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Easy Lemon Poke Cake

Incredibly moist lemon poke cake made with only eight ingredients including boxed cake mix, lemon extract, and lemon juice.

This lemony cake is perfect for a quick dessert and is a great option for potlucks and cookouts.

A slice of lemon poke cake on a white plate with a blue checkered napkin.

Quick and Easy Dessert

This lemon poke cake is super easy to make and is made with very common ingredients. This cake does use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the glaze but it can easily be substituted for bottled lemon juice if that's what you have on hand!

However, the lemon extract is essential for the bold lemon flavor in this cake. But, if you don't have lemon extract on hand - it CAN be substituted for 2 tablespoon of lemon juice. Either way, it will be delicious!

Lemon poke cake in white baking dish dusted with powdered sugar.

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Only A Few Ingredients

Simple desserts are perfect when there isn't a lot of time or you're limited on ingredients. This cake only has eight common pantry staples and this lemon poke cake comes together quickly and easily!

Whether this cake is whipped up for a quick and easy dessert for after dinner or for a potluck party - it's a great choice!

  • boxed yellow cake mix
  • eggs
  • all-purpose flour
  • vegetable oil
  • lemon pudding mix
  • lemon extract (or lemon juice as a substitute)
  • water
  • confectioner's sugar
  • lemon juice (for glaze)

RELATED: Apple Crumb Coffee Cake

Poke Cake

One of the best things about poke cake other than how easy poke cakes are to make, it's also how deliciously moist they are.

Once the cake is hot out of the oven, the back of a wooden spoon is used to poke holes into the cake.

The confectioner's sugar and the freshly squeezed lemon juice (or bottled lemon juice) are then combined together to create a glaze that is then poured into the holes of the lemon poke cake and drizzled onto the surface.

When serving the cake, I always use my handheld sifter to get an even coating of powdered sugar over the entire cake.

Slice of lemon poke cake garnished with powdered sugar on white plate with a side of lemon wedges.

📖 Recipe

Yield: 12 slices

Lemon Poke Cake

Lemon Poke Cake

Incredibly moist lemon poke cake made with only eight ingredients including boxed cake mix, lemon extract, and lemon juice.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

Lemon Poke Cake

Lemon Glaze

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°
  2. Lightly grease and flour a 9x13 baking dish.
  3. Dissolve the lemon pudding mix into the hot water. Allow the mixture to sit.
  4. In a bowl, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, and the lemon extract.
  5. Add in the pudding mix.
  6. Beat in the yellow cake mix and the flour.
  7. Pour into the greased and floured baking pan.
  8. Bake for 35 minutes.
  9. Prepare the glaze by combining the 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar and the ¼ cup of lemon juice. Mix until smooth.
  10. Remove from the oven and poke holes into the cake.
  11. Pour the glaze over the holes and drizzle over the entire cake.
  12. If desired, garnish with additional powdered sugar.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 slice

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 427Total Fat: 20.3gSaturated Fat: 3.9gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 419mgCarbohydrates: 58.2gFiber: 0.5gSugar: 33.9gProtein: 3.9g

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Incredibly moist lemon poke cake made with only eight ingredients including boxed cake mix, lemon extract, and lemon juice.   #potluck #lemoncake #boxedcakemix #cakemix #pantry #lemons #extract #baking #cakes #pokecakes
Incredibly moist lemon poke cake made with only eight ingredients including boxed cake mix, lemon extract, and lemon juice.   #potluck #lemoncake #boxedcakemix #cakemix #pantry #lemons #extract #baking #cakes #pokecakes
Incredibly moist lemon poke cake made with only eight ingredients including boxed cake mix, lemon extract, and lemon juice.   #potluck #lemoncake #boxedcakemix #cakemix #pantry #lemons #extract #baking #cakes #pokecakes

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