Lemon Bundt Cake
This Lemon Bundt Cake recipe is absolutely fantastic! The lemon pound cake is so soft and buttery, with a delicious tangy lemon taste. It features a lemon syrup, and a lemon glaze, which makes the cake burst with lemon flavor even more!
And you will find out that this is an easy dessert to make! The results will be totally amazing, and you will wow any lemon lovers!
Lemon Pound Cake
You need simple ingredients to make this Lemon Bundt Cake.
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For this recipe you will need:
- Butter
- Sugar
- Lemons (zest and juice): about 10 lemons in total for the whole recipe
- Eggs
- Sour cream: can use full-fat greek yogurt instead
- All-purpose flour: you can sub for cake flour
- Leavening agents: baking powder, baking soda
- Salt
- Milk
- Sweetened condensed milk: used for the glaze. I give other glaze options in the recipe card that are not made with sweetened condensed milk.
Cake instructions
This cake is butter based, with a lemon sugar that gets beaten into the butter until the mixture becomes fluffy and light.
To make the lemon sugar, simply rub the lemon zest and sugar together between your fingers. You could also gently pulse the sugar with the lemon zest in the food processor. The goal is to rub the sugar crystals against the lemon zest, which will make the lemon release its natural oils which are so rich in lemon flavor and aroma.
The eggs get added, as well as the sour cream and fresh lemon juice. The sour cream can always be substituted for greek yogurt, make sure to use full-fat for richer results.
Once the wet ingredients are all incorporated we add half of the flour and leavening agents plus salt.
Mix just until the flour is incorporated.
Add the milk at once. Make sure the milk is room temperature also.
Mix the batter just until incorporated in order to prevent the cake from being dry or tough when it bakes.
Make sure to grease the bundt cake pan well, ensuring each crevice of the pan is coated of butter and flour.
Spoon the cake batter in the greased bundt pan. I used a 12-cup bundt pan.
Use a spatula to smooth it out, and ensure the batter is evenly distributed.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 1 hour, give or take, start checking at around 45 min to be sure where you are at. A cake tester or toothpick inserted in the cake should come out clean. If you touch the top of the cake, it doesn’t feel jiggly underneath.
If the cake is browning too much but the inside isn’t cooked yet, cover with foil to help prevent the outsides of burning.
Lemon Syrup
While the cake is baking, you should make the Lemon Syrup. It just consists of boiling sugar and lemon juice, and lemon zest together in a small saucepan.
When the cake comes out of the oven, let it cool down for 5 minutes, then prick the top with a fork.
Pour the syrup all over the cake.
Trust me on the syrup, it is fantastic!
You can add 1/4 cup of limoncello to the syrup if you want a little punch in your cake, and even more lemon flavor.
Let the cake cool down. I like to serve this type of cake when it’s barely warm.
While the cake is cooling down, make the glaze.
Lemon Glaze
For the glaze, I am going with a sweetened condensed milk glaze. Mixing sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice creates a reaction and it thickens the sweetened condensed milk. Plus it tastes like lemon! I adore sweetened condensed milk, so I think this glaze is super worth it.
You can add the zest to the glaze, or put on top of the cake like I did.
If you don’t want to make the sweetened condensed milk glaze, you can make a simple cream cheese frosting, or a lemon glaze to pour over the cake. I give instructions for both in the notes section of the recipe card below.
Once the glaze is ready, just drizzle it over the cake. Top with lemon zest if desired.
If using the sweetened condensed milk method, you will have leftover sweetened condensed milk. You can make a half batch of brigadeiros, or save in the fridge for about 10 days in a container.
How to store lemon cake
Store any leftovers of this lemon bundt cake in an air tight container, or covered with plastic wrap, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Let the cake come back to room temperature on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
Lemon Cake Variations
These are some suggestions of variations you can make to this recipe:
- Use a different citrus zest or juice, such as lime or oranges.
- Add limoncello to the lemon syrup to add a bit of a punch to the cake.
- Instead of the sweetened condensed milk, you can dust the cake with powdered sugar, or top it with any of the other glaze suggestions in the notes of the recipe below.
- This recipe could be made on a 9×13″ pan.
- Add blueberries to the batter. Coat about 2/3 cup of blueberries in one teaspoon of flour. Add them to the cake batter. Whenever I add berries or fruit to my cake batter, first I pour about 1/2 of the batter in the pan, then add the fruits on top, swirl with a spatula gently. Top with the remaining batter. This will prevent the berries or fruit pieces from sinking to the bottom.
The texture of this cake is unmatched! The lemon flavor is bursting through each layer: the cake sponge, the syrup, and the glaze. There’s a buttery texture to the cake, it has a tender and rich bite, while remaining soft and moist.
You will absolutely love this cake!
You can make my awesome Lemon Curd Recipe and serve it alongside this cake! Now that would be a lemon lovers dream!
If you loved this Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe, check out some of these recipes:
- Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Lemon Brownies
- Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
- Heart Pound Cake
- Limoncello Tiramisu
- Orange Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Dulce de Leche Apple Bundt Cake
- Pecan Fig Bundt Cake
- Lemon Pie with Sweetened Condensed Milk
Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Lemon Bundt Cake
- 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 350 grams, or cake flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 2 cups granulated sugar 400 grams
- 3 tbsp lemon zest from about 3 lemons
- 1 cup unsalted butter 226 grams plus more for greasing
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream 120 grams
- 1/4 cup lemon juice 60 ml
- 1/2 cup milk 120 ml
Lemon Syrup
- 1/2 cup lemon juice 120 ml
- 1/2 cup sugar 100 grams
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
Lemon Glaze
- 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk 193 grams (alternatives in the notes)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp lemon zest
Instructions
Lemon Bundt Cake
- Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. If using convection oven set it to 325ºF.
- Grease a 12-cup bundt cake pan with butter. You will need about 1-2 tbsp to grease the pan, make sure the butter is softened when you do this. Once the butter is evenly coating the pan, sprinkle flour all over, and shake the pan against your hands, to make sure the flour is evenly being incorporated and distributed all over the pan. If using a bundt pan with details, make sure to get the nooks and crannies well covered, or the cake might stick in those areas that aren’t nicely greased and floured.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
- Make the lemon sugar. Zest the lemons and mix them with the sugar, rubbing between your fingers. The sugar crystals will help the lemon release the natural oils that have so much flavor and aroma. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. You can use a stand mixer or a hand held mixer.
- Add the lemon sugar and beat again until the mixture is fluffy, the butter is lightened in color, which should take about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well until incorporated before adding the next egg.
- Add the sour cream and lemon juice and mix on low to combine.
- Now add half of the flour mixture to the bowl.
- Mix on low to combine.
- Once the dry ingredients are just incorporated, add the milk at once.
- Mix on low to combine.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
- Pour the batter in the prepared bundt pan.
- Make sure to spread it out with a spatula so it’s nice and evenly distributed.
- Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 45 to 65 minutes. Baking time will vary depending on your oven. Convection ovens might bake faster.
- If the cake is browning too much but the inside isn't cooked yet, cover with aluminum foil to help prevent the outsides of burning.
- The cake is done baking when it doesn’t feel jiggly when you touch the top. And also a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
Lemon syrup
- While the cake bakes, make the lemon syrup, and have it ready for when the cake is done baking.
- Place the sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Turn the heat off as soon as the sugar dissolves completely.
- Set it aside.
- When you remove the cake from the oven, let it rest for about 5 minutes. Prickle holes on top of the cake with a fork.
- Pour the lemon syrup all over the cake.
- Let the cake cool down for another 15 minutes in the pan.
- Flip the cake over in a cooling wire rack.
- Let it cool down completely before slicing, and serving.
Lemon Glaze
- To make the Lemon Glaze simply whisk the sweetened condensed milk and the lemon juice in a small bowl.
- You can add the lemon zest to the glaze, or sprinkle on top of the cake once it’s done being glazed.
- I left mine out, so once the glaze was ready, I drizzled it over the cake. Then, the lemon zest gets sprinkled on top of the cake.
Storage
- Store the cake in the fridge for up to 4 days, in an airtight container. Let it sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes before serving, it should be served at room temperature.
Que bolo delicioso!! Adorei a receita! Linda foto!!
Oh so good!! Followed recipe exactly, just used mini bundt pan! Even made the suggested curd (better than store bought)!! Everyone enjoyed!!
That’s so awesome to hear! Thank you!
Did you cut the recipe in half?
I just made this cake and it is delicious. I’m an avid baker and have made many lemon cakes over the years and this is one of the best I’ve made. Moist and very lemony. Rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar is a genius move, it really helps extract the lemon oil from the zest and elevates the flavor. I made a cream cheese icing, but will try the condensed milk icing eventually, I just love cream cheese with lemon. Thanks for this great recipe!
That is so wonderful to hear! Thank you so much!!!
Is this a bundt cake or a pound cake? It does look delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Thank y so much for this recipe , I baked it twice first time only cake without syrup or icing and second time add a blueberry thank u for the tricks you add I really got used to it . Love u .
sounds amazing!!!!
I’ve made this recipe twice, the first time I added a berry compote and it was so delicious I wanted to try it without anything else. OMG, thank you! IT’S PERFECTION! So moist and fluffy. I’m about to make it for the 3rd time now with orange and lemon juice and zest. Thank you!
It sounds amazing!! Thank you so much!!!
Amazing! Just the right amount of sweetness!! I added blueberries and that was definitely the move.
This looks incredible! Would it be ok to freeze this cake?
Thanks!
Yes you can freeze it, make sure to wrap it tightly, and possibly put it in an airtight container if it fits, and if not, put it in a freezer bag.
Is this recipe enough to make TWO 9 inch round cake pans? What would you advise
This recipe would be more fitted to bake into two 8 inch round pans I believe. You could try the 9 inch but it might be a short cake.
Thank you! Can’t wait to try!!
I made this for my mom for Easter and we loved it! I’m already thinking about when I’m going to make it next. It’s so so good!
Wonderful recipe! I made the cake last night and it was a huge hit! The tangy lemon with the moist delicious cake, awesome! I added about a cup of blueberries too and it was so delicious. I used the condensed milk glaze and it was delish! Your recipes are simply amazing and the pix are always gorgeous – makes me want to bake more!
That’s wonderful to hear!!! Thank you so much!!!
This recipe is amazing!!! I’ve made it once and I am going to make it again for Mother’s day. I plan on doubling the recipe. I would like to put the extra batter in mini bundt cake pans. Would I need to change my baking time if it is in a smaller pan?
Smaller pans do take less time to bake. It depends on the size but for mini ones start checking at 20 minutes, and slightly bigger ones start checking at 30 min and bake until a toothpick comes off clean, or you touch the top of the cake and it doesnt feel jiggly underneath.
Absolutely delicious cake. I trust your recipes!! Thank you!
Hello Camila,
Thanks for sharing your recipes. I have a question about the glaze. If i use condensed milk it be as white as it is shown in your photos? If not how do i achieve a proper white glaze?
Yes I just used sweetened condensed milk. Some brands are “yellower” than others. I used Eagle Brand.
Absolutely love this recipe and many others too!! It never lasts more than a day in the fridge as everyone is fighting for the next slice! Just wanted to ask a small question though regarding the sugar, its always perfect but this time I wanna make the cake but with sweetener, is there a brand you recommend or any tips and tricks I could try? Or do I stick to the recipe just use sweetener instead? Thanks in advance!!!
So glad you love the recipe! If you’re looking to swap out the sugar, I’d recommend a granulated sweetener that’s specifically made for baking, like Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener or Swerve (which is erythritol-based). These tend to work better in cakes than liquid sweeteners or highly concentrated artificial sweeteners like aspartame or saccharin. For the best texture, use a 1:1 sugar replacement, and keep in mind that some sugar substitutes can affect moisture levels or leave a slight cooling aftertaste. Let us know what you end up using—we’d love to hear how it turns out!
Disappointing, Very dense and heavy.
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try and for your feedback. I’m sorry to hear the cake turned out dense and heavy. That usually happens when the batter is overmixed after adding the flour, which can lead to a tighter crumb, or if the leavening agents aren’t enough to lighten the structure for the amount of moisture and fat. This cake does have a high amount of butter, sour cream, and milk, which contribute to a rich texture, but it should still feel light and tender. If you decide to try it again, I’d recommend being extra gentle when mixing the dry ingredients in—just until incorporated—and making sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh. You could also try using cake flour instead of all-purpose for a softer crumb. Let me know if you’d like more troubleshooting help, I’m happy to dive in with you.
Hello! If making the day before, do you still put the syrup on the cake while it’s warm or do you put it on before serving so the cake doesn’t get soggy?
I would pour it while it’s warm regardless of when I’m serving. It will stay moist, it won’t get soggy.
Hello Camilla, Thanks for sharing the recipe. I would like to ask how can I achieve a proper even browning on the outside of the cake? I have followed the recipe but not able to get that lovely brown crust. any tips?
I would like to make this cake but add fresh strawberries to the cake. Should I change anything about the recipe if I try this or do you think I could keep everything the same, add some strawberries and have the same outcome?
Yes sure!! You can just add it. You can coat the strawberries in a bit of flour, like one tsp or so, to prevent them from sinking.
If I want to add the limoncello to my syrup, am I cutting down on the lemon juice to compensate or just make the syrup recipe but add additional 1/4 cup limoncello?
You can substitute it