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This lemonade cake is bright, refreshing, and incredibly easy to make. Using a boxed cake mix and frozen lemonade concentrate, this sunny dessert delivers big lemon flavor with minimal effort. Topped with a creamy lemonade cream cheese frosting, it’s the perfect cake for summer parties, picnics, and backyard gatherings.
If you love lemon desserts, this simple lemonade cake is one recipe you’ll want to keep on repeat! You’ll also love these Lemon Crinkle Cookies and my Lemon Bundt Cake.
Why you’ll love this lemonade cake!
Lemonade cake makes me think of lazy summer afternoons on the porch with a tall glass of freshly squeezed lemonade. Turn that relaxed feeling into a cake and you’ve nailed the vibe of this recipe!
All you need to make this recipe is a box of cake mix, frozen lemonade concentrate, plus a few other pantry ingredients. The sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting is absolutely irresistible, so don’t skip it!
- Super easy to make: This is not a lemonade cake from scratch! Instead, it uses boxed cake mix and simple ingredients.
- Bright lemon flavor: Lemonade concentrate gives the cake incredible citrus flavor.
- Perfect for summer: Light, refreshing, and ideal for warm weather gatherings.
- Moist and tender: The lemonade glaze soaks into the cake for amazing texture.
- Crowd favorite: Great for potlucks, BBQs, and family parties.
(For more of my favorite lemon recipes, check out my Lemon Pound Cake, Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie, Lemon Cupcakes, or Lemon Bars, too!)
Table of Contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
The full ingredient list and measurements are in the recipe card below.
Cake
- Lemon cake mix – The base of this quick and easy cake.
- Milk – Adds richness and moisture to the batter.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances the lemon flavor.
- Vegetable oil – Keeps the cake moist.
- Eggs – Help create structure and fluffiness.
- Frozen lemonade concentrate – Adds bold lemon flavor.
- Powdered sugar – Combined with lemonade to create a glaze that soaks into the cake.
Frosting
- Cream cheese – Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese for best results.
- Salted butter – Adds richness and balances sweetness.
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens the frosting and creates a smooth texture.
- Frozen lemonade concentrate – Gives the frosting bright lemon flavor.
How to Make Lemonade Cake
- Make the Batter: Add the cake mix, milk, vanilla, oil, and eggs to a large mixing bowl and whisk together to form a smooth, thick batter.
- Bake: 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.
- Add the Lemonade: While the cake is cooling, mix the cup of lemonade concentrate with the cup of 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.
- Make the Frosting: 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. Add the powdered sugar and lemonade concentrate to the frosting and beat until light and fluffy. Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This easy lemonade cake recipe is great to serve on its own, but if you want to jazz it up, serve it…
- With fruit: Sliced strawberries or blueberries would be amazing served with slices of lemonade cake! You can serve them fresh or macerate them in a little sugar to make them jammy. Or take a cue from my Lemon Coconut Cake and dust the top with coconut.
- With vanilla ice cream: It’s hard to go wrong with vanilla ice cream!
- With whipped cream: A dollop of sweetened store-bought or homemade whipped cream is also delicious.
How to Store
Refrigerator: Store leftover lemonade cake tightly covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 5 days. Serve cold from the fridge or at room temperature.
Freezer: Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lemonade cake is typically made with lemon cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, and frozen lemonade concentrate. The lemonade concentrate adds a bright citrus flavor and is often used in both the glaze and frosting.
You can substitute fresh lemon juice if you want a lemonade cake from scratch, but the flavor will be less sweet and slightly more tart. If using lemon juice, add a little extra sugar to balance the flavor.
They are very similar! Lemonade cake is essentially a lemon poke cake because the cake is poked with holes and soaked with a lemonade glaze, which keeps the cake extra moist and flavorful.
Yes. Because the frosting contains cream cheese, the cake should be stored in the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes before serving if you prefer a softer texture.
More Delicious Cake Recipes
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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!
Notes
- Use fresh lemonade concentrate for the strongest flavor.
- Poke plenty of holes so the glaze soaks into the cake evenly.
- Chill before frosting for the best texture.
- Add lemon zest for even more citrus flavor.
What a delightful recipe! I appreciate the use of lemonade for brightness, but have you considered adding zest or herbs like mint for an extra layer of flavor? It could enhance the refreshing profile even more. Just a thought to Eggy Car elevate this lovely cake experience!
It’s so beautiful and yummy
Hi,
No big deal but you forgot to mention one of the ingredients, vanilla extract, in the recipe.
Thank you for catching that, Connie!