If you’ve been searching for the BEST recipe for Lemon Cake from a doctored cake mix, we are happy to say that this is it!
This lemon cake has a lovely soft texture, is ultra moist, has fantastic lemon flavor, works for cupcakes as well as cake layers, and is sturdy enough to hold up to fondant! What’s not to love?
We’ve frosted this lemon layer cake with a luscious Lemon Buttercream, which is a new recipe for our site also! We’ve fallen in love with it’s lemon flavor and it pipes like a dream.
We’re so glad to have this lemon buttercream option for slathering and swirling onto all sorts of cakes from lemon cake to homemade vanilla buttermilk cake to classic yellow, coconut and even strawberry! Lemon buttercream pairs perfectly with so many cake flavors.
However, our Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting as well as our homemade Lemon Curd Filling would both be great choices!
Now let’s back to the business of doctoring up a simple cake mix to make the BEST Lemon Cake ever!
First, you’ll start with a simple white cake mix (look for recipes that do not contain pudding in the mix as we’ll be adding a bit of lemon pudding to this recipe). We used Duncan Hines.
- Combine the sifted cake mix with the flour, sugar, and pudding and whisk to blend. *Just 4 tablespoons of pudding is all that we needed to really make a difference in the texture and flavor of this cake.
- We tried baking without the lemon pudding, and while it was good, the stand-out favorite among all of our family taste-testers was the version that contained pudding. The texture is more velvety and the lemony flavor is really nice. We also tried using Lemon Cake Mix instead of White, but didn’t like the flavor as much.
- Add the remaining ingredients, including the eggs, water, sour cream, extracts, and lemon zest. The addition of pudding, sour cream, and flour give the cake a from-scratch feel, as it is a bit denser than a straight from the box cake mix cake…but I wouldn’t describe this as a dense cake. It is light, has a soft texture, and did I mention an amazing lemon flavor? SO good!
This recipe makes about 7 1/2 cups of batter which was just the right amount to divide between three 8 inch layers. I love cake recipes that have enough batter for three layers so that you can have an additional layer of filling! Mmmmm….bring on the lemon buttercream!
I should also mention that while we adore this doctored Lemon Cake Mix recipe, we have a favorite Scratch Lemon Cake Recipe as well! If you enjoy baking scratch recipes also, this is a great one! We hope to eventually have a doctored cake mix version and scratch version of all of our recipes!
Lemon Cake: A Doctored Cake Mix Recipe
Nobody would guess that this amazing lemon cake recipe all starts with a simple cake mix! So moist and lemony!
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 oz.) white cake mix, sifted (Any mix without pudding in the mix)
- 1 cup (114g) all purpose flour (plain in the UK)
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 1/2 box (4Tablespoons, (48g) instant lemon pudding (we used Jell-O brand)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/3 cups (322g) water
- 1 cup (242g) sour cream (we use full fat sour cream)
- 1 Tablespoon (12g) lemon extract
- 1/2 teaspoon (2g) vanilla extract
- zest of one lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 8x2 inch round cake pans.
- In the bowl of your mixer, add the dry ingredients and whisk at least 30 seconds to blend.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for 1 more minute. If you are using a hand mixer, mix for a bit longer.
- Pour into prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Check at 25 minutes, if a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached, it is done.
- Cool in the pans 5 to 10 minutes then turn out.
- Makes 7 1/2 cups batter
- Works well for cupcakes
Hi Julie, This recipe makes 7 1/2 cups batter. Cake batter charts suggest 2 cups for a 6×2 in round pan. You can put a bit less in each pan, and they will not be quite as tall, but should still be fine. Are you making a double barrel cake? Bake at 350 and keep an eye on your cakes. Below is a link to a cake batter chart that you might find helpful.
http://fromkarenskitchen.com/tips/party_cake_batter_amounts_baking_times_2inch_pan.php
If you had enough batter for 2 cups per pan you would bake for 25 to 30 minutes. You will not have enough batter for five 6 inch pans, so decrease the time a bit.
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Can you do this recipe in a Bundt pan. What is the time?
Hi Lynda, Yes, you can bake in a bundt. I lower the oven rack to the next to lowest position. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35 to 40 minutes. If your pan has a dark interior, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees. All ovens are different so keep an eye on it.
No oil or butter in this recipe?
Hi Lanonna, That is correct, no oil or butter.
Hello, I saw where you teach decorating of cakes, I have been trying to find someone to teach me this, but have not had luck. Where are located or do you do it online?
Thank you
Mary Baldwin
Hi Mary, Thank you for your interest in the site. All of our video tutorials are online.
Hi, I just tried making cupcakes with your recipe. They came out of the oven perfect. Two minutes later they were sunken in. They are dry too. Any suggestions?
The times I have made this recipe (at least 3 times in different forms, cupcakes once), it always come out of the oven VERY puffed up high, and then then fallen back down quite a lot. So perhaps each cup had too little batter?
Hi Janet, I am sorry you had this problem. There are several reasons your cupcakes might sink. Most often it is because the cupcakes were taken out of the oven too soon. They will look fine then sink as they begin to cool. Check the cupcakes about 1 to 2 minutes before baking time ends by inserting a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached, they are done. The cupcakes could sink if the oven temperature is too high, the cupcakes rise very quickly then fall flat. You could buy an inexpensive oven thermometer to check if your oven is heating to the correct temperature. Don’t mix the batter for too long or above medium speed. Usually doctored cake mix recipes are very forgiving and turn out well. As for the cupcakes being dry, maybe a miss measurement. When measuring flour, spoon it into a measuring cup for dry ingredients and level off with the back of a knife. Scooping the measuring cup into the container packs the flour into the cup and you will have more flour than you need, making the cake dry.
Hi! My box lemon cake came out a weird texture and taste so I’m trying your doctored recipe tmrw morning. I usually bake layers and freeze overnight but now I can’t, how long do they need to freeze to make them easier to fill/stack?
Also- can I add a little cool whip to the lemon cream cheese frosting for the filling? My nephew wants cream cheese, cool whip, strawberry filling… thanks for any advice.
Hi MH- Just a few hours wrapped in the freezer should firm them up a bit!
I haven’t tried folding in cool whip into the cream cheese frosting but another option for the filling could to spread the cream cheese frosting onto the cake layer, followed by a layer of cool whip and sliced strawberries. Good luck!
Can lemon juice be used instead of extract
Hi Amy, unfortunately lemon juice won’t give you the same boost of lemon flavor that extract does.
Does the pudding have to be instant?
Can you make this with 2 layers or a sheet cake?
Hi April, Yes, this recipe can be baked in two 9 inch round pans at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes. If you bake in two 8 inch rounds, you will have 1 1/2 cups leftover to make a few cupcakes. You could also use a 9×13 sheet cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Check with a toothpick in the center for doneness. It is done when the toothpick is clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
Hi Nancy, Yes the pudding does need to be instant.
Can I use less sugar ?
Hi Mary, I am sorry but I have not tried using less than 1 cup of sugar. I think you could reduce by 1/4 cup, maybe more, I just can’t be sure without experimenting. Let us know if you give it a try.
What would be the bake time for cupcakes?
Hi Krystal, for standard size cupcakes bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Remove cupcakes from the pan to the cooling rack soon after they are out of the oven.
Hi Melissa.
Ok, call me crazy, but I want to convert this into a coconut cake since there isn’t a doctored one. :( I’ve made this lemon version many times, and its spectacular!! :) My only question is, do you think I can use coconut milk instead of water? I’m going to follow everything else exactly. Crossing my fingers! Thank you for all of your incredibly wonderful recipes 😊
Can I use this recipe for three 8in round pans?
Hi Aggie, I think it would be fine to use coconut milk instead of water. The recipe will have more fat content but cake mixes are very forgiving. I would love to hear what you think after you give it a try.
Hi Nia, We use three 8×2 inch round pans for the recipe.
Hi Bebe, Thank you for the response. I tried the coconut milk, coconut pudding and extract. It came out great and the texture was just right. However….I would like to see if I can get more coconut flavor in it…haha! I love coconut :)
Hi Aggie, That’s great thanks for letting us know. Maybe a bit more coconut extract or sprinkling sweetened coconut between layers and pressing it onto the sides and top of the cake.
if i use lemon jello instead of lemon pudding, would that turn out the same/similar?
Hi Shea, We have not tried this recipe with lemon jello. The jello will give you a boost of flavor but it may change the texture of the cake giving you a more open crumb (not as tight and smooth). Cake mixes are very forgiving so you could give it try. Reduce the jello to 2 Tablespoons.
Does this recipe, doctored cake mix, hold up well with the lemon curd?
Yes, you can use Lemon Curd as a filling with this recipe!
What happens if you use a cake mix with added pudding, I think I may have used one.
Hi Dana, it may be slightly denser but I’m sure it will still be good!
Hello could I use buttermilk and a little butter
Hi Denise, We have not tried making that change so I am not sure.
Hello! Why do you recommend using a white cake mix instead of a lemon cake mix? Thank you! Excited to try!
Hi Rachel, we just liked the flavor better this way. Hope you enjoy it!
I’m new to baking. Like Brand New. I just bought my first Kitchen Aid and decided I wanted to try my hand at baking . I’m so Happy I found your site.
I’m going to apologize now for being a pest. I have so much to learn you should probably charge me for all the advice your gonna be giving me lol…..
Hi Denise, We are happy to have you on the site. It can be overwhelming when you first begin, just be patient. It takes practice and repetition as a beginner. If you have never made a cake you might want to begin with a doctored cake mix such as this chocolate cake (recipe link below).
https://www.mycakeschool.com/recipes/chocolate-cake/
Also, beginning with The Basics listed in a drop down box in the Videos. Let us hear from you and how you are doing.
Thank you for the advice. That’s exactly the cake I will start with.
I will definitely share my Baking Journey with you 🍰