Lemon Bundt Cake

When life gives me lemons, I make a Lemon Bundt Cake, and everything seems better! This refreshing, moist, and tangy cake with its bright lemon flavor is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert and can be served at casual gatherings or an elegant dinner party.

My easy Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe is light, moist, and loaded with fresh lemon flavor that makes every lemony bite of this cake refreshingly delicious. And did I mention the sweet-tart lemon glaze? This is definitely one of my favorite bundt cakes.

If you love lemon, check out my lemon pound cake.

If you’re a lemon lover, you’re going to love my cake because fresh lemons give this cake the exceptional fresh lemon flavor that everyone loves. You can’t get that from bottled lemon juice. That’s why this is the Best Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe!

Ingredients to make Lemon Bundt Cake

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Lemon Bundt Cake. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Made with simple ingredients

• all-purpose flour
• granulated sugar
• unsalted butter
• milk
• eggs
• fresh lemon juice (Meyer lemons can be used)
• lemon zest
• vanilla extract
• baking powder
• cornstarch
• table salt
• Greek yogurt or sour cream
• powdered sugar

How to Make Lemon Bundt Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position a rack in the center of the oven.
• Grease the bundt pan by using a vegetable spray or by brushing melted shortening or butter into every nook and cranny of the pan. *Pan spray is actually a better choice for a bundt cake, as the milk solids in butter can cause the cake to stick to the pan.

• Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl using an electric hand mixer.
• Whip the butter until light and fluffy (2 minutes).
• Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest to the whipped butter.
• Mix until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
• Add the eggs, one at a time.
• Beating well after each addition, remember to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

*Make sure the butter, milk, Greek yogurt, and eggs are at room temperature.

• Add the flour, salt, baking powder, and cornstarch to a medium bowl.
• Whisk the dry ingredients together until well blended. Set aside until needed.
• Add the lemon juice, milk, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl.
• Whisk the wet ingredients together until well blended.
• Start by adding half the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture, mixing on low speed.
• Mix it in just enough to combine.

• Add half the wet ingredients to the mixture.
• Mix just enough to combine, then repeat the process with the remaining dry and wet ingredients. Mix until the batter is just combined. Don’t overmix the batter, it will make the cake tough and dense. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl when finished to make sure there are no clumps in the batter.
• Add the Greek yogurt to the batter.
• Mix by hand until just combined. Don’t mix any more than necessary.

How to bake and glaze a Lemon Bundt Cake

• Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and level with a rubber spatula until it’s even.
• Place the bundt pan on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Baking time can vary depending on your oven.
• Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then remove the cake from the bundt pan and allow it to finish cooling on the wire rack.
• Add the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a small bowl.
• Whisk until the icing is well combined.
• Drizzle the lemon icing over the top of the cake. Let the icing set for 5 minutes before slicing the cake.

How do I remove the cake from the pan?

After removing the lemon bundt cake from the oven, place it on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Letting the cake cool is a very important step as it allows the cake to become firm enough to remove from the pan without breaking apart.

After the cake cools carefully, slide a table knife down the sides of the pan to release any spots that might be sticking. Tap the bottom of the pan a few times and shake the pan gently to help loosen the cake. After the cake releases from the pan, let it continue to cool on the wire rack.

*Letting it cool too long in the pan will cause the cake to become damp and stick to the pan.

The first time I made this cake, I was impressed with the moist texture and tender crumb. It’s really easy to make and so much better than store-bought cake mixes.

Thankfully I had enough self-control not to eat the whole cake!

My Lemon Bundt cake is sure to be a hit with anyone who loves lemon desserts. It’s easy to make, but looks impressive and tastes amazing. Serve it with a cup of coffee, hot tea, or milk for a delightful afternoon treat, or add it to your dessert table at your next get-together.

You can find the Bundt Pan I use on Amazon.

Recipe FAQ’s

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