This scrumptious lemon bundt cake, topped with delicious lemon cream cheese frosting, is a perfect way to brighten up a winter day!
If you love the combo of sweet, with just the right amount of tangy, then this easy lemon pudding cake is perfect for you! This cake delivers big when it comes to flavor, and it’s super quick and easy to make.
We’ve had a serious of gray days here in Phoenix. So I’ve needed a sweet way to brighten up dessert, and this easy lemon bundt cake recipe does just that. It’s like enjoying a slice of sunshine on a plate!
I know, that’s almost laughable to think of gray days in Phoenix, and will likely pass in 12 hours and then be 70 degrees. If nothing else the weather has made me crave lemon. So a lemon bundt cake to the rescue!
Lemon Pudding Cake
Thanks to some help from a lemon cake mix, this delicious bundt cake is quick and simple to make. While I love making cakes from scratch, the flavor and texture of this lemon cake mix recipe are really extraordinary. This recipe is similar to the Duncan Hines Lemon Pound Cake recipe, but it’s a bit more decadent.
Doctored bundt cakes are probably my favorite thing to make with cake mixes. While they are simple to make, they always get such rave reviews from my friends, family and readers.
If you are looking for an easy lemon cake recipe, but you really want something a bit more impressive than just a regular box cake made as directed on the box, go for a doctored bundt cake.
How To Make A Lemon Bundt Cake
Now let’s make some cake!
The ingredients for this cake are simple and straight forward. You’ll need:
- A lemon cake mix
- A lemon pudding mix (the dry box mix)
- Eggs
- Oil
- Sour Cream
- Water
- Lemons
I also add some pure lemon extract to really kick up the lemon flavor. You can skip this, but I recommend it. I find that lemon can really mellow in baking, so I always like to kick the flavor up as much as possible.
The ingredients in this recipe are all added together, and mixed. It’s really as easy as just making a regular cake mix recipe, but with a few different ingredients. The end result speaks for itself.
Fresh lemon zest really helps give this cake a great tangy and bright flavor.
Lemon Glaze For Pound Cake
The lemon frosting that tops this cake is good enough to eat with a spoon! Trust me, I’ve tested that theory.
Lemon cream cheese frosting has to be one of my all time favorite frostings. It’s like the perfect blend of sweet and slightly tart. It’s made of cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon extract, vanilla extract, milk and an optional pinch of salt.
The ingredients are combined in your mixer, then spread over your cake.
Grab a fork and dive in!
How To Store A Bundt Cake
Due to the cream cheese frosting, I suggest storing this lemon bundt cake in the refrigerator. That said, this cake doesn’t last long around my friends and family, so sometimes there isn’t even anything left to store!
This lemon cake really is total piece of cake. Sorry, I can’t resist a pun. Or a punny fork.
Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
Lemon Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 standard size package lemon cake mix
- 1 cup sour cream regular/full fat works best
- 1 3.4 oz size package instant lemon pudding mix just the dry mix!
- 1 cup oil
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tsp pure lemon extract
Frosting
- 8 ounces package cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter softened, 1/2 stick
- 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
- 3 1/2 - 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1-3 tbsp milk
- 1-3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
Cake
- 1. HEAT oven to 350°F. Coat 12-cup bundt pan or 10-inch fluted tube pan with no-stick cooking spray. Dust with flour.
- 2. BEAT cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, water, lemon zest and lemon extract in large bowl with electric mixer on low until well combined. Spoon into prepared bundt pan.
- 3. BAKE 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack to cool completely.
FROSTING
- 1. Beat cream cheese, softened butter and lemon extract in a bowl until light and fluffy. Mix until well combined. Add in your confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- 2. Add in 1 tablespoon milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and mix until very well combined. If you desire a thinner frosting, add 1-2 additional tablespoons of lemon juice, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once desired consistency is reached, fold in the zest of one lemon.
- 3. Once cake has cooled completely, apply frosting to cake. As this is a bundt cake, it does not have to be perfectly frosted. Garnish with remaining lemon zest.
- Store in refrigerator.
Video
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
More Lemon with Recipes
Want MORE lemon? Yeah, I hear you, I have a major love of lemon desserts myself. And I’ve got you covered when it comes to lemon desserts and lemon bread recipes.
If you love Girl Scout Lemon Cookies, make sure to try my version of their new Lemon Ups.
Starbucks Lemon Loaf Copycat Recipe
Kim C says
My entire family LOVES LOVES LOVES this cake. I am asked to make it for every family function. I have a question, I am wanting to bake mini bundt cakes. Do you have any suggestions on cook time for them? The full size bakes in my oven in exactly 43 minutes (I told you I have made this multiple times, lol)
Christi says
Kim, so glad you like this cake! I haven’t baked these as mini cakes, so I can’t say for sure. I’m guessing that you’d start checking around 15 minutes in and just monitor closely.
Heather says
Have you ever used this recipe for mini bundt cakes? I’m looking for one to make for my daughters one year birthday party. What would you recommend for baking instructions?
Christi says
I haven’t, sorry. Maybe see what the average baking time is for other mini-bundt cake recipes and start from there?
Stacey says
Best lemon cake ever, seriously ever. A simple breeze to make and so delicious, everyone raves about it and wants the recipe. ??
Christi says
So happy you like this lemon bundt cake, it seriously is a favorite of ours!
Nancy says
Made this…it was moist, lemony and delicious the cream cheese icing set it off..!
Christi says
Nancy, I’m so glad you enjoyed this Lemon Bundt Cake recipe!
Carolyn says
About the one cup of oil…I meant in the cake recipe, not the frosting! I put the one cup of oil and my cake is perfect except it didn’t rise very high. Is that normal?
Sandi Gipson says
I made this cake today and while baking it rose above the edge of the pan but it fell when I took it out of the oven, what did I do wrong?
Christi says
Sandi, it might not have completely finished baking, that can happen if you remove a cake before it’s completely done. That said, most Bundt cake’s I’ve made are never the full height of the pan. How was the texture of the cake?
Erin says
Can I do this in two round pans rather than a bundt pan to make it into a layer cake?
Christi says
Erin, I haven’t made this one as a regular cake, but it’s a very dense cake which is why it works well with the Bundt pan – no center to bake, if that makes sense. If you do try it as a layer cake, I’d love to know how it works out for you!
Lulu says
This recipe sounds delicious! I’m planning to bake lemon cupcakes this weekend and was wondering this recipe should work for cupcakes?
Christi says
Lulu, I’m sure it would!
Nancy Rudd says
I made this cake minus the lemon zest and added another teaspoon of lemon extract. I have my own cream cheese frosting recipe, but put 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and substituted lemon extract for the vanilla. It’s everybody’s new favorite cake and frosting. Comments to me: This cake is to die for! Did you make it? I answer ‘yes’ and don’t say anything else.
Mary Beth Elderton says
Oh My Heavenly Goodness—This Cake! I made this for Memorial weekend as a birthday cake for my MIL’s 90th. I followed your recipe—no tweaks. This Is The Best Lemon Cake I Have Ever Tasted. I put the frosted cake in the fridge to “set” and get really cool before packing it to travel, then placed the packed cake in a fridge when I got there. It travelled perfectly. It was as moist and fresh even two days later as a cake made the same day. Raves from the family and not a single piece leftover. Thank You!!!
Christi says
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Lemon Bundt Cake, Mary! You are very welcome. 🙂
Sue says
Love the fork! May I ask where you bought it?
Christi says
I believe I purchased it on Amazon. It’s part of a dessert fork collection by the brand Mud Pie. Hope that helps!