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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Cakes

    How to Make Lemon Cake

    [published_or_updated] · by Angela Paris · Leave a Comment[affiliate_disclosure]

    Our Semi-Homemade light and fluffy lemon cake, with a few helps from your favorite grocery store.
    Total Time 45 minutes minutes
    Jump to Recipe Add to Favorites Go to Collections

    This tangy and delicious simple lemon cake recipe is going to become your go-to spring and summer dessert. We'll show you just how to make lemon cake using our easy shortcut! (You can also make Easy Lemon Cupcakes!)

    close up of a square piece of lemon cake with whipped topping "frosting," lemon zest and a tiny sprig of mint.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • How to Make Lemon Whipped Topping:
    • More Amazing Lemon Recipes
    • Easy Moist Lemon Cake Recipe
    • Lemon Cake
    • 💬 Comments

    I adore easy shortcut recipes! Why spend a lot of time measuring 28 ingredients when you can make a fabulously moist and delicious cake with fewer steps? You're going to absolutely adore this simple lemon cake!

    The secret is taking some help from your favorite grocery store and a few basic short cuts while adding flavor with fresh lemon zest.

    This is going to be your new favorite cake during the warmer months.

    Ingredients for How to Make Lemon Cake including bowls of cake mix, lemon juice, water, oil and powdered sugar as well as three brown eggs.

    Ingredients

    • Lemon cake mix
    • Instant lemon pudding
    • Eggs
    • Vegetable Oil
    • Frozen lemonade concentrate - this goes on top of the cake after it bakes making a luscious layer of lemony flavor!
    • Powdered sugar

    Frosting Ingredients

    • Whipped topping
    • Marshmallow cream - yes, really!
    • Powdered sugar
    • Lemon/lemon zest

    Instructions

    Cake

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
    2. Coat a 13x9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray
    3. Whisk together the cake mix and pudding
    4. Add in the eggs, oil, and water and beat
    5. Pour into pan
    6. Bake for 25-30 minutes
    7. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool
    8. Cool for 15 minutes
    9. In a small bowl, combine lemonade concentrate and powdered sugar until smooth
    10. Poke holes into the cake about every ½ inch
    11. Pour the lemonade mixture over the cake
    12. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour

    How to Make Lemon Whipped Topping:

    1. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients
    2. Spread over cake 
    3. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve
    4. Store leftovers in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap
    slices of lemon cake garnished with mint leaves and lemon zest on white plates. In the background is the baking dish with the rest of the cake

    More Amazing Lemon Recipes

    If you love all things lemon, you need to try these yummy recipes:

    • Lemon Zucchini Bread
    • Homemade Lemon Pepper
    • Lavender Lemonade
    • Lemon Poppyseed Linzer Cookies
    • Blueberry Lemonade
    • Skillet Lemon Garlic Shrimp Scampi close up.
    • Top down view of lemon pepper seasoning in a small bowl.
    • Tall glasses of Lavender Lemonade garnished with lemon and a stem of lavender.
    See more Lemon →

    More Cupcake Recipes

    Next time, try one of these delicious recipes:

    • root beer float cupcakes
    • fruit filled cupcakes
    • banana pudding cupcakes
    • pomegranate cupcakes
    • Close up of Carrot Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
    • Chocolate cupcakes with graham cracker crust and mashmallow frosting.
    • Close up of Semi Homemade Banana Pudding Cupcakes with whipped cream.
    See more Cupcakes →

    Easy Moist Lemon Cake Recipe

    Lemon Cake

    Our Semi-Homemade light and fluffy lemon cake, with a few helps from your favorite grocery store.
    Add to Your Recipe BoxGo to Collections
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Lemon Cake
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 370kcal
    Author: Ang Paris

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Ingredients

    Cake

    • 1 box 15.25 oz lemon cake mix
    • 1 small box 3.4 oz instant lemon pudding
    • 3 large eggs room temperature
    • ½ cup vegetable oil
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 cup from 12 oz can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
    • 1 cup powdered sugar

    Frosting

    • 1 8 oz container whipped topping, thawed
    • 1 7 oz container marshmallow creme
    • 1-2 cups powdered sugar
    • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
    Get Recipe Ingredients

    Instructions

    Cake

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
    • Lightly coat a 13x9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray
    • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake mix and instant pudding
      1 box, 1 small box
    • Beat in the eggs, oil and water until well combined
      3 large eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup water
    • Pour into prepared baking pan
    • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
    • Remove from the oven and place on wire rack
    • Cool for 15 minutes
    • In a small bowl, whisk together lemonade concentrate and powdered sugar until smooth
      1 cup from 12 oz can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed, 1 cup powdered sugar
    • Using a wooden skewer or large fork, poke holes into cake about every ½ inch
    • Pour lemonade mixture over cake
    • Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour

    Frosting

    • In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, starting with 1 cup powdered sugar and mix until fluffy. You may need to add more powdered sugar depending on how thick you want the frosting.
      1 8 oz container whipped topping, thawed, 1 7 oz container marshmallow creme, 1-2 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
    • Spread over the entire cake
    • Store in refrigerator until ready to serve

    Equipment

    • Stand Mixer
    • hand-held electric mixer

    Notes

    Store leftovers in refrigerator covered with plastic wrap.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 333mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 59IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 1mg
    Please Note: I am not a registered dietician. Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and portion sizes.
    Tried this recipe? Pin It for Later!Mention @jugglingactmama or tag #jugglingactmama!
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    Welcome! I'm Ang'e - the Juggling Act Mama! I love sharing quick and easy recipes, creative DIY projects, and fun family travel with you. Like many of you, I am a multi-tasking mama juggling priorities which is why here I offer solutions to tame your hectic lifestyle.

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