This Lemon Poke Cake is a delicious made-from-scratch lemon cake topped with homemade lemon curd and whipped cream.
Refrigerate and chill this fully assembled cake and enjoy a delicious lemony treat for dessert!
Homemade poke cake
A poke cake is a cake that's baked, and then holes are poked across the top of the cake. A filling is then added that sinks into the holes and covers the surface of the cake. Whipped cream then covers everything and the cake is fully chilled before serving. Yep, it's as delicious as it sounds!
Many poke cakes use cake mixes, boxed pudding or gelatin, and nondairy whipped cream. While they simplify the recipe and taste pretty good, they aren't my favorite.
I've made this lemon poke cake completely from scratch and while there are a few steps involved (making the cake, making the lemon curd, and whipping the cream) it really isn't difficult. And the end results are so delicious!
All the components of this cake can be made and assembled in less than an hour. Once finished, the cake is refrigerated until fully chilled.
If you love lemon cake, you'll also want to try my lemon bundt cake and my lemon cupcakes!
Key ingredients
This section reviews the best ingredients and substitutions for this recipe. For an exact list of ingredients and quantities, check the recipe card below.
- Lemons - You'll need both the zest and the juice.
- Butter - Use room-temperature salted butter.
- Oil - I use a combination of butter and oil to help keep this cake light and fluffy.
- Milk & Cream- Either whole milk or 2% milk for the cake batter and heavy whipping cream is used for topping the cake.
- Eggs - You'll need several eggs for this recipe. Three eggs are used in the batter and four egg yolks are used for the lemon curd. You'll end up with extra egg whites, but you can always scramble them up and make an egg white omelet or make another tasty treat with this chocolate mousse recipe!
- Sugar - Granulated sugar is used in the cake batter, the lemon curd, and in the whipped cream.
Making a lemon poke cake
In this section, I share step-by-step photos, cooking methods, techniques, and a general overview. For detailed instructions, temperatures, and timing, check the printable recipe card below.
Making the cake
- Place butter in a mixing bowl and whip with a paddle attachment until nice and soft.
- Add sugar and oil and mix for 2-3 minutes until very soft and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each egg.
- Mix in vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Add 1 ½ cups of the flour to the mixing bowl. Sprinkle the baking powder and salt over top of the flour.
- Mix just until the flour is incorporated.
- With the mixer on low, add milk.
- Add the remaining one cup of flour and mix just until incorporated. I often stop mixing and use my silicone spatula to finish folding the flour into the batter.
- Add batter to a 9x13-inch cake pan sprayed with a nonstick spray.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes until the cake is fully cooked.
- Remove from oven and allow the cake to cool slightly.
Making the lemon curd
- Place egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sugar in the bowl of a double boiler or in a metal bowl. Whisk together.
- Place the bowl over a pot with a small amount of simmering water. Make certain the bowl is not touching the water. Whisk the mixture until it begins to thicken.
- Remove from heat and whisk in butter a few cubes at a time making certain it is fully incorporated before adding additional butter.
Assembling the cake
- Whip cream together until soft peaks are formed. Add sugar.
- Poke holes in the cake using the round handle of a wooden spoon.
- Spread lemon curd over the top of the cake.
- Add whipped cream and cover the surface of the cake.
- Refrigerate, uncovered for at least 3 hours before serving. If serving beyond 3-4 hours, cover with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator.
Recipe tips
- When making the cake, use room-temperature ingredients.
- Use the fluff and scoop method when measuring flour to help prevent over-compacting the flour.
- Stop and scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl to make certain everything is well-mixed.
- Once you add the flour, don't overmix. Stir just until everything comes together.
- Keep holes in cake about 2-3 inches apart. Too close and your cake may not hold together when serving.
- If you like a sweeter whipped cream, add additional sugar.
- It is okay if the cake is still warm when you add the lemon curd and the whipped cream.
- If your curd has lumps, press it through a fine-meshed sieve to remove the lumps.
- Cake can be refrigerated for up to 4-5 days.
Frequently asked questions
The butter adds flavor, but the oil allows the cake to stay soft when refrigerated.
When covered and stored in the refrigerator, this cake will last for 4-5 days.
More delicious lemon desserts
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious cake recipes.
Lemon Poke Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- ½ cup salted butter (at room temperature)
- ½ cup oil (vegetable or canola)
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs (at room temperature)
- zest from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup milk
Lemon Curd
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 zest from 2 lemons
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons salted butter (cut into small cubes, at room temperature)
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place butter in a mixing bowl and whip with a paddle attachment until nice and soft.½ cup salted butter
- Add sugar and oil and mix for 2-3 minutes until very soft and fluffy.½ cup oil, 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- Add eggs, one a time, mixing well between each egg.3 eggs
- Mix in vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice.zest from 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add 1 ½ cups of the flour to the mixing bowl. Sprinkle the baking powder and salt over top of the flour.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Mix just until the flour is incorporated.
- With the mixer on low, add milk.¾ cup milk
- Add remaining cup of flour and mix just until incorporated. I often stop mixing and use my silicone spatula to finish folding the flour into the batter.
- Add batter to a 9x13 inch cake pan sprayed with a nonstick spray.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes until the cake is fully cooked.
- Remove from oven and allow cake to cool slightly.
Lemon Curd
- Place egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar in a bowl of a double boiler or in a metal bowl. Whisk together.4 egg yolks, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 zest from 2 lemons, ⅓ cup lemon juice
- Place over a pot with a small amount of simmering water. Make certain the bowl is not touching the water. Whisk mixture until it begins to thicken.
- Remove from heat and whisk in butter a few cubes at a time making certain it is fully incorporated before adding additional butter.4 tablespoons salted butter
Whipped Cream
- Whip cream together until soft peaks are formed. Add sugar and stir.2 cups heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Assembling the Cake
- Poke holes in cake using the round handle of a wooden spoon.
- Spread lemon curd over the top of the cake.
- Add whipped cream and cover surface of cake.
- Refrigerate, uncovered for at least 3 hours before serving. If serving beyond 3-4 hours, cover with plastic wrap and keep in refrigerator
Notes
-
- When making the cake, use room-temperature ingredients.
- Use the fluff and scoop method when measuring flour to help prevent over-compacting the flour.
-
- Stop and scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl to make certain everything is well-mixed.
-
- Once you add the flour, don't overmix. Stir just until everything comes together.
-
- Keep holes in cake about 2-3 inches apart. Too close and your cake may not hold together when serving.
-
- If you like a sweeter whipped cream, add additional sugar.
-
- It is okay if the cake is still warm when you add the lemon curd and the whipped cream.
-
- If your curd has lumps, press it through a fine-meshed sieve to remove the lumps.
-
- Cake can be refrigerated for up to 4-5 days.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
JENI ZUFFINETTI says
I prefer a more puckery lemon flavor than most. Would you suggest lemon juice powder or citric acid?
Kathy says
Hi Jeni,
I have not used either of those in baking. You could increase the amount of lemon zest without changing the components of the recipe. That may help the flavor you're looking for.
Kathy
fwg says
Always wondered why it's called a 'poke' cake. Could other fruits be used, such as oranges.
Kathy says
Great questions! The name "Poke" comes from the holes poked into the cake. And yes, orange or lime would be perfect in this recipe too!