Lemon Cake With Pineapple Filling

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This Lemon Cake with Pineapple Filling recipe gives a box of lemon cake mix a bright and tropical makeover. Layers of light and fluffy lemon cake are filled with a luscious pineapple cream filling and coated with lemon pudding frosting. Perfect for potlucks, parties, and weeknight desserts.

Check out my Red Velvet Cookie Bars Using Cake Mix and my Caramel Apple Cupcakes With Fresh Apples for more cake mix recipes!

Pineapple plus lemon is a match made in heaven, and this lemon cake with pineapple filling is here to prove it! This is one of our favorite summer desserts, and I’m pretty sure your family will gobble it up as quickly as we do.

The lemon cake recipe transforms your standard boxed lemon cake mix into a crowd-pleasing, restaurant-worthy dessert -and it just so happens to be on the lighter side! You’ll use Greek yogurt and water to make the box of cake mix, resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth texture and an extra bit of protein in every slice. 

As for the pineapple cream filling, it is a fuss-free mixture of lemon whipped cream frosting and pineapple tidbits, and you will probably (definitely) want to eat it straight from the spoon. That said, the lemon whipped cream frosting is made with lite whipped topping, sugar-free instant pudding, and low-fat milk -so I see no reason not to lick the spoon! 

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• It’s downright delicious. Sweet, juicy pineapple complements citrus perfectly. 
• Only FOUR ingredients for the cake and FOUR ingredients for the frosting!
• The ingredients are lower in fat and calories than classic lemon cake recipes, but you’d never know.
• The cake and frosting are semi-homemade but taste made from scratch.

Ingredients You'll Need

• Lemon Cake Mix: Use a box that you’ve had success with in the past or reliable cake mixes like Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker, Krusteaz, or Pillsbury, 
• Greek Yogurt: This is the secret healthy ingredient that makes a box of lemon cake mix taste like it is homemade. You can also use sour cream here. 
• Water: Helps thin the batter to the perfect consistency. 
• Crushed Pineapple: I used a can of drained crushed pineapple, but pineapple tidbits will also work. What’s most important is that the pineapple is drained well before mixing it with the frosting.
• Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting: Lite whipped topping, sugar-free instant lemon pudding, vanilla extract, and skim milk whip into frosting like a dream.  If you prefer lemon cake with vanilla frosting, use sugar-free instant vanilla pudding instead or lemon.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare for baking.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 9” round cake pans with cooking spray. Dump the can of crushed pineapple into a sieve, and set it aside until the liquid strains out (at least 15 minutes).

Step 2: Mix lemon cake batter.

Mix the cake mix, Greek yogurt, and water in a large bowl. This will only take about a minute, so be careful not to overmix!

Step 3: Bake and cool.

 Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (15-20 minutes). Let the cakes rest in the pans for 5 minutes, then flip onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Step 4: Make whipped frosting.

Add whipped topping, pudding mix, vanilla, and milk to a medium bowl, and mix until the ingredients are incorporated, and the frosting is creamy. Set aside ¼ cup to use for the filling.

Step 5: Make pineapple filling.

At this point, the crushed pineapple should be strained, so you can start the filling. Add pineapple and the reserved ¼ cup of frosting to a medium bowl and combine.

Step 6: Assemble cake layers and frost.

Place one of the cake rounds on a plate or cake stand. Dump the filling in the center and spread it in an even layer. Place the other cake round on top, forming a lemon cake pineapple frosting sandwich! Finally, apply the remaining frosting, smoothing it in an even layer over all surfaces. Slice, grab a fork, and enjoy!

NOTE: You can print the FULL recipe with all ingredients & detailed instructions below!

Expert Tips

• Strain the pineapple well. Strain as much juice from the pineapple as possible. If there’s excess liquid, it will thin the pineapple filling out and ultimately make it soggy. 
• Save some pineapple juice. You can use some of the reserved liquid to add a pineapple element to the lemon cakes by substituting water with as much or as little pineapple juice as you like. 
• Make frosting with chilled ingredients. For the best results, pull the whipped topping and milk from the fridge immediately before you’re ready to use it. 
• Let the cakes cool. I know it’s hard to resist, but you must wait until the cakes are cooled to room temperature before adding the filling and frosting.

Variations

Other fruit fillings – With lemon as the base cake flavor and the frosting flavor, you have lots of room to play with the filling. Instead of canned pineapple, you can make the filling with peaches, pears, cherries, raspberries, and blueberries -the list goes on and on! 

Lemon cake with chocolate – If you like lemon with chocolate, make the frosting with chocolate whipped topping instead of regular. Using chocolate pudding mix instead of lemon flavor is also an option.

Coconut – Sprinkle a thin layer of shredded coconut over the frosting. Lemon, pineapple, and coconut are a heavenly trio of tropical flavors.

Storing & Freezing

Storing: Cover the whole cake or single slices tightly with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Freezing: Freezing is also an option. However, I suggest freezing the cake rounds before frosting. When you’re ready to assemble, thaw in the fridge, and then add the filling and frosting.

Recipe FAQ‘s

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Lemon Cake With Pineapple Filling

Erika

This lemon cake with pineapple filling recipe gives a box of lemon cake mix a bright and tropical makeover. Layers of light and fluffy lemon cake are filled with a luscious pineapple cream filling and coated with lemon pudding frosting. Perfect for potlucks, parties, and weeknight desserts.

4.98 from 44 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Cooling and Decorating Time 20 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 Servings

Calories 210 kcal

Equipment

• Aluminum 9-Inch Round Cake Pans
• Measuring Spoons and Measuring Cups
• Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls (Set of 6)

Ingredients

  

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For Cake

• 15.25 ounce box lemon cake mix
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup water

For Filling

• 1 cup crushed pineapple drained, I used canned crushed pineapple in pineapple juice

For Frosting

• 8 ounce tub lite whipped topping
• 1 ounce box of sugar-free instant pudding vanilla or lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup skim milk

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9” round cake pans with cooking spray. Dump the can of crushed pineapple into a sieve, and set it aside until the liquid strains out (at least 15 minutes).
• Mix the cake mix, Greek yogurt, and water in a large bowl. This will only take about a minute, so be careful not to overmix!
• Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (15-20 minutes). Let the cakes rest in the pans for 5 minutes, then flip onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
• Add whipped topping, pudding mix, vanilla, and milk to a medium bowl, and mix until the ingredients are incorporated, and the frosting is creamy. Set aside ¼ cup to use for the filling.
• At this point, the crushed pineapple should be strained, so you can start the filling. Add pineapple and the reserved ¼ cup of frosting to a medium bowl and combine.
• Place one of the cake rounds on a plate or cake stand. Dump the filling in the center and spread it in an even layer. Place the other cake round on top, forming a lemon cake pineapple frosting sandwich! Finally, apply the remaining frosting, smoothing it in an even layer over all surfaces. Slice, grab a fork, and enjoy!

Notes

• Strain the pineapple well. Strain as much juice from the pineapple as possible. If there’s excess liquid, it will thin the pineapple filling out and ultimately make it soggy.
• Save some pineapple juice. You can use some of the reserved liquid to add a pineapple element to the lemon cakes by substituting water with as much or as little pineapple juice as you like.
• Make frosting with chilled ingredients. For the best results, pull the whipped topping and milk from the fridge immediately before you’re ready to use it.
• Let the cakes cool. I know it’s hard to resist, but you must wait until the cakes are cooled to room temperature before adding the filling and frosting.
• Storing: Cover the whole cake or single slices tightly with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
• Freezing: Freezing is also an option. However, I suggest freezing the cake rounds before frosting. When you’re ready to assemble, thaw in the fridge, and then add the filling and frosting.

Nutrition

Calories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 3gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 95mgSugar: 5g

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

Keyword Lemon Cake With Pineapple Filling, Skinny Lemon Cake

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