Lemon Bundt Cake is a vibrant, incredibly moist dessert bursting with delightful citrus flavor, elegantly finished with a rich, tangy lemon buttercream frosting that will awaken your taste buds.
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My Quest for the Best Bundt Cake
Growing up, Nothing Bundt Cakes held a special place in my heart. Their cakes were a staple for birthdays and special celebrations. While I often gravitated towards their chocolate varieties with classic cream cheese frosting, my palate has since evolved to truly appreciate the bright, zesty notes of lemon desserts. This shift sparked a mission: to create a lemon bundt cake that rivaled, or even surpassed, my fond childhood memories.
The hallmarks of those beloved cakes were their incredible moisture and their irresistible, velvety frosting. I knew these elements would be crucial to a successful lemon rendition. After numerous trials, countless tweaks, and a fair share of lemon zesting, I am thrilled to say I’ve finally perfected it. This recipe captures that signature moistness and combines it with an intense lemon flavor, all topped with the most amazing lemon buttercream. I’m genuinely convinced this might just be the best bundt cake I’ve ever had, and I can’t wait for you to try it!
Why This Lemon Bundt Cake is Truly Exceptional
What makes this Lemon Bundt Cake stand out from the rest? It’s a harmonious blend of carefully selected ingredients and precise techniques, resulting in a cake that is truly a joy to bake and even more delightful to eat. Here’s what sets it apart:
- Unmatched Moisture and Tenderness: The secret to this cake’s soft, tender crumb lies in the thoughtful combination of a quality lemon cake mix, instant lemon pudding mix, and full-fat sour cream. The pudding mix acts as a hidden hero, ensuring the cake remains incredibly moist for days, while sour cream adds a delicate tang and richness that enhances the texture.
- Explosive Lemon Flavor: We don’t just stop at lemon cake mix! This recipe amplifies the citrus profile with fresh lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and a touch of lemon extract. This multi-layered approach guarantees a bright, authentic lemon flavor that sings in every bite without being overwhelmingly tart.
- Perfectly Balanced Tangy Buttercream: The crown jewel of this bundt cake is its luscious lemon buttercream. Unlike many frostings that can be overly sweet, this recipe strikes a beautiful balance. It’s creamy, light, and features a prominent lemon tang from fresh juice and extract, complementing the cake beautifully.
- Effortless Elegance: Bundt cakes inherently possess a beautiful, impressive appearance that belies their relatively simple preparation. This recipe delivers a show-stopping dessert that looks professionally made, yet is entirely achievable for home bakers of all skill levels.
Essential Ingredients for Your Lemon Bundt Cake
Crafting this irresistible Lemon Bundt Cake starts with a selection of common baking ingredients, each playing a crucial role in achieving that perfect moist texture and vibrant flavor. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why:
- Lemon Cake Mix (15.25-ounce package): Opt for a high-quality “super moist” lemon cake mix. This provides a fantastic, consistent base and saves significant time, allowing the other ingredients to elevate its flavor.
- Instant Lemon Pudding Mix (3.4-ounce package, dry): This is your secret weapon for an unbelievably moist cake. The pudding mix not only adds extra lemon flavor but also helps retain moisture, giving the cake a tender crumb that lasts. Don’t skip this!
- Full-Fat Sour Cream (1 cup): Sour cream is a superstar in baking, adding richness, moisture, and a subtle tang that beautifully complements the lemon. For the best results, use full-fat sour cream. If unavailable, plain full-fat Greek yogurt can be a good substitute.
- Large Eggs (4, room temperature): Room temperature eggs emulsify better with other ingredients, creating a smoother, more uniform batter and a lighter cake texture.
- Vegetable Oil (1/2 cup): Oil contributes to the cake’s moistness and tenderness. You can substitute with melted unsalted butter for a richer flavor profile, though oil typically yields a moister cake.
- Water (1/4 cup): Just enough to bring the batter to the right consistency.
- Fresh Lemons (2): You’ll need both the zest (about 1 teaspoon) and the juice (about 4 tablespoons) from these. Always zest your lemons before juicing them – it’s much easier! Fresh lemon provides an unparalleled bright, natural citrus flavor.
- Lemon Extract (1/2 teaspoon, optional for cake, 1 teaspoon for frosting): While optional for the cake, it’s highly recommended, especially if you love a strong lemon punch. Measure carefully, as a little goes a long way. It truly boosts the citrus notes.
- Granulated Sugar (1/3 cup, for glaze): This sugar, dissolved in lemon juice, forms a simple glaze brushed over the warm cake. It soaks in, adding extra moisture and a burst of concentrated lemon sweetness.
- Frosting Ingredients: Butter (12 tablespoons / 3/4 cup, room temperature), Powdered Sugar (3 cups), Heavy Cream (1 tablespoon), Vanilla Extract (1/2 teaspoon): These come together to create a luscious, smooth, and pipeable lemon buttercream. Room temperature butter is crucial for a fluffy, lump-free frosting.
Smart Shortcuts & Time-Saving Tips
- Simplify the Frosting Application: Don’t have a piping bag or just short on time? Simply use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the creamy lemon buttercream over your cooled bundt cake for a rustic yet beautiful finish. It tastes just as delicious!
- Bake Ahead for Convenience: This Lemon Bundt Cake is an excellent make-ahead dessert. You can bake the cake a day in advance and store it tightly wrapped at room temperature. Prepare the frosting a day ahead as well, storing it in the fridge. On serving day, simply bring the frosting to room temperature, whip it again for a minute or two to restore its fluffiness, and then frost the cake.
- Room Temperature Ingredients for Success: For both the cake batter and the frosting, ensuring your dairy products (sour cream, eggs, butter, heavy cream) are at room temperature is key. This allows them to combine smoothly, creating a uniform batter and a truly silky frosting. Plan ahead by taking them out of the fridge about 30-60 minutes before you begin baking.
Crafting Your Perfect Lemon Bundt Cake: Step-by-Step Guide
Creating this delicious Lemon Bundt Cake is straightforward, even for novice bakers. Follow these detailed steps to ensure a perfect, moist, and flavorful cake every time. The full recipe card with exact measurements is provided below, but here are some key tips for each stage:
- Prepare Your Pan and Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease your 10-inch Bundt cake pan with baking spray (the kind with flour in it) or butter and then lightly flour it, tapping out any excess. This step is crucial to prevent the cake from sticking.
- Combine Wet Ingredients for the Cake: In a large mixing bowl, using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, thoroughly beat the full-fat sour cream, room temperature eggs, vegetable oil (or melted butter), 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, 4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, lemon extract (if using), and water until well combined and smooth. Ensure the sour cream is fully integrated.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the lemon cake mix and the instant lemon pudding mix to the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed until *just* combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter, as this can develop the gluten too much, resulting in a tough, dry cake. Mix only until no dry streaks remain.
- Bake to Golden Perfection: Pour the prepared batter evenly into your greased and floured Bundt cake pan. Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out clean. Avoid opening the oven door too frequently during baking.
- Cool and Glaze While Warm: Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. This allows the cake to firm up slightly before inversion. While it’s cooling, prepare the lemon glaze by whisking together 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice and 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl until the sugar mostly dissolves.
- Apply the Lemon Glaze: After the initial cooling, carefully invert the warm cake onto a wire cooling rack placed over a baking sheet (to catch any drips). While the cake is still warm (but not piping hot), generously brush the lemon glaze mixture all over the cake, allowing it to slowly soak in. This step adds an extra layer of lemon flavor and moisture. Let the cake cool completely on the wire rack before proceeding to frost it. Chilling the cake can help set the glaze and make frosting easier.
- Prepare the Tangy Lemon Buttercream: In a large bowl, whip the room temperature butter with 1½ teaspoons of lemon zest on medium-high speed until it’s very light and fluffy. This can take about 3-5 minutes. Then, gradually beat in 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Add the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar and continue to whip the mixture on medium-high speed for another 5 minutes until the frosting is incredibly light, airy, and fluffy.
- Frost and Enjoy!: Once the cake is completely cool, pipe the fluffy lemon buttercream over it using a piping bag, or simply spread it beautifully with an offset spatula. Slice, serve, and savor this delightful lemon bundt cake!
Make Ahead and Storage Guidelines
- Storing Frosted Cake: Keep your frosted Lemon Bundt Cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Bring slices to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
- Make Ahead Cake: You can bake the cake up to 2 days in advance. Once completely cool, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature. Glaze and frost just before serving.
- Prep Ahead Frosting: The lemon buttercream can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before using, let it come to room temperature and then whip it again with a hand mixer for a few minutes to restore its creamy, fluffy texture.
- Freezing the Cake: To freeze the cake (unfrosted is best), wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before glazing and frosting. You can also freeze individual slices for a quick treat!
Explore More Zesty Lemon Recipes
If you adore the bright, refreshing flavor of lemon as much as we do, you’ll love these other delightful citrus-infused treats:
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Homemade Lemon Bread Recipe
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Irresistible Lemon Tart
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Scrumptious Lemon Curd Cookies
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The BEST Lemon Bars Recipe
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Lemon Bundt Cake with Lemon Buttercream Frosting
Chelsea Lords
25 minutes
50 minutes
1 hour
15 minutes
14
servings (10-inch bundt cake)
Equipment
- Bundt pan 10-inch
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25-ounce) package Super Moist Lemon Cake Mix
- 1 (3.4-ounce) package instant lemon pudding mix dry
- 1 cup sour cream full-fat
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 lemons 1 teaspoon zest, 4 tablespoons juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract optional
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 to 3 lemons 1/3 cup juice
- 12 tablespoons butter 3/4 cup, at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease and lightly flour a nonstick 10-inch Bundt cake pan.
- Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the sour cream, eggs, oil, 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 4 tablespoons juice (52g), lemon extract (if using), and water until combined. Add in the cake mix and pudding mix and beat until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the mixture and spread evenly in the Bundt cake pan. Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack set over a plate or baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice and the 1/3 cup sugar. Brush this mixture generously over the warm cake, allowing it to soak in slowly. Do this while the cake is still pretty hot. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- In a large bowl, whip the room temperature butter with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest on medium-high speed until very fluffy (about 3-5 minutes).
- Mix in 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Add the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar, then whip mixture on medium-high speed until fluffy and light (about 5 minutes).
- Pipe the frosting over the completely cooled cake (or spread it over it with an offset spatula). Enjoy your homemade Lemon Bundt Cake!
Recipe Notes
Storage: Store frosted lemon bundt cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition Information (Approximate)
Serving: 1serving
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Calories: 301kcal
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Carbohydrates: 50g
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Protein: 2g
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Fat: 10g
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Saturated Fat: 3g
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Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g
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Monounsaturated Fat: 2g
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Trans Fat: 0.02g
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Cholesterol: 50mg
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Sodium: 24mg
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Potassium: 46mg
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Sugar: 47g
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Vitamin A: 107IU
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Calcium: 26mg
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Iron: 0.32mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. It may vary based on specific brands and exact measurements used.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Lemon Bundt Cake
Can I use fresh lemons instead of lemon extract?
While fresh lemon zest and juice provide authentic flavor, lemon extract offers a concentrated burst of citrus that is hard to achieve with just fresh lemons. For the most vibrant lemon flavor, it’s recommended to use both. If omitting the extract, you might add a bit more fresh zest to compensate, but the overall lemon intensity may be slightly less.
My cake stuck to the bundt pan! What went wrong?
Bundt cakes are notorious for sticking if the pan isn’t prepared correctly. Ensure you’re generously greasing the entire interior of the pan, including all nooks and crannies. After greasing, lightly flour the pan, tapping out any excess. You can also use a baking spray specifically designed for baking, which contains flour. A well-greased and floured pan is your best defense against sticking.
Can I make this cake gluten-free?
Since this recipe starts with a lemon cake mix, you would need to find a good quality gluten-free lemon cake mix. The other ingredients (pudding mix, sour cream, eggs, oil, lemons) are typically gluten-free. Always double-check ingredient labels to ensure they meet your dietary requirements.
How do I know when the bundt cake is perfectly baked?
The best way to test for doneness is to insert a long wooden skewer or toothpick into the thickest part of the cake. If it comes out clean with no wet batter, the cake is ready. The cake should also spring back lightly when gently pressed.
Can I freeze this lemon bundt cake?
Yes, absolutely! For best results, freeze the cake unfrosted. Once the cake is completely cool, wrap it tightly in several layers of plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, to prevent freezer burn. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before glazing and frosting.
Serving Suggestions & Delightful Variations
This Lemon Bundt Cake is a showstopper on its own, but here are a few ideas to make it even more special:
Serving Ideas:
- Classic Presentation: Simply serve slices alongside a cup of coffee or tea for an elegant afternoon treat.
- Berry Delight: Garnish each slice with fresh raspberries, blueberries, or sliced strawberries for a burst of color and complementary fruitiness.
- Creamy Indulgence: A dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream pairs wonderfully with the tangy lemon notes.
- Brunch Star: This cake is perfect for a special brunch, offering a bright and refreshing alternative to heavier pastries.
Exciting Variations:
- Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake: Add 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds to the cake batter for a classic texture and flavor combination.
- Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake: Gently fold 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries (tossed in a tablespoon of flour to prevent sinking) into the batter just before pouring it into the pan.
- Coconut Lemon Bundt Cake: Incorporate 1/2 cup of shredded sweetened coconut into the batter. You could also sprinkle toasted coconut flakes over the frosting for an extra tropical touch.
- Lavender Lemon Bundt Cake: For a sophisticated twist, infuse the cake or frosting with a hint of culinary lavender. Add 1/2 teaspoon of dried culinary lavender to the batter or steep it in the heavy cream for the frosting.