Easy Lemon Cake

By Lynne on March 15, 2024 »

This Easy Lemon Cake is the perfect light and moist dessert for spring! This twist on a boxed cake mix makes a special dessert you can serve for Easter, Mother’s Day, or all year round. The homemade lemon glaze takes this easy cake recipe to the next level!

Cakes are the perfect dessert to serve for any holiday. This Easy Lemon Cake is perfect for a special occasion or as a surprise for mom on Mother’s Day.

I know some people like making desserts from scratch, but I don’t see anything wrong with taking a few shortcuts here and there, especially if you’ve got a crowd of people coming over!

This Easy Lemon Cake is moist and full of lemon flavor. You could even add a bit more by adding a 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of lemon extract if you’d like.

Delicious Lemon Cake dessert with lemon glaze and garnish.

Equipment Needed

To make this Easy Lemon Cake, I used this bundt pan, this lemon juicer, and these spatulas.

Ingredients for Lemon Cake

You only need five simple ingredients to make this delicious cake.

15.25 ounces yellow cake mix boxed
3 ounces lemon gelatin
4 eggs
⅔ cup canola or vegetable oil
⅔ cup hot water

Note: A plain cake mix usually calls for 3 eggs, but for this recipe, I used 4 large eggs to make it extra rich.

Lemon Glaze

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus additional for sprinkling if desired, sifted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

How to Make This Easy Lemon Cake Recipe

When my mother-in-law shared this recipe with me, I was surprised by how easy this cake was to make!

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 12-cup bundt pan by spraying it with a floured baking spray or by misting it with cooking spray and dusting it with flour. Shake out any excess flour.
Next, place the cake mix, lemon gelatin, eggs, canola oil, and water into a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) and beat on low for one minute. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat for an additional two minutes on medium speed until thick and well-blended.
Dollop the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Tap the pan onto the counter a couple of times to remove any air bubbles.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. The cake should be light brown and just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. You might need to place a sheet of tin foil over the pan for about 25 or 30 minutes if you find that the cake is browning before it is done cooking.
Place the cake on a wire rack to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan as described below.

How to Make Lemon Glaze

This glaze adds extra lemon flavor and sweetness to this tasty dessert.

In a medium bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest together until smooth.
Gently remove the cake from the pan by placing a plate on the bottom and flipping right side up. If needed, run a knife around the sides of the cake pan to release the cake before flipping it.
Place the cake again onto a wire rack and spoon the glaze over the top of the cake so that it drizzles down the sides and into the middle.

Your lemon cake is ready to serve!

Other serving suggestions

This easy lemon cake is delicious with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh fruit, like strawberries or raspberries.

Or you can dust it with powdered sugar and serve it that way!

Overhead Shot of Easy Lemon Cake with lemons.

Bundt Cake Tips and Tricks

Bundt cakes are notorious for getting stuck inside the pan, so here are some helpful tips to make sure yours turns out perfectly every time:

Grease your bundt pan really, really well. Then flour the pan. The combination works really well to help your cake glide easily out of the pan.
All ovens cook differently, so your bundt pan may take anywhere from 45-60 minutes to cook. Keep a careful eye on the cake as it nears the 45-minute oven, and check it often after that.
If there are a few moist crumbs on the toothpick when testing, it’s fine to take it out of the oven.
Do not let the cake cool entirely in the pan. Remove the cake onto a cooling rack after about ten minutes, or the cake will be a bit dry and tough.

How do I store leftover Lemon Cake?

Store the cake covered in plastic wrap or in a cake keeper at room temperature for up to one week.

Can I freeze Lemon Cake?

Yes, you can freeze this bundt cake by wrapping it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. You can also put it in a freezer bag or other airtight container. It will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Thaw the cake for several hours or overnight on the counter before serving.

Simple boxed Lemon Cake dessert for on a plate for a party.

More Delicious Lemon Recipes

Lemon lovers, rejoice! I’ve got a bunch of desserts full of fresh lemon flavor that you need to try. Here are some of my favorites:

These hard-to-resist Easy Lemon Bars with a creamy lemon filling and a dusting of powdered sugar are the perfect combination of sweet and tart. They’re a classic for a reason!
This No-bake Lemon Cheesecake just screams Spring and Summer. It’s the perfect addition to your Easter or Mother’s Day menu, or anytime you need a delicious no-bake dessert.
Lemon Dream Bars are amazing! With a lemon cookie crust, luscious lemon curd, cheesecake filling, and Cool Whip, you’ll enjoy the delicious citrus flavor in every bite of this no-bake dessert.
This Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake is an easy lemon pound cake recipe made with ricotta cheese, flavored with lemon zest and fresh lemon juice.
Lemon Cake Mix Cookies are soft, sweet, and brimming with zesty flavor! Making perfect lemon crinkle cookies is easy with a boxed cake mix and a handful of ingredients.

A piece of classic Easy Lemon Cake on a plate with lemons for a potluck.

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Created by: Lynne Feifer

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 10

This Easy Lemon Cake is the perfect light and moist dessert for spring and summer! This twist on a boxed cake mix makes a special dessert you can serve for Easter, Mother’s Day, or all year round. The homemade lemon glaze takes this easy cake recipe to the next level!

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare a 12-cup bundt pan by spraying it with a floured baking spray or by misting it with cooking spray and dusting it with flour. Shake out excess.
Place the cake mix, lemon gelatin, eggs, canola oil and water into a mixing bowl and beat on low for one minute.
Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Beat for an additional two minutes on medium speed until thick and well-blended.
Dollop the batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Tap the pan onto the counter a couple times to remove any air bubbles.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. The cake should be light brown and just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. You might need to place a sheet of tin foil over the pan about 25 or 30 minutes if you find that the bottom is browning.
Place on wire rack to cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Glaze

In a medium bowl, whisk confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest together until smooth.
Gently remove cake from pan by placing a plate on the bottom and flipping right side up. Place the cake again onto wire rack and spoon the glaze over the cake so that it drizzles down the sides and into the middle.
Store the cake covered in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to one week. Cake can also be frozen by wrapping in foil for up to 6 months. Thaw cake overnight on the counter before serving.
Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

Nutrition

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This post was originally published March 23, 2017. It has been updated in format and with pictures on March 15, 2024.

This Easy Lemon Cake is made with a cake mix, lemon gelatin, and Kroger Simple Truth Eggs. A special dessert served at Easter, Mother's Day or year round.

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