Lemon Burst Poke Cake

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This fantastic Lemon Burst Poke Cake recipe is a very light, tangy and refreshing poke cake perfect for lemon lovers.  Vanilla cake is poked with delicious lemon curd and pudding filling in the holes with whipped cream on top.

This is truly a lemon poke cake recipe you’ll love for spring and summer, like this Best Lemon Cheesecake and this Sinful Triple Chocolate Fudge Poke Cake!

bite of Lemon Burst Poke Cake

The best part (besides eating it) is the lemon flavor bursting through the cake. I used both Lemon Curd & lemon pudding.

Top it with some whipped cream topping, like Cool Whip!  The whipped cream adds more lightness to the cake and it is SO luscious.  I’ve also done it where I’ve taken 2 cups of whipping cream with 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and a tablespoon of vanilla extract and whipped it to a creamy whipped topping.  Yum!! (that’s my favorite!)

Are you hooked yet?  I was after I took my first bite, which turned into 2 pieces, and had to literally stop myself before I ate the whole cake!  Luckily I had family partners-in-crime to help assist me!

What is a Poke Cake?

A poke cake is one of the best luscious cakes that you can ever make. The reason it is called a poke cake is because you poke holes into the finished cake to add in your filling of choice.

Lemon Burst Poke Cake in a pan

Ingredients You Need 

Vanilla Cake Layer

  • 1 White Cake baked in a 9×13 pan

Lemon Curd Layer

  • 1 ⅓ cup Lemon Curd

Lemon Pudding Layer

  • 2 boxes Lemon pudding dry mix
  • 2 cups cold milk or vanilla almond milk

Cool Whip Layer

  • 1 – 8 oz Regular or Fat-Free Cool Whip

or

  • 2 cups whipping cream
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla

How to Make Lemon Burst Poke Cake

Vanilla Cake Layer

  1. Prepare and bake cake mix as directed on package for 13×9-inch baking pan.
  2. Remove from oven. Poke holes down through cake with round handle of wooden spoon. Holes should be at 1-inch intervals.

Lemon Curd & Lemon Pudding Layer

  1. Combine the pudding mix and milk together and beat as directed on package. Combine the curd into the pudding and mix until smooth and pour on top of poked cake and smooth layer.
  2. Put in fridge for 30 minutes or until pudding has set.

Whipped Cream Layer

  1. Spoon whipped cream of choice over top of cake and smooth out.
  2. To make fresh home-made: Whip whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until creamy and whipped. 

Storing Poke Cake

Store poke cake in the fridge in a sealed container.  Since pudding and whipped cream are in the recipe, it needs to be refrigerated.

Lemon Curd

  • You can use my home-made recipe of Lemon Curd or buy it in the store.  
  • The curd is totally worth making.  Make it easily in the microwave. I might add, even make it ahead of time!   It can be used in so many recipes and it’s absolutely yummy, tart and refreshing!  Stock up on it for summer. 🙂

This fantastic Lemon Burst Poke Cake is a very light, tangy and refreshing poke cake perfect for lemon lovers.  Vanilla cake is poked with delicious lemon curd and pudding filling in the holes with whipped cream on top. This is truly a cake you'll love for spring and summer!

This Lemon Burst Poke Cake is great for any BBQ, Potluck, Special Event and it reminds of sunshine.  Summer is here! Here’s the recipe! Enjoy! xoxo

Check out this Strawberry Creme Passion Poke Cake! {True Luv} for another delish poke cake!

Got the lemon love? xoxo

Lemon Burst Poke Cake

Lemon Burst Poke Cake

Kim Lange
A fantastic light, airy, wonderful tangy, lemon cake prepared with white cake, lemon curd, lemon pudding and fat-free Cool Whip.
4.19 from 16 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 12 Servings
Calories

Ingredients
  

Cake Layer

  • 1 White Cake baked in a 9x13 pan

Lemon Curd Layer

  • 1 ⅓ cup Lemon Curd

Lemon Pudding Layer

  • 2 boxes Lemon pudding dry mix
  • 2 cups cold milk or vanilla almond milk

Cool Whip Layer

  • 1 - 8 oz Regular or Fat-Free Cool Whip
  • or
  • 2 cups whipping cream
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla

Instructions
 

Cake Layer

  • Prepare and bake cake mix as directed on package for 13x9-inch baking pan.
  • Remove from oven. Poke holes down through cake with round handle of wooden spoon. Holes should be at 1-inch intervals.

Lemon Curd & Lemon Pudding Layer

  • Combine the pudding mix and milk together and beat as directed on package. Combine the curd into the pudding and mix until smooth and pour on top of poked cake and smooth layer.
  • Put in fridge for 30 minutes or until pudding has set.

Whipped Cream Layer

  • Spoon whipped cream of choice over top of cake and smooth out.
  • To make fresh home-made: Whip whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until creamy and whipped like whipped cream.
  • Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Cut into 24 squares. Store in refrigerator.

Notes

If curd has been in fridge, warm up just a tad in the microwave like 20 seconds to make it easier to whip into the pudding.
Keyword cake, lemon, lemon curd, poke cake, pudding, summer desserts
Tried This Recipe?Let us know how it was by commenting below!

22 Comments

  1. This lemon poke cake is divine. I prepared it but Whipped Cream without vanilla and low sugar apport. I choosed rum essence. I prepared lemon bars too. Yummy. Love it and love you Kim!:)

  2. I have some questions about the recipe:

    1) 2 boxes of lemon pudding; but what size? And is this “instant” pudding mix, or the kind you cook?

    2) Recipe says to combine pudding mix and milk; recipe calls for 2 boxes of pudding mix and 2 cops of milk, but the recipe on the box calls for 2 cups of milk for EACH box, so is it 4 cups of milk, or 2 cups of milk?

    Thank you.

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