This light and fluffy Lemon Jello Cake is the perfect summer cake! It’s a family recipe that most haven’t heard of and people quickly become lifetime lovers of it!
Summer is here! In full disclosure, I make and eat this cake all year long, but it is always extra good in the summer! This recipe was one that my Mom used to make while I was growing up and was often times requested as our birthday cakes!
The cake has a really cold moist top that is to die for! It 100% of the time turns out fluffy and light! It’s basically impossible to mess up if you follow the below recipe!
LEMON JELLO SUMMER CAKE
Add the Lemon Cake Mix and Lemon Jello in a bowl or mixer and combine. If preparing in a bowl, you’ll want to use a hand mixer.
Add wet ingredients to the dry mix.
Mix the batter well, make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
Pour into a greased 9×13 pan. For this recipe I prefer a metal pan, because it helps the cake get really cold!
Bake cake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
While the cake is baking you need to make the glaze.
Mix 2 cups powdered sugar and ⅓ cup lemon juice. Whisk until smooth.
When the cake is nice and golden brown, remove it from the oven.
While the cake is still hot, poke holes all over the top. Do this until there are holes all over.
Pour the glaze over the entire cake and spread it so it covers the whole cake.
At first it should look like this.
But, after a minute or two it will all be absorbed.
Refrigerate cake for at least 3 or 4 hours. It is best to refrigerate it overnight. When the cake is chilled, serve with whipping cream and enjoy!
Lemon Jello Cake
Ingredients
- 1 Small Package Instant Lemon Jello
- 1 Lemon Cake Mix
- 4 Eggs
- ¾ c Oil
- 1 ¼ c Water
Instructions
Cake
- Add the Lemon Cake Mix and Lemon Jello in a bowl or mixer and combine. If preparing in a bowl, you'll want to use a hand mixer.
- Add the wet ingredients.
- Mix well and be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
- Pour the batter into a greased 9x13 pan. For this recipe, I prefer a metal pan, because it helps the cake get really cold in the refrigerator.
- Bake the cake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
- While the cake is baking, you can prepare the glaze recipe below.
- When the cake is nice and golden brown, remove it from the oven.
- Pour the glaze over the cake and spread it so it covers the whole thing.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 or 4 hours. I prefer to refrigerate it overnight.
- When the cake is chilled, serve with whipping cream!
Glaze
- While the cake is baking you can go ahead and make the glaze.
- Mix 2 cups powdered sugar and ⅓ cup lemon juice. Whisk until smooth.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Looking for some other yummy desserts? Check these out!
SUMMER DESSERTS
Lemon Crinkle Cookies | White Chocolate Lime Cookies | Lemon Bars
Love this dessert? Pin the image below!
Joyce Corbin
My Mama has made this for over 50 years. To make it pretty, she usually makes it in a bundt pan. When she takes it out of oven, she pokes holes in cake before removing and drizzles with half of glaze. Then when she dumps cake from pan, she slowly drizzles the rest of the glaze on top. Yes, she sometimes makes a little extra glaze to do this. Always great when made at least a day ahead. Also, rather then serving with whipped cream, it is absolutely delicious and refreshing served with vanilla ice cream (Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream is our preference).
Sharyn Kay Lienemann
I grew up with my Gandmother and Mother making this simple, moist and always delicious cake. I have carried on the tradition with my kids. It always makes think of summer even on the coldest days. The only thing I do differently is I use a fork with long tines it cuts the hole poking down drastically. I’m getting ready to go make one now. 😀
Janine Dubina
Has anyone made cupcakes from this recipe? we have a very small family and a large cake is just too much. Thank you!
Pam Dana
I have it on my list to try this week! I’ll keep you updated! I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! You’ll just have to adjust cooking time!
Jane Dolan
Buy Jiffy cake mix which is 1/2 of a regular cake mix, then halve the rest of the ingredients.
Mary
I made this cake for a work party and everyone loved it. So easy too!
Marilyn MacCallum ????????
Wow, I bake lots and love lemon. This has got to be one of the easiest cakes ever and it tastes great! Nice texture great flavour too. I’m not a fan of icing sugar and lemon as it’s so runny but I wanted something different, I put…
2c whipping cream
1 pkg. lemon pudding mix ( instant)
1 tbsp. Icing sugar
1/2 tsp. Lemon juice
Put it all together in my Kitchen Aid and beat it until icing consistency.
All I can say is …….OMG…….YUM..
I will be using this recipe as my go-to for a quick and tasty dessert.
VICTORIA R PETERSON
Love anything lemon! 🍋 with my poke cakes I alway. Sugar juice some raspberries and gently pour them over whipped cream, not only does the fruit compliment the lemon but it looks gorgeous!
Arla Albers
I like making this recipe with a regular cake, but then poke holes in the cake with the small end of a wooden spoon as soon as it comes out of the oven. Then put sugar free Jello in the frosting part. Use 1/2 powdered sugar and 1/2 stevia with lemon juice and pour over the top immediately before the cake cools off. Many less calories than the regular recipe.
Pam Dana
Great idea. Thanks.
Steph
This is the easiest lemon cake recipe I’ve ever seen…thanks!!
Pam Dana
Yes! It’s so easy! You’re welcome!
Taylor
So fluffy and moist! Love the lemon flavor!
Pam Dana
Yay! I’m so glad you loved it!
lauren kelly
I am so intruiged by this cake! I love anything lemon so I am definitely make this cake soon!
Pam Dana
Yay! I hope you love it!
Julie Blanner
Lemon cake is the best! I can’t wait to try this!
Pam Dana
Hope you love it!
Toni
My family really loved it! So amazing!!
Pam Dana
Yay! I’m so glad!
Marthe G
Hi, I love lemon cake and I checked the reply that Vicky Felix asked about posting “do you use lemon jello or pudding”?
and I don’t see your reply to her on Aug 5, 2018 last year? now I am confused which one for the lemon jello cake… hope you reply to me…
Clark
You use the Jello Gelatin powder, NOT Jello instant pudding. You could use pudding mix, but the texture will be different. The gelatin is what is supposed to make the cake extra moist.
John
What is “instant Lemon Jello?”
Vicky felix
Do you use lemon jello or pudding?
Marilyn
For me, it helps when all photos match directions. It might seem like a small thing that you show photos using a Kitchen-aid stand mixer but your directions said to use a hand mixer. I made it a point to use my hand mixer but it doesn’t appear that directions and photos match. Just something to keep in mind. In some recipes a mis-match of photo to directions could matter,or confuse novice cooks. I have this lemon cake in the oven 2 days before Easter for our holiday dinner.Thany you. I love, love lemon cake. Do you have a raspberry icing recipe? That is a delicious combo with lemon cupcakes.