Luscious Raspberry Lemon Poke Cake
A moist and tangy yellow cake infused with fresh raspberry sauce and lemon zest, topped with fluffy homemade whipped cream. This easy poke cake recipe is perfect for any occasion and delivers a fresh, indulgent dessert in under an hour.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix (e.g., Betty Crocker)
- Ingredients called for on the cake mix box (usually 3 eggs, 1 cup water, 1/3 cup vegetable oil)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 cups fresh raspberries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or spray a 9×13-inch baking pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix with eggs, water, oil, and lemon zest. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and pourable.
- Pour batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 32-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
- While the cake bakes, combine raspberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until raspberries break down and sauce thickens slightly. Cool slightly. Optional: strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds.
- Poke holes evenly all over the warm cake using a wooden spoon handle or skewer (about every 1-1.5 inches). Slowly pour raspberry sauce over the cake, allowing it to seep into the holes.
- Chill mixing bowl and beaters for 10 minutes. Beat cold heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until soft peaks form (3-4 minutes).
- Spread whipped topping evenly over the cake once raspberry sauce has cooled and soaked in (about 30 minutes). Chill cake in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Use fresh raspberries for best texture and flavor; frozen raspberries can be used but reduce water in sauce and drain excess liquid. Chill bowl and beaters before whipping cream for better volume. Poke holes evenly and pour sauce slowly to ensure moist cake. Chill cake after topping to let flavors meld. For gluten-free, substitute cake mix with almond flour; for dairy-free, use coconut cream instead of heavy cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of c
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 34
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 3
Keywords: raspberry lemon poke cake, easy poke cake, lemon cake, raspberry sauce, whipped cream topping, quick dessert, summer dessert, fresh berries