Moist Lemon Bundt Cake (Grand Prize Winning Recipe!)
In my third cookbook, Beautiful Bundts, I refer to this lemon bundt cake recipe as the "Lemon Lovers Bundt" because, well, it is the perfect dessert for anyone who loves all things lemon. Not only did this cake win the Best In Show grand prize at our county fair (along with a really cool belt buckle!) but it has been enthusiastically devoured at dinner party after dinner party, bake sales, and countless birthday celebrations.
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Sweet and Simple: Why You Will love this Delicious Lemon Cake
This recipe is proof that some of the best recipes are straightforward and simple, showcasing good ingredients and vibrant flavors over fancy, complicated techniques.
It starts with a buttery lemon pound cake, flavored with a generous amount of fresh lemon zest and juice, and kept moist with the addition of sour cream. A tart, but simple lemon glaze (two ingredients!) provides the perfect flavor contrast to the cake and makes for a understated yet pretty presentation.
Tips For Acing This Easy Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
- Mix thoroughly....but don't overmix!: When beating in the butter and eggs, make sure that all ingredients are beaten according to the directions. This helps to ensure that all ingredients are well blended. When adding the dry ingredients, however, mix just until incorporated to avoid an overly dense baked cake.
- Make it ahead: I recommend baking this cake one day in advance, wrapping it tightly overnight, and then glazing and serving it the next day. This allows the flavors to develop and gives the texture a more tender crumb when sliced.
- Spray the pan: I've mentioned a million times on this site that the key to releasing the whole cake from the Bundt pan is to use non-stick baking spray (see Troubleshooting section, below.) Coat the pan generously and thoroughly before adding your batter, and it should release easily when you turn your pan upside.
- Use fresh lemons: As with most of my lemon recipes, I recommend using fresh lemon juice and zest vs. the bottled or packaged versions to let the bright lemon flavors really shine through.
Ingredients and special Equipment
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of this post for specific quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Lemon Bundt Cake
- Cake flour: If you don't have cake flour, substitute one cup all-purpose flour minus one tablespoon (15 tablespoon AP flour) mixed with 1 tablespoon cornstarch for every cup needed of cake flour. For this recipe, that will be 37.5 tablespoon AP flour plus 2.5 tablespoon cornstarch.
- Baking soda, baking powder: This recipe calls for only a small amount of each, but that is not a typo! Eggs help to provide enough leavening to achieve the pound cake like density.
- Unsalted butter: Use room temperature so that it blends evenly into the batter.
- Large eggs: Room temperature
- Lemon zest : Fresh lemon zest adds a bright lemon flavor to the cake. Substitute Meyer lemons if you can find them!
- Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice always yields a more natural lemon flavor in lemon desserts, but a good bottled brand is a fine substitute.
- Sour cream: I recommend full-fat sour cream to achieve a moist crumb. You can use low-fat as a substitute, but I do not recommend the fat-free variety.
Lemon Glaze
- Confectioners' sugar / Powdered sugar: One of two ingredients in the simple, sweet glaze. Sifting the sugar prior to adding the lemon juice helps to avoid any lumps.
- Lemon zest (optional): Adds a hint of texture and color to the finished glaze.
- Lemon juice: As with the cake, freshly squeezed juice results in a more authentic fresh lemon flavor.
Recommended Special Equipment for Baking Bundts
- Bundt cake pan: This recipe calls for a 10-cup Bundt pan, but you can use a larger 12-cup Bundt pan. The resulting Bundt will not be as tall, as the batter fills up the 10-cup pan perfectly.
- Wire rack / cooling rack: Turn the Bundt out onto the cooling rack before glazing.
- Non-stick baking spray: I prefer to use nonstick baking spray for my Bundts as opposed to nonstick cooking spray. See my "Troubleshooting and FAQ" section, below, for more!
- Pastry brush: Optional tool for spreading your nonstick spray into your Bundt pan's crevices. This is especially helpful if you are using a unique design such as this Bundt pan.
Step By Step Photos and Instructions
Bake the Lemon Bundt Cake
- Preheat your oven to 325℉/160℃. Spray a Bundt pan evenly and thoroughly with non-stick baking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric mixer and a large mixing bowl), cream butter and sugar at medium speed until very light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Stop beating to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary so that the butter and sugar are well combined.
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then beat for 2 minutes more.
5. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. The mixture may look slightly curdled at this point -- that's ok! It will smooth out in the next step.
6. WIth your mixer on low speed, alternately beat in the flour mixture and the sour cream, making three additions of flour and two of sour cream, mixing until the ingredients are well combined and the batter is smooth.
7. Transfer the cake batter to the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top.
8. Bake the Bundt in the center of your preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the top is puffed and a cake tester, thin knife, or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the hot cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, and then carefully invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely (see "Make Ahead" section, below.)
Glaze the Cake
- In a medium bowl or a large measuring cup with a spout, whisk together confectioners' sugar, lemon zest (if using, see "Ingredients" section, above), and 4 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Whisk in more juice if necessary, 1 teaspoon at a time, until your glaze is thick but pourable.
- Pour glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let the glaze set for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe Variations and Storage Tips
Lemon Bundt cake variations
- Baking container: If you don't have a Bundt pan, bake the batter in two 8-inch loaf pans, or into two 8 or 9-inch rounds for layer cakes. Baking time will decrease for both variations. Use the same cues indicated in the recipe, below, to test for doneness.
- Flavor variations: Turn the delicious lemon cake into a delicious orange or lime cake by substituting equal amounts of orange/lime zest and juice for the lemon. The same applies to turn the easy lemon glaze into an orange or lime flavored topping.
- Topping variations: Instead of a smooth glaze, spread the Bundt with a thicker vanilla, coconut or lemon frosting. Alternatively, sprinkle the top with a simple dusting of confectioners' sugar. If you want to get really fancy, you can top the glaze with some homemade candied lemon slices (pictured above.)
Make ahead / Storage Tips
You can prepare this cake up to two days in advance. Store the cooled glazed cake in an airtight container (or tightly covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap) at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
A baked unglazed Bundt cake can be frozen for up to two weeks. Double-wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap before freezing. Defrost the cake overnight at room temperature before glazing.
Bundt Cake Troubleshooting and FAQs
One of the biggest fears bakers have about Bundt cake recipes is that your delicious cake is going to stick to the pan after you invert it. My number one method for preventing this is to use a nonstick baking spray (such as Pam for Baking or Baker's Joy.) These products contain a mix of flour and oils, mimicking the "butter and flour" method that was used for years before they hit the market. Use a pastry brush or a paper towel to ensure that your coat every crevice of your Bundt pan!
There are several reasons why a Bundt cake might sink while baking.
1. Overmixed batter: Overmixing batter can incorporate too much air, causing the cake to rise rapidly and then collapse. Mix until just combined.
2. Wrong oven temperature: An oven that's too hot can cause cake to rise too quickly and then collapse. Use an oven thermometer to ensure the temperature is accurate.
3. Underbaking: If the cake isn’t fully baked, the center can collapse as it cools. Check for doneness with a toothpick or cake tester; it should come out clean.
4. Ingredient Temperature: If the butter or eggs are too cold, they might not mix properly into the batter. Bring ingredients to room temperature before mixing.
More Delicious Recipes for My Fellow Lemon-Lovers
- Meyer Lemon Curd Tart with Toasted Almond Crust
- Blueberry Lemon Buttermilk Scones
- Traditional Mardi Gras King Cake with Lemon Glaze
- Coconut Lemon Bundt Cake
Tried this recipe and loved it? Take a photo and tag me on Instagram or give it a review!
Moist Lemon Bundt Cake
Equipment
- 1 Minimum 10 cup Bundt pan
- 1 citrus zester or Microplane
Ingredients
Lemon Bundt Cake
- 2½ cups cake flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2-3 medium lemons)
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
Lemon Glaze
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
- 4-5 tablespoon lemon juice
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Instructions
Bake Lemon Bundt Cake
- Preheat your oven to 325℉/160℃. Spray a Bundt pan evenly and thoroughly with non-stick baking spray (see "Tips" section in the post.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer and a large bowl), beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until very light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Stop beating to scrape down the sides of bowl as necessary so that the butter and sugar are well combined.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then beat for 2 minutes more.
- Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. The mixture may look slightly curdled at this point -- that's ok! It will smooth out in the next step.
- WIth your mixer on low speed, alternately beat in the flour mixture and the sour cream, making three additions of flour and two of sour cream, mixing until the ingredients are well combined and the batter is smooth.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top.
- Bake the Bundt in the center of your preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the top is puffed and a cake tester, thin knife, or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, and then carefully invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely (see Notes.)
Glaze the Cake
- In a medium bowl or a large measuring cup with a spout, whisk together confectioners' sugar, lemon zest (if using), and 4 tablespoon (60 mL) of the lemon juice. Whisk in more lemon juice if necessary, 1 teaspoon (5 mL) at a time, until your glaze is thick but pourable.
- Pour the glaze over the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let the glaze set for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Made a mini bundt version of this, used Bobs Mill cake flour. Baked for 17 minutes and they came out great! a lemony pillow of goodness! plus Julie is the nicest online baker I have encountered so far!
Thank you for one of the best compliments that I've received! I'm so glad that the sizing edits for the Bundts worked out so well. I'm sure all of the recipients will be so grateful for your efforts and generosity. Enjoy your weekend!
I’m a little concerned it’s a little runny other than all the other Bundt cakes I’ve made please tell me it’s supposed to be runny.
Hi Pamela! THank you for your question. The cake is supposed to be moist, but not runny. My guess it that it needed (or needs) some extra time in the oven. Make sure it is baked until the "top of the Bundt is puffed and a cake tester, thin knife, or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean." Unfortunately, not all ovens are built the same, and depending on where you live (humidity, altitude), some recipes take longer than others. I hope this helps you in time and that you are still able to enjoy the Bundt. Please come back with any more questions.
This lovely recipe is one of the first Bundt cakes that I recently made, and it was perfect in every way, dense and packed with lemon flavor. Everyone loved it! Thank you so much!
Thank you so much, Tina!! It makes me so happy to hear that people are enjoying one of my very favorite recipes. Hope to see many more Bundts in your future. Wishing you a happy holiday season!
Can I make mini Bundts with this recipe
Hi Marisa!
Yes, you absolutely can make mini Bundts with this recipe. Great question. Fill the Bundts about 3/4 full and bake for less time -- about 20 to 25 minutes -- or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Let me know if you have any more questions.
yes I have a question, if I wanted to make a bulk amount (70 plus cakes) in advance, how do I store them in the freezer ahead of time, do I have to wrap them all individually or do I just put them in a glass airtight container? Would it lose any of that flavor enhancement you talk about if you make them a day in advance and wrap room temperature?
If I want to do 7 pans of 12 mini bundts, how do I adjust the amounts from your full bundt cake recipe?
Hi! Great questions. I have a few follow ups, and then I will get you your answers. First, how far in advance do you want to make the Bundts? A few days vs. a few weeks will have different answers. Second, are your mini Bundts the ones that are very small (about 2.5 inches in diameter, each), or are the the ones that are closer to 4-inches in diameter, each? Thanks!
For ~72 cakes of that mini Bundt size (2.5 inches), I would think that you need 3 recipes of the large cake. Fill the cups 1/2 to 2/3 full with batter and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you want to do 84 (the 7 pans of 12), you might run a little short, so maybe make 4 recipes just to be safe. I’d say “3-1/2 recipes”, but there are 5 eggs in the recipe, so that’s a little tough!
If you bake the cakes a week ahead, I would just freeze them in one layer in an airtight container or a large sealed freezer bag. Let the cakes cool completely first (this eliminates condensation build up) and then freeze them. Thaw overnight at room temperature. No need to wrap them individually.
If you bake them 1-2 days in advance, they should still keep moist as long as they are stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator. I think it is best to glaze them the day that you plan to serve them, though, as the glaze does not keep as well.
I hope this is helpful! Come on back with any more questions.