This Lemonade Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting is an all time favorite recipe!
So, my kids won’t eat any lemon flavored baked goods. Lemon cake, lemon pasta, lemon cupcakes, lemon muffins…they say they’re too sour. BUT they drink lemonade, and can’t seem to get enough Sour Patch Kids, Cry Baby Candy, Sour Skittles or Lemon Heads. I even tried once to make Lemonhead Cookies, thinking I had cracked the lemon code, and they were like, nope.
How To Make Lemonade Cake
This cake isn’t hard…plus you can make it ahead until you’re ready to frost it…AND it all starts with a boxed cake mix and Frozen Lemonade from concentrate. Good stuff!
- You have a lemon cake mix, amped up with some lemonade concentrate, topped with a lemonade sugar glaze to keep the cake supremely moist and finished with a creamy, gorgeous, lemonade cream cheese frosting.
- I even like to make the cake and let the glaze soak into them overnight. You don’t have to do that, but if you’re making this for a special occasion, it’s a really nice option!
- I topped my cake with some lemon peels, which is, of course, totally optional!
Top This Lemonade Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
The cream cheese frosting on this cake is AMAZING! It’s an easy cream cheese frosting recipe, with the addition of lemonade from concentrate. It’s simple, creamy, and the perfect topping for any lemon cake recipe!
Lemonade Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
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Prep Time: 10 minutes - Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: serves 12 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dessert
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PinDescription:
This ULTRA moist Lemonade Cake is soft, tart, and topped with creamy lemon cream cheese frosting!
Ingredients:
- 1 Lemon boxed cake mix
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons Lemonade from Concentrate, thawed
- Glaze:
- 2 tablespoons Lemonade from Concentrate, thawed
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- Frosting:
- 1 (8- ounce) block cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup Lemonade from Concentrate, thawed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 6 cups powdered sugar
Instructions:
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 2, 8″ round cake pans generously with cooking/baking spray. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix cake mix, eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and 2 tablespoons of Lemonade from Concentrate on low for 30 seconds, and then on medium for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Keep the remaining frozen lemonade concentrate in the freezer…you will need it again.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cake is set and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in pan, approximately 1 hour. Do not remove.
Glaze
- When the cakes are cooled level them off with a serrated knife, so they are flat on top.
- If the cakes didn’t dome much and don’t need to be leveled, poke holes with a skewer throughout the top, so the glaze will sink in.
- In a medium bowl combine powdered sugar, Lemonade from Concentrate and water.
- Stir until smooth and pour equally over the top of the cakes, still in the cake pans.
- Cover and let sit for at least an hour, or overnight in the refrigerator is best.
Frosting
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, mix butter and cream cheese together for 2 minutes on medium speed, until combined and creamy.
- Turn mixer to low and add your lemonade and vanilla.
- Slowly add in your powdered sugar and then beat on medium for 1-2 minutes until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- When ready to frost, remove your cakes from the refrigerator.
- Loosen cake around the edges with a butter knife so they will release easily.
- Frost as desired.
Notes:
Store refrigerated for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Keywords:: Lemon Cake, Lemonade Cake, Lemon Recipe, Cookies and Cups, cake recipe, lemonade
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Hi! I’m Shelly and I’m an addict. Of the buttercream sort. I started this site a few years ago as a way to justify my sugary, buttery obsession with desserts. It has worked out well for me so far, because as it turns out you guys all love sugary, buttery desserts too! It feels good to know you're not alone, doesn’t it?
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Isnt 6 cups icing sugar too much?
Question – are you using the lemonade concentrate in it concentrated form (melted of course) or do you make the lemonade up and then use that. I want this in my belly but want to get it right. I love any and all things lemon!!!
In concentrated form!
I have made this cake many times it is wonderful . Can I double the recipe and make a pound cake in a tube pan , Or will this be to much batter . Thanks
★★★★★
It would be too much. You can use this amount as written in a tube pan!
I made this cake last night, but as a 13×9. Baked for 28 minutes. It was super moist, delicious and a hit with my family! Loved the tangy, tart lemon flavor!
This recipe is a ‘keeper’ as the lemon flavor on every level is what makes this so good!
Thank you for sharing!
★★★★
Would adding a packet of lemon pudding mix to the cake be a terrible idea? I usually do it to my boxed cakes but I’m hesitating for this one lol.
It might be a lot of lemon flavor if you do!
Super moist and the lemon flavor is just right
★★★★★
This cake looks fabulous. I need to make a dessert in a 9×13 pan and freeze it take to a retreat. Do you think this would freeze?
Yes it should be fine!
I’m always looking for reviews of a recipe. All I see is remarks as to how good “it looks”!! Has anyone tried this recipe?
…this is a very delicious cake!! I’ve made it about three times and its always a winner!!!
Hi, thanks for posting! It looks amazing and I am trying to make it. Quick question, is the lemonade from concentrate straight out of the container pre-diluted, or do I prepare it with water first. Sorry, but I just don’t want to make it wrong. Thank you 🙂
straight from the container!
Can this be made in 9 x 13 cake pan? What adjustments would you make on baking time and frosting amounts?
Thanks!
Yes for sure. I would bake it for 25 minutes to start and test from from there. And you could cut the frosting by 1/3 if you are only frosting the top of the 9×13.
what size box mix did you use , the old 18.25 oz or the new small 15.25 oz size, or did you take the new box size, and combine it with another box to bring it up to the old 18.25 oz size
I have actually used both sizes in this cake and the results really are about the same!
Have you ever used this recipe as a cupcake?…I mean minus the layering : )
I haven’t, but I don’t see any reason that it wouldn’t work!
Can i use a bunt cake pan
You could, but would need to adjust the bake time…
Could you use a 13×9 pan for this cake
Could you make this in a 9 x 13 pan?
I made this cake last night and let it sit overnight in the fridge before frosting it this morning. It has an amazing flavor but the texture is wrong. So very VERY wrong. It is more of a pudding cake than a normal cake. It has no crumb to it. I work in a construction office full of guys who all gave this cake a thumbs down on mouth feel but liked the flavor. I followed the recipe and only deviations made was on the frosting — I did used considerably less sugar and upped the lemon flavor.
I would like to try this cake. It looks delicious. Unfortunately, I’m allergic to the vegetable oil. What can I substitute it for and how much of it should I use?
You could use Canola Oil in its place 🙂
i went through 20-25 recipes before coming upon this one. though comments all from 2011, i am taking a chance and making it for my son’s birthday, today. i added pkg of lemon pudding instead of lemonade. i will use that in glaze and frosting.
I made this cake and turned out good! The only problem I have is the icing, mine is loose and keeps running of the cake.I added extra powder sugar to try to thicken up but I am having on luck. Can you help?
The cake is made with milk? Is that right? It’s usually made with water.
Yes, milk 🙂
Love It!
Wonderful to know that this is something
I can add to my collection to make for
A scrumptious summer desert!
This was delicious, the cream cheese frosting came out a little soft. I think next time I will add a little more cream cheese to make the frosting a little stiffer.
Just so we’re clear, I should cut the top off of BOTH cakes and poke holes in both cakes and drizzle the glaze over both cakes? The part when you say to poke holes in “the cake that wasn’t cut” that threw me off. Thanks! I cannot wait to try this recipe!
Yes 🙂 Level off the tops of both cakes 🙂
Thanks!
FYI:Tonja Zickefoose scraped this recipe on Facebook on June 29th of this year with one of your photos (with your website cropped off). She did not claim it was her recipe but neither did she give you any credit.)