Name: Lemon Cake To Die For With Fresh Lemon Glaze
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 105 min
Ingredients: 1 box (15.25 oz yellow cake mix); 1 box (3.4 oz instant lemon pudding mix); 4 large eggs; 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil (plus 1 tsp for pan); 3/4 cup water (for the batter); 2 cups powdered sugar; 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 2 tbsp unsalted butter (melted); 2 tbsp water (for the glaze)

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Lemon Cake To Die For starts with a box of yellow cake mix and ends with fresh lemon glaze poured over a warm, golden cake. The glaze sinks into tiny holes across the top, so a forkful from the middle has that same sweet-tart bite you get at the edge. It’s a soft cake with a lightly sticky top, the kind you can cut and serve right from the pan.

Instant lemon pudding flavors the batter, and fresh lemon juice gives the glaze its sharper citrus flavor. The two are especially good together after the cake has cooled and the glaze has settled. The whole thing bakes in a 9×13-inch pan and makes 12 generous pieces. If you’re bringing it somewhere, bake and glaze it the day before, then take it along in the same pan.

Lemon Poke Cake Ingredients

1 box (15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 box (3.4 ounces) instant lemon pudding mix
4 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil, plus 1 teaspoon for greasing the pan

3/4 cup water, for the batter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons water, for the glaze

Check both boxes when you shop. Some yellow cake mixes now come in 13.25-ounce boxes, so look for 15.25 ounces on the front. In the pudding aisle, pick up a small 3.4-ounce box marked instant. The dry pudding powder goes straight into the batter. Use the eggs, oil, and water listed above to prepare the two mixes together.

Have two lemons on hand for the glaze, with a third if they’re small. How much juice you get depends on the lemons, so squeeze them into a cup and measure out the full 1/3 cup. A small strainer catches the seeds and larger pieces of pulp. If you want zest for the batter, grate the lemon before you cut it. It’s much easier to hold the whole fruit against a grater.

Powdered sugar gives the glaze its smooth texture. If the sugar has been sitting in the pantry and has hard little lumps, sift it after measuring. Melt the butter just until it’s liquid and leave it at room temperature while you get the other glaze ingredients ready. Unsalted butter keeps the flavor squarely on the lemon. A neutral oil such as canola or vegetable oil works well in the batter for much the same reason.

How to Make Lemon Poke Cake With Cake Mix

Get the pan ready

Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 350°F. Lightly grease the bottom and corners of a 9×13-inch light-colored metal pan with a teaspoon of oil. A pastry brush or the corner of a folded paper towel helps you spread it in a thin film. Give the short sides a little attention too. The batter reaches those corners as it rises, and a little grease makes the first piece easier to lift out.

Mix the cake batter

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until the yolks and whites are blended. Add the dry cake mix, dry pudding mix, 3/4 cup oil, and 3/4 cup water. Whisk until the batter is smooth, sweeping along the bottom once or twice with a flexible spatula to catch any dry mix. A hand mixer works too. Start on low so the powders stay in the bowl, then mix until the last dry streaks disappear.

The batter will be thick enough to leave a trail when it falls from the whisk. Scrape it into the pan, then guide it into the corners with the spatula. It helps to have roughly the same depth across the pan so the center and edges finish close together.

Bake until the center is set

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. At about 30 minutes, check the center with a toothpick. Look for a clean toothpick or a few soft crumbs, along with a top that springs back under a light touch. If the pick comes away with shiny batter, give the cake another couple of minutes and check again. The edges can turn golden before the center is ready, so use the middle of the pan as your guide.

Whisk the lemon glaze while the cake bakes

In a medium bowl, stir the lemon juice and water into the powdered sugar, then whisk in the melted butter. Work out any small lumps against the side of the bowl. The warm-cake glaze should fall from the whisk in a steady stream. Set the bowl near the pan’s cooling rack so you can give it one last stir as soon as the cake comes out.

If the glaze hangs from the whisk, stir in 1 teaspoon warm water and check again. For a runny glaze, stir in 1 tablespoon powdered sugar at a time. Lift a spoonful over the bowl. A thin ribbon should fall back in and disappear within a few seconds.

Poke and glaze the warm cake

Put the pan on a wire rack straight out of the oven. Use a dinner fork to make rows of holes over the surface, roughly an inch apart. Press straight down with the tines and lift straight out. The point is to make small openings that can take in the glaze without tearing up the soft top. A fresh row of holes near the edges helps carry the lemon flavor into the corner pieces, too.

Stir the glaze and pour it slowly over the cake. Move from one end of the pan to the other, then use the back of a spoon to lead any puddles into the patches that still look dry. A little glaze will stay on top. Leave the cake in the pan on the rack until it’s completely cool, about an hour. If the pan still feels warm in the center, give it a little more time. The pieces lift out more neatly once the glaze has set and the crumb has firmed up.

Tips for Even Glaze and Clean Slices

Watch where the glaze lands. If the cake rises into a slight dome, glaze that lands in the middle can run straight to the edges. Spoon a little directly over the holes in the center and give it time to soak in. Once the middle looks evenly coated, work toward the outside of the pan.

Check the pan before you cover it. Steam keeps rising for a while after the cake comes out. A lid can trap it and leave drops on the glaze, especially if you’re making the cake the night before. Keep the pan uncovered on its rack until it reaches room temperature. Then slip on the lid or loosely tent the pan with foil, leaving a little room above the cake.

Chill briefly for cleaner cuts. About 20 minutes in the refrigerator firms up a cooled cake if you’re arranging pieces on a platter. If you’ll be serving right from the pan, room temperature works well. Use a sharp knife and wipe the blade between cuts. Slide a small, thin spatula under the first corner piece so it lifts without tugging at the piece beside it.

Line the pan if you’ll be moving the whole cake. Lay a strip of parchment across the bottom and up two opposite sides, leaving enough to hold onto. Let the glazed cake cool completely. Run a knife along the bare sides to loosen them, then lift the cake by its paper handles and set it on a board. Peel back the paper and cut the pieces there. This comes in handy if you want to cut smaller portions without scratching a nonstick pan.

Small Changes for a Stronger Lemon Flavor

For a little more fragrance, add 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest to the batter with the eggs. Grate just the yellow surface of the peel. Rotate the fruit as you go, so you get the fragrant outer peel before reaching the bitter white layer underneath. This is a handy way to get more flavor from the same lemons you’re already squeezing for the glaze.

For a cake with a brighter lemon flavor throughout, use a 15.25-ounce lemon cake mix in place of the yellow mix and keep the other ingredients and the pan size the same. Yellow mix has a mellow vanilla flavor under the lemon. If you’re serving people who like a little tang but usually pass on very tart desserts, that’s the one to reach for.

Want the thicker ribbons you’d see on slices of iced lemon loaf? Whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, then add up to 1 more teaspoon juice a few drops at a time until it drops slowly from a spoon. Bake and glaze the sheet cake as directed, let it cool, and use this extra icing on individual pieces just before serving. A little stripe across the top is enough. It looks best if you let one or two drips run down the cut side.

How to Serve Glazed Lemon Cake

To get 12 pieces, cut the cooled cake in half crosswise, halve each section crosswise again, then cut the four strips into thirds. For a potluck with several desserts, cut a four-by-six grid for 24 small portions. Lift a corner piece first so the spatula has room to slide under the next piece from the side.

Fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries go well with the sweet-tart glaze. Pat the berries dry and spoon them alongside the cake at serving time so the juice stays on the plate. If you want a creamy topping, use a small spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream. For a brunch table, plain slices with a pot of coffee or iced tea are plenty.

Make-Ahead and Storage

To make it a day ahead, bake the cake and pour on the glaze while it’s warm. Cool it in the pan, cover it, and leave it somewhere cool until serving. Keeping the cake whole protects the cut edges from drying. If you’re adding berries or the thicker drizzle, bring them separately and finish the pieces after you’ve sliced the cake.

At room temperature, keep the plain glazed cake covered for up to 2 days. If your kitchen is warm or you want to keep leftovers longer, refrigerate the covered cake for up to 4 days. Bring individual pieces out about 20 minutes before serving if you like a softer crumb. Refrigerate whipped cream and cut fruit separately and add them just before serving.

To freeze individual pieces, start with the fully cooled cake. If the glaze is still tacky, firm the slices briefly in the freezer on a parchment-lined tray so the wrap lifts off cleanly later. Wrap each piece, tuck them into a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw the wrapped pieces overnight in the refrigerator. The glaze may look a little more translucent after thawing and the slices will soften again at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use bottled lemon juice?

Yes. Measure the same 1/3 cup of unsweetened lemon juice. Freshly squeezed juice has a stronger citrus smell, especially if you’re serving the cake the day it’s baked. If all you have is bottled juice and you do have a lemon for garnish, a little zest over the finished cake brings back some of that fragrance. Start with a few fine shavings per piece.

Can I bake this in a loaf pan?

Use the 9×13-inch pan for the full batch. A loaf pan makes a much deeper cake, which changes how long it takes for the center to bake through. If you want the look of thick slices on a dessert plate, cut the cooled sheet cake into wide rectangles and serve a few side by side. Add the thicker drizzle over the tops after plating, with thin lemon rounds on the side.

Can I use a glass baking dish?

Use oven-safe glass and check the manufacturer’s directions for oven temperature. Glass holds heat longer than metal, so the edges may brown faster toward the end of baking while the middle still needs time. Use the toothpick test where the cake is thickest. Set the hot dish on a dry rack or trivet when it comes out, then make the holes and add the glaze while the cake is warm.

Why did my lemon cake sink in the middle?

A sunken center can mean the cake came out before the middle had set. Before you lift the pan from the oven, check for wet batter with a toothpick and press the center lightly. If the top leaves a dent and the toothpick looks sticky, bake a little longer. Check again before you add the glaze. Once the glaze goes on, it’s harder to tell a damp crumb from an underbaked center.

Why is the glaze sitting on top of the cake?

A thin layer on top is part of the cake. If you see a wide pool, the glaze may be too thick or the fork holes too shallow. While the cake is still warm, gently poke a few more holes and guide the glaze toward them with the back of a spoon. If the cake has already cooled, give the glaze time to set. You’ll get a slightly thicker icing on those pieces.

Can I bake two pans for a party?

Yes. Mix each batch in its own bowl so neither sits for long while you’re getting the pans ready. If both pans fit on the center rack with a little space around each, bake them side by side and check each cake separately. Have both bowls of glaze ready, too. One pan can finish a few minutes before the other, and you can poke and glaze each one as soon as it comes out. Leave both pans uncovered while they cool so the tops set before you pack them up.