
• Variations and Substitutions
• Recipe Tips
• Can Cake Batter be Refrigerated?
• How to Glaze
• Tips for Serving
• How to Store
• Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
• More Easy Delicious Dessert Recipes
• Lemon Poke Cake

Easy Portable Dessert

With just 15 minutes of prep and 7 ingredients, you can indulge in a delicious jello dessert. This light and refreshing lemon jello cake with lemon glaze is perfect for spring and summer gatherings like Mother's Day, picnics, parties, and showers because it does not need to be refrigerated.

In contrast to pudding poke cakes, this Jello poke cake does not contain any milk products or feature a whipped cream topping - so it does not get soggy. Instead, this dessert has an easy lemon glaze icing just like our baked matcha donuts.

Ingredients

Lemon Cake Mix – Yes, from a box! Be sure to grab a 15.25 oz sized box.

Eggs – 4 whole eggs at room temperature. This is not a typo – 4 eggs instead of the 3 it usually calls for on the box. An extra egg makes the cake extra moist and gives it added structure.

Lemon Jell-O Gelatin – be sure to grab the 3-ounce small sized one. We used the sugar free version as that is what we had on hand, but you can also use regular jello. Unlike our recipe for jello jigglers in which you add water to dissolve the gelatin, you will be adding the dry gelatin directly into the cake batter.

Orange Juice – Freshly squeezed orange juice takes this lemon poke cake recipe over the top. We used mandarin orange juice just like we used in our Chewy Mandarin Orange Cookies. Store bought orange juice or reconstituted frozen orange juice can also be substituted for fresh juice. For an extra mouthwatering sweet and tart cake, experiment with a mix of lemon and orange juice in equal parts.

Oil – Using a light flavored oil like canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, avocado oil or even light olive oil all work well in this moist and tender jello poke cake. Strong flavored oils like extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil and sesame oil are not recommended. If you are watching your cholesterol levels, be sure to try our Best Orange Almond Flourless Cake as it does not use any oils and it is gluten-free.

Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed is the best to lighten and brighten the lemon glaze.

Powdered Sugar – also known as confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar.

How to make Lemon Jello Cake?

• Mix boxed cake mix, eggs, oil, dried jello gelatin crystals and orange juice together.
• Pour mixture into a prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in 350⁰ F (176⁰ C) oven or until a toothpick comes out clean.  

• Allow the cake to cool. Then, poke the top of cake with fork so that the lemon icing can penetrate the cake.

Preparing the Lemon Glaze

• To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice and mix them together until smooth.
• Pour the lemon glaze over the baked jello poke cake. Leave the cake rest for 15 minutes or until the glaze sets.

Variations and Substitutions

1. Cake Mix: Try a gluten-free lemon cake boxed mix for gluten-sensitivities. If you can’t find lemon cake mix, use a plain yellow cake mix and add ½ teaspoon of pure lemon extract and zest of a lemon to the cake batter.
2. Reduce Oil: Exchange part of the oil with applesauce or dairy free yogurt to keep the lemon poke cake moist.
3. Jello Flavor: Can’t find lemon jello? Try lime or orange flavored jello instead. You can use either regular or sugar free jello gelatin.
4. Orange Juice (OJ): Fresh squeezed OJ is the best. However, you can also use the premixed juice from the grocery store. Switch it up with limeade, lemonade, or a mixture of the two for a diverse flavor profile.

Recipe Tips

1. Using room temperature eggs in baking is important.  It makes it easier for the eggs to get incorporated into the batter and helps make desserts light and airy. Just take your eggs out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you start, and you should be good to go.
2. Make sure that your oven rack is positioned on the middle rack. Too high and the cake will start to get too brown before it has a chance to set.
3. Use a 9 x 13 pan oiled and floured to make this lemon sheet cake with glaze.
4. Don’t trust the baking times on the boxed cake instructions. Each oven can have varying temperature fluctuations depending on the make and model.  In addition, we are adding different ingredients to the mix.
5. Start out setting your oven timer at the 25-minute mark.  Then, reassess using the toothpick method to confirm when the cake is fully cooked. Add additional time as needed. The toothpick will come out almost clean when it is ready. The residual heat from the pan will cook it the remainder of the way.

Can Cake Batter be Refrigerated?

Yes, prepared store-bought cake batter can be refrigerated up to 24 hours, if covered properly. However, it is important to note that because you will be baking cold batter instead of room temperature batter so it may take a little longer to bake. Please make sure you mix the batter again before baking in case any settling occurred.

There are many times when you start a project, but can’t finish it until later. We totally get it - life is busy. So, we tested it for you.

How to Glaze

1. Measurements Matter! To accurately measure confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar) for the lemon glaze, use a dry measuring cup and spoon the powdered sugar into it. Once the cup is full, level it off by running the back of a knife across the top.
2. Once the pan is cool enough to touch, you can refrigerate it so that it speeds up the cooling process.
3. Use a fork or kebab skewer to poke holes in the cake about ¾ of the way down through the cake. Be gentle and make sure you poke the entire surface so that the lemon glaze can penetrate all of the cake.
4. Make sure the cake is all the way cool before adding the lemon glaze. If it is still warm, it will melt the glaze and make the cake dense.

Tips for Serving

• We prefer to have the lemon poke cake chilled before enjoying it. However, it can also be served at room temperature.
• Make sure to wipe your knife clean between each cut of cake to ensure neat and clean slices.
• Top with fresh berries, thin slices of fresh lemons, candied lemon slices or a little coconut whipped cream to serve.
• Delicious with a cup of coffee, espresso, iced chai tea latte or even a pot of lemon ginger tea.

How to Store

This lemon jello poke cake can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator covered for up to 7 days. In addition, you can cut, cover, and freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat, just place in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature to thaw out.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

More Easy Delicious Dessert Recipes

Icebox Lavender Lemon Angel Food Cake

Best Orange Almond Flourless Cake

Skinny Berry Cheesecake bars

St David's Welsh Cake

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