Glazed Lemon Cake

Total Time

Prep: 10 min. Bake: 40 min. + cooling

Makes

12 servings

Updated: Jun. 30, 2023
My mother baked this moist treat when I was a child. I loved the lemon glaze and light cake as much then as my children do now. – Missy Andrews, Rice, Washington
Glazed Lemon Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 1 package white cake mix (regular size)
  • 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant lemon pudding mix
  • 3/4 cup canola oil
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup lemon-lime soda
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, oil and eggs; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Gradually beat in soda just until blended.
  2. Pour batter into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth; carefully spread over warm cake. Cool on a wire rack.

Glazed Lemon Cake Tips

Do you put glaze on warm cake?

Most cakes, such as Bundt cakes, are best glazed when they are completely cool so the glaze will harden and not melt into the cake itself. This cake is a different story! Topping a warm cake with glaze makes it incredibly moist, and while some of the glaze soaks into the cake for a bit of extra flavor, it may also form a pleasant, sugary crust on top for texture contrast as the cake cools off.

How can I make my glaze thicker?

Take initial care when adding your liquid ingredients to begin thinning out your glaze. It’s always best to hold off and add only a little bit at a time to reach the consistency you desire. If you go too far and your glaze is runny, you can thicken it a bit more by adding more confectioners' sugar, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the thickness you desire. This will sweeten your glaze a touch more.

How long does it take for glaze to harden?

The glaze on your cake should completely harden when the cake itself has reached room temperature. If you have a thinner glaze with more liquid, it may take a little longer for it to firm up.

Research contributed by Mark Neufang, Taste of Home Culinary Assistant

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 378 calories, 17g fat (2g saturated fat), 47mg cholesterol, 419mg sodium, 53g carbohydrate (36g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.