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My family is really picky when it comes to cake – they don’t really love many cakes because they think it is dry and the frosting is too sweet – but they absolutely love flavor-packed poke cakes. My Lemon Jello Poke Cake is one of my family’s favorites because it stays moist and delivers big time on rich lemon flavor!
If you’ve never tried a poke cake, you’re in for a treat – they are fabulously easy to make, are incredibly nostalgic, and bursting with flavor – and they don’t dry out and maintain a perfect moist texture making it a perfect beginner cake!
If you’re looking for another delicious lemon dessert, don’t skip my easy baked lemon bars recipe!
Table of Contents
How to Make Lemon Jello Poke Cake
This cake gets a jump-start by using boxed cake mix we’re going to kick up the flavor for before adding our lemon jello filling and pudding frosting!
Lemon Poke Cake Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 15 oz. box lemon cake mix: Acts as the base of the cake; provides structure, sweetness, and lemon flavor.
- Ingredients called for on box (typically eggs, oil, water)
- Eggs: Bind the batter and help the cake rise.
- Oil: Adds moisture and richness.
- Water: Activates dry ingredients and creates the correct batter consistency.
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- Zest: Intensifies lemon aroma and flavor.
- Juice: Adds bright, fresh acidity to enhance the cake’s citrus profile.
For the Filling:
- 3 oz. box lemon Jello: Provides a vibrant lemon flavor and soaks into the cake for moisture and tang.
- ½ cup hot water: Dissolves the gelatin powder for a smooth consistency.
- ½ cup cold water: Cools the mixture to the right temperature for pouring and setting.
For the Lemon Pudding Frosting:
- 2 cups heavy cream: Whips into a light, fluffy topping with a rich, creamy texture.
- ¼ cup powdered sugar: Sweetens the frosting and helps stabilize the whipped cream.
- ¼ cup lemon pudding or Jello mix (dry): Adds lemon flavor and helps thicken and stabilize the whipped cream for a firmer topping.
Lemon Poke Cake Process
This lemon jello poke cake couldn’t be easier – but there are a couple of steps you need to take to make sure your cake turns out perfect, every time!
Prep
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F for a dark non-stick pan or 350 degrees F for a glass pan. Grease a 9×13-inch pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
Bake Cake
Prepare the cake with the ingredients according to the box directions. Fold in the juice and zest from the lemon.
Poke Holes
Use the back of a spoon, a straw, or a wooden skewer to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
Add Jello Filling
Add the jello mix to a medium bowl and whisk in the hot water until the jello has dissolved. Then add in the cold water and carefully pour the mixture over the top of the cake.
Make Frosting
Once set, combine the frosting ingredients in a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed until stiff, light, and fluffy.
Frost & Decorate
Spread the frosting over the top of the cake and enjoy immediately or store covered in the refrigerator.
Tips and Tricks For Perfect Lemon Jello Poke Cake
Cake Tips:
Use a light hand when mixing: Don’t overmix the cake batter or it may become dense. Mix just until combined for a soft, tender crumb.
Add extra lemon zest: Boost lemon flavor naturally by adding more fresh zest to the cake batter. Zest gives a powerful citrus punch without extra moisture.
Use fresh lemon juice: Fresh-squeezed juice adds brightness and acidity that bottled juice can’t match. It enhances both flavor and aroma.
Poking + Filling Tips:
Poke holes while the cake is warm: Use a wooden spoon handle or large skewer and poke deep holes evenly across the warm cake so the Jello can seep in better.
Don’t poke too close to the edges: Leave a little room around the edges to help the cake hold its shape and avoid sogginess on the sides.
Pour the Jello slowly and evenly: Let the Jello mixture fully absorb into the cake—don’t rush! Go slow and pour in multiple passes if needed.
Chill Time Tips
Chill the cake at least 2–4 hours (or overnight): This allows the Jello to set fully and infuse flavor throughout the cake. It also makes slicing much cleaner.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap: Prevents the cake from absorbing fridge odors and keeps it moist.
Frosting Tips
Chill the mixing bowl and beaters: Cold tools help heavy cream whip up faster and fluffier.
Whip cream to stiff peaks: This gives the frosting body so it doesn’t slide off the cake. Stop just as stiff peaks form to avoid over-whipping.
Fold in the pudding gently: The pudding mix thickens and flavors the frosting—fold it in gently to keep the texture light and airy.
Serving Tips
Top with lemon slices or zest curls: Adds a beautiful finishing touch and reinforces the lemon theme.
Serve chilled: This cake tastes best cold! The cool temperature enhances the lemon flavor and creamy texture.
How To Store Jello Poke Cake
Wrap leftover cake tightly with plastic wrap and add to refrigerator.
You can keep frosted cake in the refrigerator for two to three days.
If topping with thin lemon slices, remove lemon after serving to prevent it from getting too bitter and spoiling faster.
FAQs
A poke cake is a baked cake that’s poked with holes (usually using a spoon handle or skewer) and filled with a liquid—often Jello, pudding, or sweetened condensed milk—to infuse flavor and moisture throughout.
Yes! While lemon keeps it bright and citrusy, you can swap in raspberry, strawberry, or lime Jello for a fun twist that still pairs well with the lemon cake base.
Not at all. A homemade lemon cake works beautifully too, but the boxed mix is a great time-saver and still delivers fantastic results.
You can make it 1–2 days in advance. In fact, it often tastes better the next day after chilling, as the flavors fully meld and the Jello sets.
Cakes can be mushy or soggy from:
You poke too many holes too close together
You don’t let the cake cool slightly before pouring Jello
You add too much Jello or don’t let it chill long enough
Let it cool slightly and chill fully after pouring the Jello to avoid sogginess.
You can freeze the cake without the whipped topping. Once cooled and filled with Jello, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Add the whipped frosting fresh after thawing in the fridge.
Stored tightly covered, it lasts 3–4 days in the fridge. The whipped topping may begin to deflate slightly after a couple days, but the flavor remains delicious.
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Easy Lemon Jello Poke Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- Cake:
- 1 15 oz. box Lemon cake mix, plus ingredients called for on back of box
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- Filling:
- 1 3oz. box lemon jello
- ½ cup hot water
- ½ cup cold water
- Frosting:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup lemon pudding or jello mix, dry
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F for a dark non-stick pan or 350 degrees F for a glass pan. Grease a 9×13-inch pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Prepare the cake with the ingredients according to the box directions. Fold in the juice and zest from the lemon.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes with a non-stick pan or 25 to 30 minutes with a glass pan or until a toothpick comes clean when inserted into the center.
- Use the back of a spoon, a straw, or a wooden skewer to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
- Add the jello mix to a medium bowl and whisk in the hot water until the jello has dissolved. Then add in the cold water and carefully pour the mixture over the top of the cake.
- Place in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours.
- Once set, combine the frosting ingredients in a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed until stiff, light, and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting over the top of the cake and enjoy immediately or store covered in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Lemon juice and zest can be omitted but the flavor won’t be as tart and intense, more of a sweet lemon.
- The old fashioned/original version of this cake was made with a cool whip frosting.
- Bake time can vary, refer to the box mix you use for the type of pan and cake size you want.
- This cake cannot be rushed because the jello needs to set.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have been baking for 30 years and this recipe was absolutely delicious. I live in Norway, but I was able to find most ingredients from Sweden and it was the uk version of Betty Crocker lemon cake in a box I used to make this, but nonetheless brilliant in every way and It was super refreshing, light and what a super surprise it was. If I would say anything at all about the instructions, it would be that you should tell everyone that the cake should cool for 20 minutes before you pour the jello mixture onto the cake and also to let the jello mixture rest until room temperature before you do that. Thank you for your recipe.