This Easy Lemon Lava Cake recipe has a layer of warm pudding on the bottom and moist lemon cake on top. All sprinkled with powdered sugar!
A JAZZED UP CAKE MIX RECIPE
This Lemon Lava Cake recipe is pretty cool. The pudding layer starts at the top and ends up on the bottom. I never thought I would love warm pudding this much. It transforms the whole taste of the cake. It doesn't taste like a boxed cake mix at all when it's all done. If you enjoy my Ultimate Lemon Poke Cake then you are sure to love this one too!
CAN I USE OTHER CAKE MIX AND PUDDING FLAVORS?
This cake could not be any easier or any tastier to make and eat. And the bonus? It can be done with just about any flavor cake mix/pudding combination you can think of. Lemon is my personal favorite but we've also made it with chocolate and a chocolate/vanilla combination and both were amazing!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- lemon cake mix
- (ingredients listed on back of box; eggs, oil and water)
- instant lemon pudding
- sugar
- cold milk
- water
- powdered sugar
HOW TO MAKE LEMON LAVA CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour batter into baking dish.
In a separate bowl, combine dry pudding mixes with sugar, milk and water.
Whisk briskly for 2 minutes until it begins to thicken.
Spoon pudding mixture over cake mix batter. You could pour it on but I found I got it on there more evenly by spooning it on.
Once it is on there, it is hard to spread out since it kind just ends up sinking into the batter. Oh, I almost forgot. Put a large baking sheet underneath the baking dish before sliding it in the oven. You'll want that underneath there while baking to catch any bubbling over of the pudding.
Bake for about 55 minutes to one hour. It's a bit tricky to tell when it is done because the pudding layer in it always stays a bit jiggly. So, what you want to do is take a toothpick and insert it into the middle of the cake. If it only comes out with pudding - you are good. If you still see gooey cake batter on it, then you need to bake it for a bit longer.
Allow it to cool for about 20 minutes. This will allow that pudding layer to thicken up a bit more. Then serve with a bit of sprinkled powdered sugar on top.
CRAVING MORE LEMON RECIPES? YOU MUST TRY THESE!
Easy Lemon Lava Cake (+Video)
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce box lemon cake mix
- (ingredients listed on back of box; eggs, oil and water)
- 2 (3.4 ounce) boxes instant lemon pudding
- ⅓ cup sugar optional
- 2 cups cold milk
- 1 ¼ cup water
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Prepare cake mix according to package directions.
- Pour prepared cake batter into baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, combine dry pudding mixes with sugar, milk and water.
- Whisk briskly for 2 minutes until it begins to thicken.
- Spoon pudding mixture over cake mix batter. Once it is on there, it is hard to spread out since it kind just ends up sinking into the batter.
- Put a large baking sheet underneath your baking dish before sliding it in the oven.
- Bake for about 55 minutes to one hour.
- It's a bit tricky to tell when it is done because the pudding layer in it always stays a bit jiggly. So, what you want to do is take a toothpick and insert it into the middle of the cake. If it only comes out with pudding - you are good. If you still see gooey cake batter on it, then you need to bake it for a bit longer.
- When it’s finished baking, allow it to cool for about 20 minutes. This will allow that pudding layer to thicken up a bit more.
- Then serve with a bit of sprinkled powdered sugar on top.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: January 2013
Updated & republished: July 2019
Debbie L.
Can you make this a day ahead? I want to make it for Thanksgiving, but need to make it the day before. Is it good cold?
Pat hoss
Trying this today. Looks yummy
Beth Byrd
Can u use any cake mix like white or yellow with different puddings I have 4 kids trying new things with them.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
You sure can! This should work with any combination that you think you'd enjoy!
Janet
I love that you include nutritional information, but the serving size is missing. Is that for 1/12 or 1/8 of the cake?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Janet, I always tell folks to use their own trusted nutritional calculators if you need it for diet or health reasons. These are merely estimated based on the calculator that is embedded in this recipe card. This cake serves 12 individual servings.
Kaleigh Lumpkins Hackfeld
Has anyone ever tried to mix in cream cheese into the pudding mixture?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Kaleigh - I haven't yet but I'd love to know if you do!
Bee
I frosted it with whipped lemon frosting and some candies lemon slices for a birthday dinner. Delicious.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Great suggestion Bee - thank you!
Margo Corley
How can I make the pudding have a more "tart" lemon flavor? I tried substituting some lemon juice but it was bitter, not tart. Can you help?
Laureen A Bairt
lemon zest
Donna
Try a teaspoon of pure lemon extract before you try zest or a combination of both.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I don't recommend lemon extract for this particular recipe because lemon extract has alcohol in it and can throw off the flavors in this.
Laurie
We loved this sweet, delicious cake!
Anita Zubov
Can I make this in a Bundt pan and turn it over
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Anita! I'm not sure. I've never tried it. As long as you had a very large bundt pan so it doesn't spill over, it should maybe work! If you try it, please let me know! 🙂
Marion
Brandie, I have made this recipe three times and my pudding layer stays on the top. Little "islands" of cake poke through, but nothing like what you show in your photos. Let me say that it tastes TERRIFIC, but I can't get it to be pretty. I am using Pillsbury's Gluten Free yellow cake mix, a 17 oz box which may make a difference. I've done this with lemon, coconut, and red velvet cake pudding--yum yum every time! Should I just put the pudding on the bottom, do you think?
Jackie Adams
Made this for supper tonight and it was a huge hit. Only used half of the sugar and it was just the right level of sweetness for us. A definite keeper. Thank you for the recipe.
Brandie
So glad you enjoyed it. Its one of our favorites.
Arvin Wilson
Extra sugar makes it too sweet for our family.
Instead of powdered sugar, we covered it with whipped topping.
Rona
Came out Awesome last week and I just made another one, with white cake mix split in 2 pyrex square glass pans one with banacream and the other with chocolate pudding. Im sure it will be great with this foolproof recipe!
sheraz
So yummy!
vivian a alvarez
I was beginning to make it and my granddaughter walks in and she wanted choc. so I am doing it , let u know.
Stephanie
Could I use sugar free lemon pudding ??
Ksthy
Can you use sugar free pudding
Sherie
Brandie - this was truly fantastic!! I have now made it with several flavors. Thank you - we love it!!