Lemon Bundt Cake

An overhead view of a sliced Lemon Bundt Cake topped with a drizzled icing

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5 from 2 votes

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

Prep Time45

Cook Time50

Total Time1 35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bundt cake, cake, dessert, lemon

Servings:

Calories: 546kcal

Author: Tricia

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.

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