Citrus Orange Lemon Cake with Boxed Cake Mix

If you're looking for an easy way to make the best orange lemon cake, this is the recipe for you! I use lemon cake mix along with orange gelatin to ensure that you get the perfect cake with only a few ingredients. 

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You'll love this orange lemon cake

It's easy to make. This recipe uses lemon box cake mix, orange gelatin, and a handful of fresh ingredients. Nobody will be able to tell it is homemade, but it'll have the most perfect citrus flavor and perfect texture. Plus, this is a one-bowl cake recipe like this White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake that I love! 

It's delicious. The bright flavor of the lemon and orange is so perfect and hits the spot every time. 

It's perfect for any time of year. You can take advantage of citrus season and make this during the winter, or this is such a perfect and light cake recipe for the summertime, too. This cake would go perfectly with these Fruity Pebbles Treats. 

Ingredients

Lemon Boxed Cake Mix. I like using Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker, if you're looking for which boxed cake mix is best for this recipe. 

Orange Gelatin. This helps give that cake that perfectly bouncy, moist and orangey flavor. 

Milk. I prefer to use milk versus water for this recipe. It adds a richer flavor and texture to the cake. 

Oil. I recommend using oil versus butter for your cake recipes. Butter is only about 80% fat, whereas oil is 100% fat. This will give you a tender, delicious cake.

Lemon Zest. You'll need the zest of about 2 large lemons for this recipe. It's essential for giving it that fresh zing of a lemon. 

Orange Zest. Similar to lemon zest for that essential citrus bite, you'll need the zest of 1 orange for this recipe. 

Lemon Juice. This adds the perfect amount of fresh lemon flavor to really lift the lemon flavor of the cake mix recipe.

Orange Juice.  This is essential for giving that fresh orange flavor that makes all the difference. 

Eggs. Eggs are essential for binding together all your ingredients and allowing your cakes to bake correctly.

Vanilla Extract. My rule of thumb is to ALWAYS add a splash of vanilla extract to any baked goods! 

Salt. Similar to vanilla extract, I like to include a pinch of salt into any baking recipe to really bring out the flavors. 

How to make this orange lemon cake

No need to combine the dry ingredients in a separate medium bowl like most baking recipes call for! This one-bowl recipe is so easy to make. 

1. Preheat your oven to 350F and grease a 9x11 cake pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your cake mix and jello mix. 
3. Mix in the milk, oil, lemon zest, orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, eggs, vanilla, and salt. 
4. Pour into the prepared cake pan and let it bake for 15 - 17 minutes.
5. Let it cool in the pan for about 5 minutes,
6. Let the cake cool for an additional 15 minutes outside of the cake pan.
7. Top with cream cheese frosting, or vanilla frosting, lemon and orange slices and enjoy! 

Substitutions and variations

You know I love good hacks for box mixes for baking! Just checkout my boxed brownies hacks to make them taste like bakery brownies. 

Add layers. If you want to make this into a lemon layer cake recipe, you can bake this recipe in small round cake pans. Be sure to let your cake layers cool completely before stacking! If you're feeling like a really fancy home baker, add a layer of lemon curd or orange curd along with the frosting between layers.

Powdered sugar. If you don't like frosting, you can simply top this with powdered sugar for a simple, yet gorgeous topping. 

Tips for making the best orange lemon cake

Room temperature. To ensure everything bakes evenly, I recommend bringing your milk and eggs to room temperature by allowing them to sit out on the counter for 15-20 minutes. 

Storing

Store your leftover orange lemon cake in an airtight container or in the cake pan covered with aluminum foil. 

FAQs

What does lemon juice do to a cake?

Lemon juice, due to its acidity, will lessen the leavening happening to your cake while it bakes. 

How do you increase the flavor of lemon in a cake?

You can add lemon juice, lemon zest, or lemon extract. 

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