This Lemonade Cake takes a box cake, infuses it with lemonade concentrate, and tops it with a rich, creamy lemon frosting!
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Lemon cakes are some of my favorites to bake, and a lemonade cake is high up on my “must-bake” list. Plus, I love the name—lemonade cake makes me think of lazy summer afternoons on the porch with a tall glass of iced lemonade. Turn that relaxed feeling into a cake, and you’re sure to enjoy this one.
I love all things lemon and this lemonade cake is no exception. It’s loaded with lemonade concentrate in the batter. Then, you add even more into the frosting for an explosion of delicious lemon flavor!
Using the concentrate gives you more of a lemon flavor than using just lemon juice. Then, the sugar in the concentrate adds a bit of sweetness to counter the tartness of the lemon.
All you need to make this very lemony cake is a box mix plus a few other pantry ingredients. And when I say “very lemony,” I really mean it! Since you use a lemon box cake mix as the base, you’ll have bursts of citrus in each bite. The sweet and lemony cream cheese frosting is absolutely irresistible as well as super easy to make.
For more of my favorite lemon recipes, check out my Lemon Pound Cake, Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie, Lemon Cupcakes, Lemon Bundt Cake, or Lemon Bars, too!
Recipe Ingredients
To print: see recipe card below
Cake
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box lemon cake mix – You can use your favorite brand of cake mix for this recipe.
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup milk – I use whole milk to give richness to the cake.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup frozen lemonade concentrate – I use frozen lemonade concentrate from a can, like Minute Maid brand. This eliminates the need for fresh lemon juice or lemon extract, creating a bold, lemony flavor.
- 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
Frosting
- 1/2 cup cream cheese – Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese, not cream cheese from a tub.
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate – You can use the same kind of lemonade concentrate in the frosting as in the cake. This adds delicious lemonade flavoring to the frosting.
Quick Tip
Sift the powdered sugar into the frosting mixture rather than dumping it in all at once. Sometimes powdered sugar right out of the bag is clumpy. So, this keeps the frosting lump-free!
Directions for How to Make Easy Lemonade Cake
- Prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Prepare the cake batter: Add the cake mix, milk, and oil to a large mixing bowl. Then, add the eggs, and whisk just until smooth.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 30 minutes. The cake should be golden brown and spring back to the touch.
- Cool the baked cake: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.
- Make the lemon flavoring: While the cake is cooling, mix the cup of lemonade concentrate with the cup of powdered sugar in a bowl.
- Poke holes in the cake: Use a fork to prick the cake all over the surface, making small, even holes across the cake.
- Soak the cake: Pour the lemonade and sugar mix over the top of the cake. Let it soak into the cake slowly.
- Cool the cake: Transfer the cake to the fridge to cool for about an hour.
- Make the frosting: While the cake is cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter together with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is well combined. Add the powdered sugar and lemonade concentrate to the frosting, and beat again until light and fluffy.
- Assemble the cake: Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Super moist, this easy lemonade cake recipe is great to serve on its own. But if you’d like to add even more flavor and texture, here are some of my suggestions:
- With fresh fruit: Sliced strawberries would be amazing served with slices of lemonade cake! You could serve slices with strawberries piled on top or alongside. Blueberries would also be a wonderful addition to this cake—I love the combination of lemons and blueberries.
- With vanilla ice cream: This would be going over the top, but it’s hard to go wrong with vanilla ice cream. Serve slices of cake with scoops of vanilla ice cream, especially during the summer.
- With whipped cream: A dollop of sweetened store-bought or homemade whipped cream would also taste so good with slices of lemonade cake.
How to Store
Store leftover lemonade cake tightly covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to five days. Serve cold from the fridge or at room temperature.
Quick Tip
For the frosting, have both the butter and cream cheese at room temperature before whipping them together. This will help create a smoother, fluffier frosting.
FAQs
Can I use lemonade instead of water in cake mix?
Yes! As in this recipe, you can add lemonade or lemonade concentrate to your boxed cake mix for extra lemon flavor.
Similarly, you can use lemon juice in your store-bought cake mix. The tartness of the lemon will help cut the inherent sweetness of the mix and give added lemon flavor.
You can use milk instead of water in your box cake mix for extra richness and flavor.
Lemonade Cake
Equipment
- 1 9×13 baking dish
- 2 Mixing bowls
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) lemon cake mix
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup frozen lemonade concentrate
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Frosting
- ½ cup cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Add the cake mix, milk, vanilla, oil, and eggs to a large mixing bowl and whisk together to form a smooth, thick batter.1 box (15.25 ounces) lemon cake mix, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 eggs
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. The cake should be golden brown and spring back to the touch.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.
- While the cake is cooling, mix the cup of lemonade concentrate with the cup of powdered sugar.1 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, 1 cup powdered sugar
- Use a fork to prick the cake all over the surface, making small, even holes across the cake.
- Pour the lemonade and sugar mix over the top of the cake, letting it soak into the cake as you slowly pour.
- Put the cake in the fridge to cool for about an hour.
- While the cake is cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is well mixed.½ cup cream cheese, softened, ½ cup salted butter, softened
- Add the powdered sugar and lemonade concentrate to the frosting and beat until light and fluffy.3 ½ cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
- Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake and enjoy!
Nutrition
Did you make this easy Lemonade Cake recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Hi,
No big deal but you forgot to mention one of the ingredients, vanilla extract, in the recipe.
Thank you for catching that, Connie!