Lemon Poke Cake
Easy lemon poke cake recipe with Jello mix. Moist, light and fluffy Jello cake with simple ingredients and tons of bright citrus flavor!
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Servings: 12
Calories: 391kcal
Equipment
- Electric Stand Mixer optional
- cake tester optional
- Dinner Fork for poking holes
Ingredients
Lemon Poke Cake
- 1 box Lemon Cake Mix
- 1 cup Water*
- 1/2 cup Canola Oil*
- 3 Large Eggs*
- 3 ounces Lemon Gelatin Dessert Mix
- 1 cup Boiling Water
- 1/2 cup Cold Water
Lemon Glaze & Topping
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 6 tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 8 oz. Cool Whip
Instructions
How to Make the Lemon Cake
- Before getting started, grease up a 9x13 cake pan with nonstick cooking spray, and preheat your oven according to the package directions for your cake mix.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a spatula to gently fold your cake mix, water, eggs and canola oil together until just well-combined*. If you're using an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment, this will take about 2 minutes on medium speed.
- Pour the cake batter into the 9x13 cake pan that you greased up in the first step, and bake it according to the package instructions for your cake mix. You can tell that it is done when a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Once your lemon cake is fully baked, let it cool for about 15-20 minutes before moving on to the next step.
How to Make the Jello Topping
- While your cake is cooling, whisk the Jello mix into the boiling water in a glass measuring cup until completely dissolved.
- Use a fork to poke holes about 1-2 inches apart all over the top of your lemon poke cake.*
- Slowly pour the Jello mixture over the entire cake, and then let it cool for another 10-15 minutes.
- While your cake is cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small mixing bowl. This will be your lemon glaze.
- Next, pour or spoon your lemon glaze all over the top of the cake, making sure to spread it evenly.
- Finally, you'll want to let the cake fully cool before spreading Cool Whip or whipped cream all over the top with a spatula.
- Once the Cool Whip is spread on top, I recommend chilling your lemon Jello poke cake in the refrigerator for at least a few hours before serving. This gives the lemon flavor time to infuse into the cake.
- Once chilled, serve and enjoy your lemon poke cake with a sprinkling of lemon zest or even a slice of fresh lemon on top!
Notes
*Although I give rough estimates for the water, egg and canola oil ingredient amounts for the cake mix, the ingredient amounts or even the ingredients themselves often vary. Be sure to follow the directions on the package for whichever cake mix you use.
*Take care not to over-mix the cake batter; this will result in a weak structure that falls easily after baking. You want to gently fold the ingredients until just well-combined.
*Be sure not to poke the holes in the top of the cake too closely together. Otherwise, too much of the topping will seep in, resulting in a soggy poke cake.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Yes, you can make this a gluten-free lemon poke cake. Simply swap out the cake mix with a gluten-free lemon cake mix, and you'll probably need to find a gluten-free lemon gelatin mix. As always, be sure to check all of your ingredients over to ensure that they are truly gluten-free!
How do you store lemon poke cake?
Store your leftover cake for up to 2-3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Believe it or not, this cake is best served cold, so I usually serve it straight out of the refrigerator!
Can you freeze poke cake?
Yes, you can freeze poke cake, but I would recommend doing it before you add the whipped cream topping. Once you've poured the jello mixture over the top of the cake, cover it with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container and into the freezer for up to 1 month.
When you're ready to frost and serve the cake, pull it out of the freezer and set it in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Once the cake has thawed, spread on the whipped cream and serve!
Nutrition
Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 379mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 93IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 1mg
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