This Lemon Raspberry Poke Cake is an easy lemon cake soaked in sweetened condensed milk, with a fresh raspberry sauce and topped with whipped cream.
After a few weeks of travel, holidays and bad eating habits, I am officially back at the gym and it hurts. The kind where you don’t want to walk up the stairs and forget putting up my hair. Does anyone really use his or her triceps anyway???
One of the reasons I am back at the gym is because this Lemon Raspberry Poke Cake happened. Of course you know that I looooooove poke cakes, and it’s only been 35 days since I shared a poke cake, so it’s about that time.
I made this cake right before my dad got into town and of course I had to put aside a couple slices for him before I brought the rest into work. My dad definitely approves! It just so happens one of my coworker went back for thirds on this cake, no joke. She is pregnant, but even if she wasn’t I definitely wouldn’t blame her. There’s no stopping after just one bite. Before you know it, the whole slice is gone.
This is an easy lemon cake soaked in sweetened condensed milk, with a fresh raspberry sauce and topped with whipped cream and little more lemon zest. I mean, what’s not to love here?
First, bake your cake. I use a combination of a vanilla cake mix and lemon pudding with some fresh lemon zest. You could just use a lemon cake mix, but I like the addition of the pudding mix myself. Definitely do not skip out on the lemon zest though, it elevated the punch of lemon flavor in the cake. Once it’s baked and cooled, poke the holes and pour a can of sweetened condensed milk over top and let it soak in the goodness.
The homemade raspberry sauce is quite simple. I used fresh raspberries, a touch of water and sugar. This combination is heated on the stove top, then you add a touch of flour and continue cooking until it’s bubbling and thick. I like to let the sauce cool a little bit before I put it on top of the cake, usually I just wait until it’s stops steaming and then I put the whole cake in the fridge.
When it comes to adding the topping, you can definitely add the whipped cream ahead of time, but some of the red color from the raspberries might migrate through the whipped cream, leaving it a little red in some spots. So if you are looking for that crystal white whipped cream, you might want to hold off adding it until you are ready to serve. Then add a little bit of lemon zest to the top and call it a day. This cake is about to rule your summer.
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Lemon Raspberry Poke Cake
Prep Time: 10 mins- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 12-15 slices
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Pin RecipeDescription
This Lemon Raspberry Poke Cake is an easy lemon cake soaked in sweetened condensed milk, with a fresh raspberry sauce and topped with whipped cream.
Ingredients
- 1 box vanilla cake mix
- 1 box (3.4 oz) instant lemon pudding mix
- 1 cup buttermilk (or milk)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 large egg white
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
- For the raspberry sauce
- 3- 6 ounces containers fresh raspberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons flour or corn starch
- For the topping
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine cake mix, dry pudding mix, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs & egg white and lemon zest. Beat on medium – high speed until all ingredients are well blended. Use a spatula to mix the batter from the bottom of the bowl to the top.
- Pour the batter into a 9-inch by 13-inch pan and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes until cake is set. Test cake by inserting a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. Allow to cool for 20 minutes.
- While the cake is still warm, take the end of a wooden spoon or another round object and poke holes all over the top of your cake. Pour the jar of sweetened condensed milk over top of the holes as equally as you can. Allow the cake to cool completely, refrigerating if necessary.
- Combine raspberries and sugar in a medium-sized pot. Gently crush the raspberries and heat over medium heat while stirring until it starts to bubble slightly. Quickly add the flour and whisk vigorously to dissolve the flour into the raspberries.
- Once the sauce is bubbling and thick, remove from the stove and allow the raspberry sauce to cool until it is no longer steam. Pour the raspberry sauce over top of the cake, spreading evenly. Refrigerate the cake until it is completely cooled.
- For the topping: Put your mixing bowl and wire whisk in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes until it is completely cold. Beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed for several minutes until it starts to thicken. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spread over the cake only once the cake is completely cooled.
- Zest a lemon over top of the whipped cream
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d says
Mouth watering goodness!
Beyond Frosting says
Thank so much!
Miranda says
Oh my goodness, I LOVE poke cakes and this one sounds delish! I love the photos too!
Beyond Frosting says
Me too Miranda!!! What’s not to love?
Maria @ kitchenathoskins says
Apart from tres leches, am new to the world of poke cakes !! This looks so beautiful and incredibly easy
Beyond Frosting says
Oh my gosh Maria! Once you start, you can’t stop!
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures says
What a refreshing and yummy cake! So perfect for summer!
Beyond Frosting says
You got that right Laura! Thanks!
Mary says
Yum.. can’t wait to make this one!
Beyond Frosting says
I hope you’ll try it Mary! Let me know what you think!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
Lemon raspberry is one of my favorite summer combinations!
Beyond Frosting says
Me too Jessica!
Maya says
OMG the cake looks delicious and I just want to make a bite right now.
Thanks for your recipe. I will try to make one but the percentage of success might be more than zero a little bit.
Beyond Frosting says
Hi Maya, I know you can do it!
Susan says
I am in the midst of making this delicious looking cake but right now the cake has been in the oven for an hour and it still is not baked completely. I will let you know of the outcome.
Beyond Frosting says
Hi Susan. That sees odd, it should not need nearly that might time. Are you using a glass pan? I know those baking times are longer but an hour it a lot! It is possible your oven temperature is off? I hope it turns out ok!
Susan says
It was a glass pan but the time was 40 minutes (not an hour like I mistakenly wrote). Everything else is going great. I am making it for a friend’s birthday tomorrow so I will be adding the whip topping then.
Beyond Frosting says
Okay phew! Yes, in a glass pan the baking time are longer. I hope you enjoyed it!
Crystal says
Mine has been in the oven for 30mins and still not baked through. I hope it doesn’t over bake – eager to put it all together and taste!!
Beyond Frosting says
Hi Crystal- It could depend on the type of pan or true oven temperature, but normally a 9-x13 inch cake shouldn’t bake much longer than 30 minutes. I hope it turns out well for you!
Kathy says
This poke cake looks very delicious. You made it like an artist. Thank for share !
Beyond Frosting says
Thank you Kathy!
Carol says
Hi
I’m from the uk Can you tell me what lemon pudding is please
Thanks
Beyond Frosting says
Hi Carol, it’s a gelatin based mixed. If you don’t have lemon pudding, try using a lemon cake mix instead?
Lindsay says
Would I be able to use frozen (thawed) raspberries instead of fresh?
Beyond Frosting says
Hi Lindsay, of course! I hope you enjoy.
Rose says
You don’t mention what size box of pudding mix? Making this tomorrow and hoping my big box I bought is correct!
Beyond Frosting says
Hi Rose, it’s the 3.4 oz size as listed in the recipe. If you purchased the larger one, just measure out 1/2 cup of the powder. That is just about equivalent to the smaller sizes.
plasterers bristol says
one of my all time favorite cake recipes. Thanks for sharing. Simon
Melissa says
How large should the holes be?
Beyond Frosting says
Hi Melissa, I use a wooden spoon, just something wide enough for the pudding to soak down in as opposed to a toothpick that won’t make a very big hole.
Alyson says
It didn’t have enough lemon to my taste, so I added the juice from the lemon and a 1 1/2 of lemon extract. Also, I ran out of milk so I substituted 1/2 c water and 1/2 cup creek yogurt; and excluded the sweetened condensed milk. And lastly I had rhubarb so I made a rhubarb raspberry sauce to fill in the holes
Beyond Frosting says
Wow Alyson! Sounds awesome!
WHITNEY A FORREST says
Can you make the raspberry sauce ahead of time?
Beyond Frosting says
Hi Whitney, yes I don’t see why not but as it get thickened as it cools, it might be a little harder to spread. Hope you like it!
Whitney says
It was sooooo yummy!! That’s def a keeper for another time. 😀
★★★★★
Erin M. says
What a delicious recipe! I made it for a friend’s barbecue last weekend, and they all loved it. My husband said it was the best cake I ever made and asked if you had any chocolate poke cake recipes. 🙂 I see that you do, so he’ll be happy to hear that. Thanks!
★★★★★
Jessica says
Trying this now! Cake is in the oven 🙂
Beyond Frosting says
Awesome Jessica, I hope you like it!!
J Hatfield says
One word -perfect!
Emilie K. says
Going to try this for my boyfriend’s birthday this week! He loves anything tart.
Beyond Frosting says
Awesome, enjoy!
Amy McKinstry says
I made this for a family birthday party and it was a big hit! I was reading the recipe on my phone and scrolling up and down between the measurements and instructions so I mistakenly added the condensed milk into the cake mix!! All was fine it just took a bit longer to bake. It made the cake really moist and more like a brownie consistency. It was still delicious so that’s all that matters to me! My partner ate three pieces 🙂
Beyond Frosting says
Amy! I am so glad you enjoyed this! Thank you for sharing!