When life gives you lemons, make Lemon Pocket Cake! This delightful dessert features a classic white cake with swirls of lemon pie filling, creating pockets of citrusy bliss in every bite.
Topped with a light and fluffy lemon frosting, it’s perfect for summer gatherings or any occasion that calls for a touch of sunshine. This sweet treat will leave everyone craving more.
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This simple but delicious Lemon Pocket Cake is the perfect summertime cake recipe for lemon lovers! It’s fresh, light, full of bright lemony flavors, and only requires a few basic ingredients.
With pockets of creamy lemon pie filling throughout a sweet vanilla cake and a layer of velvety smooth lemon frosting and whipped topping, it is hard to resist this flavorful lemon pocket cake.
Make it in advance for your next summertime picnic or potluck, or simply prepare it for dessert when you have a sweet tooth! This recipe is perfect for any occasion and is guaranteed to impress anyone who tries it!
A few other quick and delicious desserts I'd recommend that are perfect for potlucks are cherry dump cake, lemon pie and berry shortcake salad.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Amazing lemon flavor - Lemon lovers and dessert lovers alike will all love this lemony treat! The combination of the creamy lemon pie filling and smooth lemon frosting bring the perfect amount of sweet and tart lemon flavor to this cake that is absolutely irresistible!
- Perfect for picnics - This refreshing and fruity cake is excellent for picnics and potlucks on those hot summer days where you want a treat that’s fresh and sweet!
- Easy to customize - You can add or leave out ingredients based on how much lemon flavor you like, making it great for both kids and adults.
- Simple and delicious - This recipe is super simple and only requires a few ingredients, yet is still sure to impress anyone who tries it with its rich flavor!
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Ingredients
Gather the ingredients below to make this pockets of lemon cake!
- White cake mix is a great base to pair with the rest of the lemon ingredients. Its sweet and simple vanilla flavor won't take away from the taste of the lemon pie filling or frosting.
- Lemon pie filling creates the perfect pockets of lemon in the cake that are luscious and sweet!
- Lemon frosting is the cherry on top and adds even more tart and sweet lemon flavor in a creamy, smooth frosting.
- Whipped topping is light, sweet, and fluffy and balances out the lemony ingredients.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- In place of white cake, you can also use yellow cake or strawberry cake. For even more lemon flavor you can use lemon cake mix, but it will be pretty lemony!
- You can use homemade cake mix instead of store bought cake mix.
- Other pie filling options include blueberry or strawberry pie filling.
- You can sprinkle your cake with lemon sugar, powdered sugar or add some lemon zest.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream for even more sweetness.
How to Make Lemon Pocket Cake
Once you’ve gathered all your ingredients, preheat the oven to 350º F then follow the steps below for this lemon-filled cake.
- Prepare cake batter according to package directions.
- Transfer batter to a greased 9-13-inch cake pan. Then, using a small spoon, drop dollops of lemon pie filling into the batter.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes or until edges are golden brown and pull away from the pan. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Mix up the frosting and spread over top of cake. Cut and serve.
Helpful Tips
- You can garnish your cake with lemon slices for more visual appeal.
- Be sure not to overmix your cake batter. This will make sure your cake is perfectly light and fluffy.
- Using a toothpick is a simple way to check that your cake is fully cooked. The toothpick should come out clean if your cake is done.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, other flavors of cake mix such as yellow, lemon, pound, butter, vanilla, and angel food can be used for this cake to add variety and enhance the flavor profile. Each brings a unique taste and texture that complements the lemon filling and frosting.
If you don't have lemon pie filling, you can use lemon curd or a thick lemon pudding as a substitute. These alternatives will still provide that delicious lemon flavor and create the desired pockets within the cake.
Sure! If you are planning to make this cake ahead of time, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days for the most freshness and flavor when you serve it!
Some of them may sink a bit. Since the lemon pie filling is heavier than the batter, it is normal for some of the dollops to sink further into the cake and create deeper pockets. There is no need to mix the batter when this happens because that will break the pockets of filling.
This recipe can easily be altered to have more or less lemon flavor. You don't have to use lemon frosting and you can just use whipped topping instead. You can even add some lemon extract to your topping for just a hint of lemon flavor. Also, you can use as many or as little dollops of lemon pie filling as you wish.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
Storage Instructions
To store leftovers of lemon pocket cake, place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing Instructions
To freeze this lemon cake, place it in a freezer safe container and serve within 2-3 months. Allow the cake to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
More Recipes You'll Love
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Lemon Pocket Cake
Ingredients
- 1 white cake mix (for 9x13-inch cake and ingredients in package directions)
- 21 ounce can lemon pie filling
- 16 ounce jar lemon frosting
- 2 cups whipped topping (thawed)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Prepare cake batter according to package directions.
- Transfer batter to a greased 9x13-inch cake pan.
- Using a small spoon, drop dollops of lemon pie filling into the batter.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes or until edges are golden brown and pull away from the pan.
- Allow cake to cool completely.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat lemon frosting and whipped topping together.
- Spread frosting over top of cake.
- Cut and serve.
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