Lemon Jell-O cake is one of our favorite lemon cake recipes. It uses a box cake mix, lemon Jell-O and a few simple ingredients. Made in one-bowl, baked in a 9×13-inch pan, topped with the sweet & tart lemon icing, ready in 30-minutes.
This easy lemon cake is one of our favorite desserts. Everyone will think you made it from scratch!
Lemon Jell-O cake from the 1970s. Digging through my collection of heirloom recipes, I came across this recipe multiple times. This is one of those easy desserts you make for a family gathering, friends coming over, potluck or the holidays.
If you love lemon desserts as much as me, be sure and try lemon loaf cake, lemon pound cake, lemon cheesecake, lemon crinkle cookies and lemon layer cake.
Why this recipe works
- Quick & Easy – With a box cake mix and simple ingredients, it’s ready in about 30-minutes.
- Incredible flavor – One of the most flavorful lemon cakes. Adding a teaspoon of pure lemon oil gives it even more lemon flavor. Lemon oil is made from the rinds of lemons. It does not contain any alcohol. (Do not substitute lemon extract! It’s not the same product!)
- Moist – This cake stays moist and tender for days!
What you’ll need
- Cake mix– Whatever brand cake mix you prefer. Either a white cake mix or yellow cake mix will work.
- Lemon Jell-O – Lemon Jell-O instant pudding gives this cake a pop of lemon flavor and adds moisture.
- Oil – While I prefer canola or vegetable oil, use whatever neutral oil you love. It keeps this cake super moist!
- Milk – Most Jell-O cakes call for water. Using whole milk makes a cake mix taste more like homemade and adds more moisture. (you can also use 2% milk if needed)
- Eggs – Help the cake rise. Room temperature eggs will incorporate easier into the batter.
- Lemon oil – Pure lemon oil adds a pop of real lemon flavor. Lemon extract is a completely different product and has added ingredients such as alcohol.
- Powdered sugar – For the lemon icing.
- Lemon juice – Fresh or bottle lemon juice will work. Whisked together with powdered sugar to make lemon icing.
How to make lemon Jell-O cake
- Grease the pan – Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- Preheat the oven – Preheat the oven (350-degrees F) for a minimum of 30-minutes. This ensures your oven is up to the proper temperature.
- Mix ingredients – In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, Jell-O, oil, lemon oil, milk and eggs. Use an electric hand mixer or a whisk to incorporate the ingredients.
- Bake – Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick when inserted comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Make the icing – In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice. Adjust the lemon juice, based on your desired thickness of the icing.
- Remove from the oven – Let the cake cool, in the pan on a metal rack for 10-15 minutes prior to icing.
- Top with icing – While still warm and in the baking pan, spoon the icing over top the cake. Let set before cutting into squares.
One of the tricks to making a box cake mix taste more like homemade is substituting milk instead of water. I decorated this easy lemon cake with Boston fruit slices. Boston fruit slices are a nostalgic candy from my childhood and go perfect with this cake.
More easy cake recipes
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Lemon Jell-O Cake
Ingredients
Lemon Jell-O cake
- 1 package (14.25-15-ounce) white cake mix (or yellow cake mix)
- 1 package (3.4-ounces) lemon Jell-O (instant pudding)
- ¾ cup canola or vegetable oil (or another neutral oil)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure lemon oil
Lemon Icing
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
Lemon Jell-O cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, Jell-O, oil, lemon oil, milk and eggs. Use an electric hand mixer or a whisk to incorporate the ingredients. Scape the bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan. Gently spread evenly in the pan with a rubber spatula.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick when inserted comes out mostly clean with some moist crumbs. Carefully rotate the baking pan about three quarters through baking, so it bakes evenly. Being very careful not to bump the cake or it will fall in the center!
- Remove the cake from the oven and let cool on a wire cooling rack. Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes and spoon the icing over top. Once completely cooled, lift the cake up with the parchment paper and cut into squares.
Lemon icing
- In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice. Adjust the lemon juice, based on your desired thickness of the icing.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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