Lemon Pudding Poke Cake: A Burst of Sunshine

Lemon Pudding Poke Cake couldn’t be easier to make. It’s a luscious lemon cake infused with creamy lemon pudding, topped with whipped cream and crushed cookies!

Lemon Pudding Poke Cake recipe couldn’t be easier to make. This make-ahead easy pudding cake recipe is the perfect recipe for sharing. It makes a generously sized dessert that everyone will love.

You know how I LOVE chocolate right? Well, Lemon may be a close tie. I just love how lemon brightens up any dish whether it’s in a dessert or savory dish. It just reminds me of summer and a burst of sunshine just like this Pudding Poke Cake!

We were invited over to our neighbor’s house for a BBQ. I knew that there would be quite a few people there so wanted to make something that I could do ahead of time and would feed quite a few people.

This Cake with Lemon Pudding checked off all of my wants and more!

Another requirement is that the house we were going to has a child with a serious nut allergy. I’ve become educated on how to make food “safe” for this child. You see, even though the food doesn’t have nuts in it, it still might be dangerous.

You have to look at the label of every single ingredient that you put in a dish.

The nutritional label will sometimes list allergy specific ingredients in bold or will have a “Contains” statement that will list allergen ingredients such as gluten, wheat, tree nuts, etc.

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Another very important detail is if the ingredient was processed in a facility that processes products with nuts. That makes it off-limits to people with nut allergies too.

Lastly, monitor your own working space. If I’ve recently used nuts in my own kitchen, I make sure all surfaces and utensils are CLEAN (counters, cutting boards, and gadgets)!

Ingredients for Lemon Poke Cake

• Lemon cake mix
• Instant lemon pudding
• Heavy whipping cream
• vanilla
• powdered sugar
• Lemon sandwich cookies
• Milk

What is a pudding poke cake?

A pudding poke cake is a baked cake that you poke holes in so that you can infuse other flavors. In this case, lemon pudding. There are other poke cake recipes that call for flavored jello, juice, or sweetened condensed milk to name just a few.

Pro Tips to simplify this Lemon Poke Cake recipe:

• Use ready-made whipped topping instead of homemade. Personally, I love whipping my own but no one will complain that you didn’t.
• Use canned lemon pie filling or lemon curd instead of the instant pie filling. Note, however, the consistency will not be the same and I don’t believe will saturate the cake as well. Again, no one will complain!
• Get the kiddos involved. Let them sprinkle the cookies on top and give them the half cookies to garnish the tops of the pieces of cake before serving.

If you like this lemon recipe, here are a few more I think you’ll enjoy

• Lemon Icebox Pie
• Blueberry Lemonade Pie
• Lemon Snowflake Cookies
• Lemon Pistachio Muffins
• Puff Pastry Baskets with Creamy Lemon Filling
• Pink Lemonade Cake
• Lemon Olive Oil Cake

A few items you make need to make a Lemon Poke Cake Recipe:

• 9×13 Baking Dish – I’ve got this one and love it. It comes with a lid that makes taking and refrigerating my treats a lot easier.
• Silicone Spatulas – This pretty set has a flat side and a curved side to take on your toughest job. I love that they are all one piece and can withstand 500°F! Throw out those old chipped ones and treat yourself!
• Electric Stand Mixer – I used this mixer for doing everything in this recipe. It is my workhorse and I even have the attachments to make pasta and grind meat and nuts with too.

Don’t forget to Pin this recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for quick reference!

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5 from 10 votes

Lemon Pudding Poke Cake

Lemon Pudding Poke Cake is a semi-homemade dessert that is sweet, creamy and luscious. It's an easy make-ahead recipe that that will delight any lemon lover

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Chill Time 1 hr

Total Time 1 hr 40 mins

Servings 15

Author Julie Menghini

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 1 box lemon Cake Mix Pudding in the mix is fine but not necessary
• 3.4 oz instant lemon pudding 1 small box
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream *
• 1 tsp vanilla extract Can also use lemon extract
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 17 lemon filled sandwich cookies 15 for the cake and 5 for the topping

Instructions

• Cook the cake in a 9×13 baking dish according to the package directions. Cool the cake on a baking rack.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, combine instant pudding with the 2 cups of milk. Beat for 2 minutes. The pudding will start to thicken slightly but will still be pourable.
• Using the end of a wooden spoon or other round ended gadget, poke holes into the cooled cake. Pour the lemon pudding over the top of the cake.
• Crush the lemon cream filled cookies in a gallon-sized zip lock bag. Pound the cookies with a rolling pin until crushed.
• Whip the heavy cream, and vanilla together until soft peaks begin to form. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until blended. Fold in the crushed cookies into the whipped cream. Top the cake with the cream cookie mix.
• Refrigerate for at least one hour. Garnish with remaining cookie crumbs and serve.
• Store covered in the refrigerator.

Video

Notes

*You can replace the whipped cream topping with store bought whipped cream for convenience.  I really like the homemade myself.

Recipe adapted from Soulfully Made.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 357mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 520IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 1mg

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe? That’s awesome!Mention @hostessatheart or tag #hostessatheart!

Everyone absolutely loved this Luscious Lemon Pudding Poke Cake. It’s like a burst of sunshine in every pan.

If you have some inspiration you’d like to see, leave me a note in the comments or drop me an email. I read and respond to all of my correspondence.