Lemonade Cake

This Lemonade Cake is the easiest dessert recipe to prepare in about 15 minutes before baking. Every bite has so much lemon flavor from the cake base to the lemon glaze that is poured on top. It’s the ideal dessert for lemon lovers especially in the summertime.

One of the things I love most in the summertime is lemonade, so I knew I needed to try and develop my own version of Lemonade Cake. After a few tests, I am so impressed! Every bite is insanely refreshing with lemony flavor. My daughter loves lemon too, and she told me it’s probably one of her top 5 cakes of all time.

I wanted to keep things simple by using a cake mix as the base. I poke holes in the cake before adding a lemon soak mixture, then top with a pillowy cream cheese frosting. It’s also made in a 9×13-inch, making it a breeze to serve to a crowd. If you love a great cake recipe, my Banana Split Cake and Pineapple Poke Cake are two others worth trying.

Why you’ll Love this Recipe

• Easy to prep in 15 minutes. It’s that easy to prep this impressive lemonade cake! By using the cake mix as the shortcut base, it’s quick to assemble and bake any day of the week.
• So much lemon flavor. I add lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemonade mix in this cake, talk about triple citrus goodness!
• Perfect for beginner bakers. Since it’s a cake mix as the base of the cake, if you are new to baking, I know you’ll be able to make this dessert with ease.

Ingredients

Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below

Cake

• White cake mix: The box cake mix base to make it super easy to assemble this lemonade cake.
• Instant lemon pudding mix: Gives the rich and creamy factor to the cake mix and adds additional lemon flavor.
• Lemonade drink mix packets: Adds bright and vibrant lemonade flavor.
• Sour cream: Rich and creamy to add both moisture and fat.
• Large eggs: Binds the cake batter together.
• Water: Moistens the cake mix just like the box says.
• Canola or vegetable oil: Adds moisture to the cake batter.
• Lemon: Always use fresh and never bottled for the best flavor. We use both zest and juice for the brightest flavor.
• Sweetened condensed milk: Adds rich and creamy taste and texture to the cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream cheese: Softened base for the frosting.
• Powdered sugar: Gives the frosting its sweetness, texture and helps it hold its shape.
• Lemonade drink mix packets: Responsible for the pucker in every bite.
• Heavy whipping cream: Light and airy when whipped into the frosting.
• Vanilla extract: Adds both caramel and floral notes. Use pure extract to make sure the flavor is best.

Tools You’ll Need

• Mixing Bowls
• Hand Mixer 
• Rubber Spatula
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• 13”x9” Baking Dish
• Cutting Board
• Chef’s Knife

How to Make Lemonade Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the white cake mix, instant lemon pudding mix, one lemonade drink mix packet, sour cream, eggs, water, and oil. Mix with a hand mixer or whisk just until combined and smooth.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting. 
4. Gently pierce holes half way down the cake with a fork. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon zest and juice and sweetened condensed milk. Pour the mixture evenly over the cake. Cool completely.

5. In a stand mixer or bowl with a hand mixer, whip cream cheese until smooth. Add the second lemonade drink mix packet, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar and whip again until incorporated well and smooth. Scrape down the edges of the bowl as needed. 
6. Gradually beat in the heavy whipping cream. When stiff peaks form (mixture holds its shape), the frosting is complete.

7. Spread the icing all over the cake. Garnish as desired. Slice and serve.

Expert Tips

• Swap the white cake mix for yellow. You can easily use yellow too, just buy your favorite brand.
• Always buy lemonade mix for the best results. It has that concentrated lemony flavor that really makes every bite shine.
• Poke the cake when it’s still a bit warm. You want the glaze to soak into the cake as it cools for that ultimate moist texture.
• Cool the cake completely before icing. If it’s warm, you could risk the icing melting all of your cake.
• Fully soften the cream cheese for the frosting. A key step to making that frosting light and fluffy.
• Make a homemade cake mix. Mix together 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 3/4 cups fine sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt.
  

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let the chill come off the cake for 10 minutes before serving.

You can freeze slices of the cake too for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge.

It’s also so easy to make this cake ahead of time. Just bake, add the soak, and top with the frosting before storing in the fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions

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