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Bundt cakes are known for being tricky — but with the right techniques, you can absolutely master them at home. This lemon bundt cake is rich, tender, and packed with fresh citrus flavor. I’ll show you exactly how to prep your pan, bake it to perfection, and release it like a pro. Get ready to wow your family and friends with a bakery-worthy cake you made yourself!
This is literally the first cake I’ve ever baked. I followed the directions exactly as wrote and my cake turned out amazing! My kids said it was the best cake they’ve ever eaten.
-Ashley
What makes this the Best Lemon Bundt Cake
When it comes to classic desserts like lemon bundt cake, the details matter — and after years of testing, I’ve nailed the techniques that deliver bakery-quality results at home. From properly prepping the bundt pan to balancing the perfect amount of lemon flavor, every step of this recipe has been fine-tuned for success. I’ve tested various pan sizes, adjusted bake times, experimented with cooling methods, and perfected a glaze that complements the cake without overwhelming it.
One of the biggest challenges home bakers face with bundt cakes is getting the cake to release cleanly from the pan. That’s why I walk you through exactly how to prep your bundt pan properly — covering every nook and cranny with butter and a light dusting of flour to guarantee a smooth release. No guesswork, no stuck cakes, just beautiful, professional-looking results.
This lemon bundt cake is the kind of recipe that turns basic ingredients into something truly impressive. If you’re newer to bundt cakes, don’t stress — my clear, detailed steps will help you bake with confidence and bring this showstopper to your table. It’s the kind of dessert that looks like it came from a bakery, but you made it in your own kitchen. And that’s something worth celebrating.
It’s one thing to make a gorgeous cake, but it’s another to make a cake that tastes so good it gets all the “Oohhs” and “Aahhs” every time someone tastes it. This is that cake! A gorgeous cake with the perfect balance of fresh lemon flavor and sweetness that is ultra-moist and tender.
Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe Ingredients
This delicious lemon cake is made with simple ingredients. It’s the perfect recipe for a Spring dinner party or just because the lemon lovers in your family have a craving! Get the full recipe with measurements and instructions in the recipe card below. Here’s what you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter: room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon zest
- Eggs: room temperature
- Sour cream
- Lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
- Whole milk: room temperature
Lemon Glaze
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh lemon juice
- Milk or heavy cream
- Salt
How to Make a Lemon Bundt Cake
Making an impressive lemon bundt cake with a perfect lemon glaze is easier than you may think! Get the full recipe in the recipe card below. Follow these easy steps to make the cake and glaze:
Bundt Cake
- Prep oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Mix butter, sugar, and lemon zest. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest on medium speed with an electric mixer. Beat until light in color and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the eggs, 3 at a time, mixing until combined.
- Mix in the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients and add milk. Add half of the dry ingredients, beating on low. Next, add the milk and beat again on low. Then add the remaining dry ingredients, mixing on low until fully combined.
- Prep bundt cake pan. Liberally grease a 9 inch bundt pan (it’s important to know what size you have) with butter. Get the butter in all the nooks. Once the pan is evenly coated with butter, add a few tablespoons of all-purpose flour to the pan. Hold the pan over the sink and rotate it, tapping the sides as you go, to distribute the flour evenly. Ensure the entire interior is covered with a thin layer of flour. Turn the pan upside down over the sink or trash can to remove any excess flour.
- Add batter to pan and bake. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes or until it’s starting to brown, appears set on top, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the cake appears to be browning too quickly, tent it with foil for the final 15 minutes of baking.
- Cool. Remove the bundt cake from the oven and allow it to cool (not inverted) for 15 minutes on a cooling rack. Then, invert the pan over a piece of parchment paper or a plate, tapping on the bottom of the pan to release the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the glaze.
Lemon Glaze
- Combine ingredients. Sift the powdered sugar. This helps to create a silky, smooth glaze. Add in 2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp milk or heavy cream, and vanilla extract, and whisk to combine. Add another teaspoon of lemon juice to thin out the glaze or more powdered sugar to thicken the glaze. Taste and adjust. Whisk in the salt.
- Top the cake. Drizzle generously over the cake. Allow the glaze to set for 30-60 minutes before slicing and serving.
Best Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe Variations
For best results, follow the recipe as is. However, here are some swaps you can make if needed:
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice is best, but if you need to use bottled, you can swap it. It may, however, alter the fresh lemon flavor.
- Lemon Zest: Fresh lemon zest is best, but if you don’t have fresh lemons, you can swap it for fresh lime zest or orange zest, but it will alter the flavor.
- Sour cream: Sour cream helps this cake be moist and rich, but you can try swapping it for full-fat plain unsweetened yogurt.
How to Store Moist Lemon Bundt Cake
Store leftover cake at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. To store, wrap the cooled cake in foil or plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container.
Recipe for Lemon Bundt Cake FAQs
A bundt cake is made in a bundt pan, giving it a large, circular shape with a hole in the middle (like a large donut). Bundt cakes are typically more moist and deeper than regular cakes.
Prepping your bundt pan properly is key to easily getting the cake out. Liberally grease your pan and coat it with a thin layer of flour. Once the cake is cooked, allow it to cool in the pan on a wire rack. Then, invert the pan over a plate or piece of parchment paper and gently tap the pan to release the cake.
First, cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Then, invert it to remove the cake and let it cool completely.
More Bundt Cake Recipes
- Banana Nut Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake
- German Chocolate Bundt Cake
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Best Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature, 2 sticks
- 1 ½ cups (298g) granulated sugar
- lemon zest from 3 lemons
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup (114g) sour cream
- 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2-3 lemons
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (177ml) whole milk, room temperature
Lemon Glaze
- 2 cups (227g) powdered sugar, sift after measuring
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp milk or heavy cream
- ⅛ tsp salt
Instructions
Bundt Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour, 2 ¼ tsp baking powder, 1 ½ tsp salt
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, granulated sugar and lemon zest on medium speed with an electric mixer. Beat until light in color and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups (298g) granulated sugar, lemon zest from 3 lemons
- Add in the eggs, 3 at a time, mixing until combined.6 large eggs
- Mix in the sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla extract.½ cup (114g) sour cream, 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- Add half of the dry ingredients, beating on low. Next add the milk, beat again on low. Then add the remaining dry ingredients, mixing on low until fully combined.¾ cup (177ml) whole milk
- Liberally grease a 9 inch bundt pan (it’s important to know what size you have) with butter. Get the butter in all the nooks. Once the pan is evenly coated with butter, add a few tablespoons of all-purpose flour to the pan. Hold the pan over the sink and rotate it, tapping the sides as you go, to evenly distribute the flour. Ensure the entire interior is covered with a thin layer of flour. Turn the pan upside down over the sink or trash can to remove any excess flour.
- Transfer the batter to the pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until it’s starting to brown, appears set on top, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the cake appears to be browning too quickly, tent it with foil for the final 15 minutes of baking.
- Remove the bundt cake from the oven and allow it to cool (not inverted) for 15 minutes on a cooling rack. Then invert the pan over a piece of parchment paper or a plate, tapping on the bottom of the pan to release the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the glaze.
Lemon Glaze
- Sift the powdered sugar, this helps to create a silky, smooth glaze. Add in 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream and vanilla extract, whisk to combine. Add another teaspoon of lemon juice to thin out the glaze or more powdered sugar to thicken the glaze. Taste and adjust, whisk in the salt.2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 Tbsp milk or heavy cream, ⅛ tsp salt, 2 cups (227g) powdered sugar
- Drizzle generously over the cake. Allow the glaze to set for 30-60 minutes before slicing and serving.
Excelent
I made this delicious recipe for my family of six and the cake was gone in 45 minutes.
Amazing cake that looked as good as it tasted. My daughter told me this is her new birthday cake!
Amazing recipe! My cake turned out absolutely perfect!
This is literally the first cake I’ve ever baked. I followed the directions exactly as wrote and my cake turned out amazing! My kids said it was the best cake they’ve ever eaten.
Made this recipe into mini Bundts for our coffee shop. Customers loved them! The texture was perfect and flavor outstanding. As minis they were baked in a commercial convection oven at 325° for 20 minutes.
Can I substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream?
Without personally testing that substitution myself, I can’t say if it will work, sorry!
I made this cake, and was very disappointed how it turned out.
The texture was like cornbread. And it was dry. Think I will use oil instead of butter next time. And maybe try cake flour.
How did you measure the flour? Did you measure by grams on a kitchen scale, did you aerate, then spoon the flour into the cup and level OR did you stick the measuring cup into the flour then level? All 3 of these methods change the actual weight of the flour – sometimes by adding an additional 1/2 cup without knowing it! I measure in grams on a kitchen scale.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, aerate the flour with a fork, use a spoon to spoon it into the measuring cup, then level it off with a kitchen knife.