This recipe for Lemon Bundt Cake is the ultimate dessert for lemon lovers. Flavored with fresh lemon zest and lemon extract, it’s moist, tender, and utterly delicious.
This moist lemon bundt cake recipe with a delectably tart lemon glaze will leave you and your friends craving more. It's perfect for a holiday dessert, birthday celebration (just add sprinkles) or fancy enough for a bridal shower. It's lemon dessert perfection!
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Recipe for Lemon Bundt Cake
If you're a fan of lemon desserts, you are going to fall in love with this recipe for Lemon Bundt Cake. This lemon bundt cake is soft, tender, and bursting with lemon flavor. It's even topped off with the most amazing lemon icing.
This moist cake was originally made with meyer lemons - what a treat! But, since meyer lemons aren't always available year-round where I live, I decided to make a couple of changes, and adjust it to available lemons to give it just a little more lemon punch.
Other Amazing Bundt Cake Recipes (Lemon and More)
I was on a committee for food and was in charge of doing dessert for a big crowd (200 people). We ended up deciding to make bundt cake for dessert. It turned out amazing. Not only do they look incredible displayed on pedistal cake stands but they're beautiful served on little whitle plates in an array of different flavors.
We all make several bundt cakes and the final product was stunning. Bundt cakes are such an easy way to serve a huge crowd. Each cake can feed 12-15 people. It's easy to serve with a dollop of whipped cream, ice cream, some sprinkles, candied cranberries or your favorite berries. I just love them for just about any occasion.
If lemon cakes are your jam, be sure to try our Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake, Blueberry Bundt Cake, or our Raspberry Lemon Bundt Cake for an extra special treat.
And if you're needing more bundt cake recipes, be sure to try our Coconut Chocolate Bundt Cake, Lime Bundt Cake, and our Funfetti Bundt cake. There's a bundt cake recipe for any occasion!
Topping Ideas For Bundt Cake
And if you're wondering about some topping ideas outside of the lemon glaze included in this recipe, try our Berry Syrup, Lemon Syrup, Buttermilk Syrup, Whipped Cream, Macerated Strawberries, Strawberry Sauce, Chocolate Sauce or even some Hot Fudge Sauce. Wowza! So many delicious combinations!
This lemon glaze is super easy to create and is made with powdered sugar, freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon extract, and vanilla extract. You can drizzle a little of this on or douse the entire cake, it’s up to you. And if you're looking for a fun lemony topping for your bundt cake, be sure to try out my Lemon Curd recipe too.
I've added recipe instructions for a small 9-10 cup (small) bundt cake pan and then did recipe calculations for a 12 cup (large) bundt cake pan too. This cake is so pretty so be sure you use the right recipe to fill whatever bundt cake pan you have.
A Bundt cake is a cake...with a hole! It's baked in a fluted tube pan that is circular with a hole in the middle. It resembles a very large doughnut. Bundt cakes are deeper than most regular cakes. The Bundt cake needs to be more moist than a regular cake because the cake mold heats faster than a regular round or square cake pan.
The best tip is to prepare your pan before you add the cake batter. Aside from that, when you remove your cake from the oven, don't flip it out of the pan right away! Instead, let the cake cool for ten minutes in the pan. Then, placing the wire rack or cake platter over the base of the cake, and invert the pan to easily remove the bundt cake.
Spray your clean bundt cake pan with a non-stick baking spray with flour in it before adding the cake batter. You can also coat the pan with shortening or soft butter and then coat the pan with flour (be sure to turn the pan upside down and tap on the side to remove any excess flour) before adding the cake batter.
Recipe Variation for 12 cup Bundt Pan
- 2 ¼ cup Flour
- 3 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup Sugar
- 3 large Eggs
- ¾ cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 ½ Sour Cream
- 2 Lemon Zest
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ teaspoon Lemon Extract
Lemon Icing for Bundt Cake
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
How to Make Lemon Bundt Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. This recipe works great for a large (9-10 cup) bundt cake pan. If you are making a smaller bundt cake, don't add in the last cup or so of batter and make 2-3 small cupcake size cakes in addition.
- Combine the wet ingredients.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Combine all ingredients and pour into a greased pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Put a plate or serving dish on the top of the bundt cake pan and flip the cake onto the serving plate.
- Make the glaze.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cake and let it set up before slicing to serve.
- Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh raspberries. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- This is a small cake. If you are looking for a full-size pound cake, look at the recipe variation above the recipe card and I have made the neccesary conversions for a bigger Lemon Bundt Cake. Make the right amount of batter for your bundt cake pan.
- To Make a Bigger Bundt Cake: You can use a 9 or 10 cup bundt pan for this recipe. Obviously, the 10 cup pan will yield a more shallow cake. Keep that in mind when you are selecting which pan to use. It's also a great recipe for mini bundt pans. Adjust the bake time accordingly.
- Greek yogurt is a good substitute for the sour cream in this recipe. Low-fat Greek yogurt also works if you are cutting calories.
- Thickness of the Glaze: If the glaze is too thick, add more lemon juice, a teaspoon at a time. If the glaze is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar, a Tablespoon at a time. If you add too much liquid, it will disappear into the cake as you drizzle it on. You almost want it to look un-purable or in other words, very thick. When you drizzle the glaze on, if there are lines in the glaze, gently tap the cake dish on the counter to smooth out the glaze
- Let the Drizzle Set Before Slicing: Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and allow it to set for 20 minutes. Then slice and serve!
- Removing the Cake From the Pan: No need to manually loosen the cake from the pan! Instead, place ie on a cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes. Then very carefully unmold the cake onto a another cooling rack or servig dish and set it aside to finish cooling.
- To get that thick drippy layer, I added my glaze to an icing bag and It’s much easier to get that thick glaze in symmetrical drips if you have the control of an icing bag.
- Be sure your cake is cool. If you let it cool on the counter and then put it in the fridge for a couple of hours, the cake cuts better and the icing will be lovely and thick.
- You can add a pound of fresh blueberries, raspberries or even a couple tablespoons of poppyseeds for some fun flavor variations.
Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Sugar
- 3 large Eggs
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- ½ teaspoon Lemon Extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon Lemon Zest from 2-3 Fresh Lemons
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Glaze
- ⅔ cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- ½ teaspoon Lemon Extract
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-10 cup bundt cake pan.
- Generously grease a 9-10 cup bundt pan with non-stick baking spray that has flour in it being sure to coat all of pan. Or you can grease the pan with shortening or butter, then dust it with flour.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, lemon zest, lemon extract and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the lemon mixture. Whisk until combined. (or you can add it to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk until combined) Scrape the cake batter into the prepared bundt cake pan and use a rubber spatula, evenly smoothing the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan, set it on a wire rack, for 10 minutes. Then invert the cake onto the rack, or a pedestal cake stand or serving dish.
How to Make the Lemon Glaze for Lemon Bundt Cake
- Make the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon extract and vanilla extract. Add more lemon juice if necessary to reach your desired consistency. (the glaze should be super thick and almost look too thick to drizzle. *see notes)
- Drizzle the glaze over the cake and let it set up for at least 20 minutes before slicing to serve.
- Serve wit a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh raspberries. Enjoy!
Notes
- 2 ¼ cup Flour
- 3 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup Sugar
- 3 large Eggs
- ¾ cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 ½ Sour Cream
- 2 Lemon Zest
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ teaspoon Lemon Extract
Lemon Icing for Bundt Cake
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- This is a small cake. If you are looking for a full-size pound cake, look at the recipe variation above the recipe card and I have made the neccesary conversions for a bigger Lemon Bundt Cake. Make the right amount of batter for your bundt cake pan.
- To Make a Bigger Bundt Cake: You can use a 9 or 10 cup bundt pan for this recipe. Obviously, the 10 cup pan will yield a more shallow cake. Keep that in mind when you are selecting which pan to use. It's also a great recipe for mini bundt pans. Adjust the bake time accordingly.
- Greek yogurt is a good substitute for the sour cream in this recipe. Low-fat Greek yogurt also works if you are cutting calories.
- Thickness of the Glaze: If the glaze is too thick, add more lemon juice, a teaspoon at a time. If the glaze is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar, a Tablespoon at a time. If you add too much liquid, it will disappear into the cake as you drizzle it on. You almost want it to look un-purable or in other words, very thick. When you drizzle the glaze on, if there are lines in the glaze, gently tap the cake dish on the counter to smooth out the glaze
- Let the Drizzle Set Before Slicing: Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and allow it to set for 20 minutes. Then slice and serve!
- Removing the Cake From the Pan: No need to manually loosen the cake from the pan! Instead, place ie on a cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes. Then very carefully unmold the cake onto a another cooling rack or servig dish and set it aside to finish cooling.
Nutrition
More Cake Recipes
- Old Fashioned Pineapple Cake
- Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Nutella Cheesecake
- More Cake Recipes
- More Dessert Recipes
More Lemon Recipes You'll love
- Lemon Cookies
- Lemon Parfait
- Easy Lemon Chicken
- Lemon Ginger Chicken
- Lemon Herb Rice
- Grilled Lemon Kabobs
Freaky Friday Recipes
I participated in a blog swap and was given the recipe from my friend from Sugar Me Dish Heather Tullow is the mastermind behind it all. She made an incredibly gorgeous Meyers Lemon Bundt Cake and I just knew I had to try it.
I'm such a sucker for all things lemon and I couldn't pass on this one. It's a fantastic recipe! Her site features loads of incredible desserts but has a lot of healthy and easy dinner ideas too. Be sure to check out her recipe for Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal and chicken lasagna too! So yummy!
- An Affair from the Heart - Copy Cat Taco Bell Enchirito
- Aunt Bee's Recipes - Three Cheese Jalapeno Poppers
- The Carefree Kitchen - Lemon Bundt Cake
- The Culinary Compass - Rotel Sausage Dip
- Devour Dinner - Cheese Enchiladas
- The Foodie Affair - Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread
- The Fresh Cooky - Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail
- House of Nash Eats - Pineapple Casserole
- Kathryn's Kitchen Blog - Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
- Lemoine Family Kitchen - Red Beans & Rice
- Life, Love & Good Food - Pan Seared Scallops
- Lisa's Dinnertime Dish - Weeknight Broccoli Shrimp Stir Fry
- Off the Eaten Path - Extra Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Soulfully Made - Stuffed Pepper Meatloaf
- The Speckled Palate - Pretzel Cheese Dip
- Sugar Dish Me - Cheesecake Brownies with Graham Cracker Crust
- Take Two Tapas - Buffalo Chicken Taquitos in the Air Fryer
- West Via Midwest - Frito Corn Salad
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Lemon bundt cake is every lemon lover's dream, a moist lemon bundt cake. It’s bursting with lemon flavor. It’s made with sour cream so it is incredibly tender and topped with a tart and smooth lemon glaze. It’s amazingly delicious!
John Harrisson
I made this cake and delivered slices to my neighbors. It was absolutely the best cake I have ever made. Fantastic recipe. Do yourself a favor and make the cake!
Jill Baird
John, I'm so glad you loved the cake! Thanks for your comment. You totally made my day!
Anya
This was really good. A simple cake to put together on a Sunday night for my work peeps tomorrow. I subbed half of the flour with almond meal and went with greek yogurt. I added some sliced almonds onto the icing and it is beautiful. Thanks for a great recipe!
Deborah
I made this for my family’s Sunday dinner and everyone raved! I wish I could attach a photo!
Barry Knezek
Looks like you left out the vanilla and lemon extracts from the batter recipe.
Just mentioned in directions but not listed in recipe.
Sharon
I noticed the same thing. I did not include the vanilla or the lemon extract since it was not listed in the ingredients for the larger cake. Hope it turns out ok!
Jill Baird
Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I added it to the ingredients for the larger cake recipe too.
Rebecca
Lemon is one of my favorite dessert flavors and this cake does not disappoint! Perfect balance of lemon. Oh it was good.
Brandi Burgess
I'm slightly lemony dessert obsessed and this looks like the most amazing lemon bundt cake ever!
Sheila Thigpen
Perfection! Your cake is so pretty and just screams Spring time!
Belinda N
What is the measurements of the vanilla and lemon extract in both cake variations. I see it in the instructions but not in the ingredients for the batter. Only the frosting.
Chrissie Nelson Rotko
Lemon anything is my favorite! I love lemon cakes so much so I absolutely cannot wait to make this one!
Amy Nash
I couldn't wait to make this after I saw you post it. It was absolutely as moist and delicious and it looked like in your pictures! I'm hiding a piece for breakfast! (sshhhhh)
Erin
If you're a lemon dessert fan, MAKE THIS IMMEDIATELY! I love a good bundt cake, and the batter paired with this icing is so good!
Kathryn Donangelo
Since I've been pregnant, I love alll lemon treats and this Lemon Cake looks so delicious! I am going to make this over the weekend and I'm so excited! Love the simple ingredients used too! 🙂
Sandra Shaffer
I'm not much of a cake decorator, so when I come across bundt cakes I'm all in - the icing seals the deal for my weekend baking plans!
Kathleen Pope
I love anything lemon, but this looks amazing, beyond amazing! Moist, lemony and am love in the frosting!
Heather
OOOOHHH that icing - it looks so pretty! Thanks for baking one of my favorite cake recipes! So glad you enjoyed it!
Angela
Perfection- I really love a dessert with some citrus! The flavor in the lemon bundt is so great!
Nikki
Lemon is my favor flavor! What a beautiful cake! Great tip to use the piping bag!
Jennifer Stewart
I love the bright and tart flavors of lemon cake! And that drizzle!! This is the perfect cake for any occasion and especially in the spring!
Sam
Lemon desserts are THE best and there is no exception here! Yum!!
michele
For goodness sakes.. Why didnt I ever think to use a piping bag for the icing... mine looked almost as good as yours! Brilliant tip! I have it ready for this afternoon for a sweet treat after the big game! I snuck one piece and its perfect! Thank you!
Lisa
Lemon cake is the BEST! This one looks like perfection, so moist and yummy!
Michaela Kenkel
This is just stunning!! Lemon is my FAVORITE and this beautiful bundt cake just went to the tippy top of my must bake list!