Lemon Bundt Cake

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Bright and lemony, Lemon Bundt Cake!

Tender, buttery and ultra-lemony!

Bundt cakes are the perfect dessert to serve for events, birthdays, potlucks and just because! Easier to make than layer cakes, but just as delicious. Our Lemon Bundt Cake recipe was created with flavor in mind by adding fresh zest and tart lemon juice three ways.

If you’re looking for a tender, moist, lemony cake with the perfect crumb, you’re in for a treat!

Overview of ingredients:

We’ve infused lemon flavor three ways:

For the lemon cake:

• cake flour or all-purpose flour – I’ve included measurements for both, but personally prefer cake flour in this recipe
• salt
• baking powder
• baking soda
• granulated sugar
• zest of 3 lemons
• unsalted butter at room temperature
• large eggs
• vanilla extract
• sour cream – regular full fat not low-fat
• lemon juice

For the lemon syrup:

• granulated sugar
• lemon juice

For the lemon glaze:

• powdered sugar
• lemon juice

Equipment needed to make the best Lemon Bundt Cake recipe:

First you’ll need a 12-cup Bundt or tube pan. We love our Nordic Ware non-stick Bundt Cake Pan for consistent, even baking, and easy clean up.

Also a small food processor or an immersion blender with a food processor attachment makes creating lemon sugar a breeze.

Finally be sure to beat the sugar and butter together with an electric mixer. This process adds a nice fluffy texture to all your baked goods.

How to make a great Lemon Bundt Cake

Honestly, this cake is great without adding the lemon syrup and/or lemon glaze. Simply bake, cool, dust with powdered sugar and serve.

However, to make a truly lemon-centric cake that’s moist, but not wet, and ultra-lemony, take a few extra minutes and see this recipe all the way through.

To prepare the Lemon Bundt Cake:

1. First, whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt or tube pan.
3. Next pulse some of the granulated sugar with the lemon zest in a food processor. This step really makes a big difference in the flavor of the cake. Processing the zest in sugar helps release and disperse the lemon oils into the sugar, ensuring great lemon flavor in every bite.
4. Combine the lemon sugar, all remaining granulated sugar, and the butter in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed.
6. Finally, combine the vanilla, sour cream and lemon juice. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the sour cream to the butter and sugar. Once combined, pour the batter into the prepared Bundt or tube pan. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula and bake for about 50 minutes.

To prepare the Lemon Syrup:

1. While the cake is baking combine granulated sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until all sugar is dissolved. Set aside and cool slightly.
2. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, drizzle half the lemon syrup over the top of the cake while still in the pan.
3. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a cake platter or cake stand.
4. Brush all remaining lemon syrup over the exterior of the cake.

To prepare the Lemon Glaze:

1. Whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Add additional sugar or more lemon juice as needed for a very thick, pourable glaze. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

Serve and enjoy!

Pro Tips:

Zesting lemons is easy to do, but requires a light hand to get it right. Using a sharp rasp-style grater makes this step a breeze. Don’t press too hard, as you only want to zest the bright yellow outer portion. Avoid the white pith found just below the peel, which has a bitter taste.

The best way to store fresh lemons

Lemons, and other citrus fruits, don’t continue to ripen after harvest. However, they stay fresher longer than other fruits like apples, pears and bananas.

To keep your lemons juicy and fresh, they must be refrigerated and sealed in an airtight zipper bag. Store lemons whole whenever possible.

When stored properly lemons will stay fresh for up to 4 weeks.

If you removed the zest but don’t need the juice, wrap the zested lemon tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Lemon juice and lemon zest are also freezable if sealed in an airtight container. The color and flavor may be slightly diminished, but when used in small amounts it’s perfect.

Can you freeze Lemon Bundt Cake?

This cake freezes remarkably well when sealed in an airtight container.

Store this cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer storage.

Do you have to use cake flour for this recipe?

No you don’t have to use cake flour, but it’s highly recommended. All-purpose flour also works well, so I’ve included measurements for both. However, cake flour gives this cake and many baked goods a very nice, tender, tight crumb as you see in the photo below.

Lemon Desserts are always a favorite in our house!

All our lemon desserts are designed for ultimate flavor, fantastic texture and tangy freshness. If you have a house full of lemon lovers, try these favorite recipes:

• Lemon Crumble Breakfast Cake
• Luscious Lemon Cheesecake
• Lemon Sugar Cookies
• Easy Lemon Chess Pie
• Glazed Lemon Brownies
• Homemade Lemon Curd
• Lemon Pudding Cake

Thanks for PINNING!

Lemon Bundt Cake

Prep Time: 45 minutes mins

Cook Time: 50 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Yield: 12

Course: Dessert

Author: Tricia

Pin RecipePrint RecipeRate Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Bright and sunny Lemon Bundt Cake - perfect for events and gatherings!

Ingredients

For the lemon cake:

• 3 ¼ cups cake flour (400g) or 3 cups all-purpose flour (378g)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups granulated sugar divided (445g)
• zest from 3 lemons (no white pith)
• 18 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (9oz or 254g)
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream (8oz)
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (3oz) about 2 lemons

For the lemon syrup:

• ⅓ cup granulated sugar (80g)
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (3oz) about 2 lemons

For the lemon glaze:

• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (170g)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, about 1 lemon

Instructions

To prepare the lemon Bundt cake:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease and flour a Bundt or tube pan. Set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a small food processor combine ¼ cup of the granulated sugar with the lemon zest. Pulse or process until the zest is incorporated and the sugar has turned pale yellow.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the lemon sugar, all remaining granulated sugar and the butter. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, blending on medium-low speed just until the yolk disappears before adding another. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and blend again for a few seconds.
• In a 2-cup measuring cup with a spout, combine the vanilla, sour cream and lemon juice. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Beat on low until incorporated. Pour half the sour cream mixture into the batter and blend until smooth. Repeat by adding half the remaining flour, then all the remaining sour cream. Finally, add all remaining flour and beat on low just until blended. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and fold together one last time with a spatula.
• Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Smooth the top and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a skewer comes out with no wet batter. Moist crumbs are okay. Don’t over-bake!

To prepare the lemon syrup:

• While the cake is baking prepare the lemon syrup. Combine the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
• Once baked, remove the cake from the oven. With the cake still in the Bundt pan, drizzle about half the lemon syrup over the top. Allow the cake to rest and cool for 20-30 minutes then carefully turn it out onto a platter or cake stand. Brush on the remaining lemon syrup covering the entire cake. Repeat until all the syrup is used.

To prepare the glaze:

• Whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Add additional sugar or lemon juice as needed for a thick, pourable glaze. Drizzle over cooled cake. Serve.

Recipe Notes

• You’ll need 5 or 6 fresh lemons for this cake
• This cake freezes well if sealed in an airtight container.
• Store the cake at room temperature for 3 days or up to 5 days if refrigerated.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 725IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg

We hope you love this Lemon Bundt Cake as much as we do!

With lemon infused three ways, this ultra-lemony Lemon Bundt Cake is hard to beat. Like sunshine on a plate this cake is perfect for any occasion, freezes well, travels well and is always great with a cup of tea. If you love lemon cake, don’t miss this great recipe!