This page collects five lemon desserts that range from baked cake to chilled layered treats. Each one uses lemon in a different way, from pudding and pie filling to curd, zest, and frosting.
Some are mixed and baked, while others are assembled and chilled until set. The recipes below focus on the specific steps that shape each dessert’s texture and finish.
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- Lemon Cake to Die For
- 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Lemon Lush with Yellow Cake Mix
- Lemon Refrigerator Cake
- Lemon Zest Cream Cheese Pie
- No-Bake Lemon Éclair Cake
Lemon Cake to Die For
Lemon Cake to Die For is a 9×13-inch cake made by combining lemon cake mix, instant lemon pudding mix, eggs, water, and oil in one bowl. The batter is spread into a greased baking dish and baked until a toothpick comes out clean, which gives the cake its tender crumb and simple one-pan structure.
A glaze of powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice is whisked together while the cake is still warm, then drizzled over the top. Letting the cake cool before slicing helps the glaze set and keeps each piece neat and bright with lemon flavor.
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5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Lemon Lush with Yellow Cake Mix
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Lemon Lush with Yellow Cake Mix starts with dry yellow cake mix spread directly in the bottom of a greased slow cooker. A separate mixture of lemon pie filling, milk, melted butter, and vanilla is poured over the top without stirring, creating the layered effect as it cooks.
The slow cooker stays covered while the dessert cooks on HIGH or LOW, and the lid should not be opened during the first stretch of cooking. When the edges are set, bubbling, and the center is slightly glossy, it rests covered before serving so the layers settle properly.
Get the full 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Lemon Lush with Yellow Cake Mix recipe
Lemon Refrigerator Cake
Lemon Refrigerator Cake is built in a 9×13-inch dish with cubes of angel food cake arranged as the base. Lemon curd is drizzled over the cake, then a mixture of lemon pudding and milk, folded with yogurt, is poured on top for a chilled dessert with creamy and tangy layers.
Thawed cool whip is spread over the pudding layer to finish the top. The dish is then covered tightly and refrigerated for at least 3 hours, which allows the layers to firm up and the cake to soften into a spoonable dessert.
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Lemon Zest Cream Cheese Pie
Lemon Zest Cream Cheese Pie begins with a graham cracker crust made from crumbs, melted butter, and sugar pressed into a 9-inch pie dish. The crust is chilled while the filling is prepared, giving it time to firm before the creamy center is added.
The filling is made by beating softened cream cheese until smooth, then gradually adding sweetened condensed milk, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. After the mixture is poured into the crust and smoothed, the pie chills for at least 4 hours until fully set.
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No-Bake Lemon Éclair Cake
No-Bake Lemon Éclair Cake uses a 9×13-inch dish lined with graham crackers, then layered with lemon pudding that has been whisked with cold milk and folded with Cool Whip. More crackers and more filling are added to build the layered dessert before the top is finished with one final layer of crackers.
The lemon frosting is microwaved briefly so it pours easily, then spread over the top like icing. After the dish is covered and chilled for at least 12 hours, the crackers soften into cake-like layers and the dessert slices cleanly.
