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Easy Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe

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This Easy Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe is light, moist and full of fresh lemon flavor. It’s topped with a homemade lemon glaze to make this a perfect dessert for spring!

Easy lemon bundt cake recipe without cake mix

If you’re a lemon lover, this lemon bundt cake recipe is for you! Hands down, it’s one of my favorite lemon cake recipes to date.

 

Homemade lemon bundt cake slice with a lemon glaze

Back in the day when sparkly butterfly hair clips and jelly sandals ruled all, lemon cake was low on my list of favorite desserts.

(I know.)

Chocolate ruled all and that was pretty much all I needed and wanted in life.

(On a side note, I share the same last name with a Dutch chocolate company, so you could say chocolate is kind of in my blood. 😉)

While I’ll never give up my love for the dark stuff, somewhere along the way, I realized lemon was the unsung hero of my life.

Easy lemon bundt cake from scratch (no cake mix)

Maybe my love for it came from the fact my sister picked lemon cake with lemon frosting for her birthday. Every.Single.Year.

Or maybe it’s because I’m slightly competitive and in the 6th grade when we would spend our recesses seeing who could eat the most Lemonhead candies in a minute (yeah, we had high aspirations), I really didn’t like losing.

Perhaps the love has always been there, but it just took me a while to know a good thing when I see taste it.

Whatever the reason, I’m a lemon junkie these days and this ridiculously easy Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe has been on repeat as of late.

I don’t hate it. 😉

This easy lemon bundt cake recipe is topped with a fresh lemon glaze

Let’s talk about this little lemon bundt recipe.

A lot of lemon bundt cake recipes begin with a yellow cake mix. I’m no stranger when it comes to cake mixes. In fact, there are times when I would definitely suggest using a cake mix as a great recipe shortcut.

For instance, this Fudge Stripe Coffee Cake? Cake mix.

These Strawberries and Cream Sandwich Cookies? Cake mix.

And this Maple Cream Cake? Yep. Doctored up cake mix.

While I certainly am not opposed to cake mixes by any means, I really wanted a pronounced lemon flavor in this cake but also didn’t want the cake to be too sweet (sometimes cake mixes can make things extra sweet).

So, we went for an easy lemon bundt cake without cake mix. And it is and was everything the title suggests: easy.

The best lemon bundt cake recipe made entirely from scratch

Lemon Bundt Cake Ingredients:

  • Butter & sour cream (many bundt cakes call for oil, but the butter yields a richer texture in this recipe; likewise, the sour cream makes the cake incredibly moist and rich)
  • Sugar (all granulated sugar, as brown sugar would detract from the lemon flavor)
  • Eggs
  • Salt, baking powder, all purpose flour and cornstarch (the combination of cornstarch and flour acts like cake flour, giving this lemon cake a really tender crumb)
  • Milk and vanilla extract
  • Lemon juice and lemon zest (the fresh lemon juice and zest truly brightens and enhances the flavor in this cake)

The best easy lemon bundt recipe made with fresh lemons

Easy Lemon Bundt Cake Tips & Tricks

  • Grease your bundt pan well. Really, really well. Bundt cakes are notorious for sticking inside of their pans so greasing it well will help the cake slide out easily.
  • If you do not have a bundt cake, you could make this a lemon loaf cake. Given the amount of batter this recipe makes, you will need to divide the batter between two loaf pans.
  • Depending upon your oven, this lemon bundt can take anywhere from 45-55 minutes. Mine took exactly 49 minutes, but at the 45 minute mark, I kept a careful eye on the oven. As soon as a cake tester comes out clean (if there are a few moist crumbs—not wet but moist—it’s fine to take it out of the oven).
  • Let the cake cool for about 10-15 minutes, but then remove it from the pan and allow it to finish cooling on a wire rack or a plate. If you allow it to cool entirely in the bundt pan, the heat of the pan might continue to cook the cake, which could lead to the cake being overdone and dry.

The best easy lemon bundt cake without cake mix (topped with a fresh lemon glaze)

All of my lemon dreams right here. ❤️

 

5 from 28 votes
Print
Easy Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
 
This Easy Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe is light, moist and full of fresh lemon flavor. It’s topped with a homemade lemon glaze to make this a perfect dessert for spring!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon bundt cake
Servings: 12 slices
Author: Michelle
Ingredients
Lemon Bundt Cake
  • 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp lemon zest
  • 4 eggs, large
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup milk (whole or 2%)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup sour cream (greek yogurt may be substituted)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Lemon Icing
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
Lemon Bundt Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. With a standing mixer or a handheld mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add granulated sugar and lemon zest to the butter and mix until it is well combined.
  4. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk salt, baking powder, all purpose flour and cornstarch together. Set aside.
  6. Mix lemon juice, milk and vanilla extract together.
  7. Alternately, add the flour mixture and milk mixture to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until everything is just combined.
  8. Add in sour cream and mix until just combined.
  9. Grease your bundt cake pan well and pour the batter evenly into the pan.
  10. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean (if there are a few moist crumbs stuck to it, that’s fine). (My oven took exactly 49 minutes.)
  11. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes, then remove the cake from the bundt pan and allow it to finish cooling on a wire rack or plate.
Lemon Icing
  1. Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest together. Once combined, drizzle over the cooled cake.
  2. Allow the icing to set, about 5 minutes, before serving.
  3. Enjoy!

 

Easy Lemon Bundt Cake recipe with a homemade lemon glaze (collage)

Here are some other lemon recipes you might love:

Lemon Zucchini Bread

This easy zucchini bread recipe has a lemon bread twist to it, making it the perfect quick bread for spring and summer! Seriously, lemon zucchini bread is going to be your newest summer dessert obsession! lemon bread, lemon dessert, zucchini bread, zucchini bread recipe

Coconut Lemon Bars

These Coconut Lemon Bars are sweet, a little tangy, and have a coconut shortbread crust. Homemade lemon bars are one of my favorite spring desserts, and these Coconut Lemon Bars are a fun twist on the classic lemon bar recipe! Easter dessert perhaps?? 

Lemon Coconut Cake

This homemade Lemon Coconut Cake has layers of homemade lemon curd and lemon cream cheese frosting. The classic coconut cake recipe is given a lemon twist, making it the perfect recipe for a stunning spring dessert or easy Easter dessert!

Shared by Michelle

Comments

  1. Beth says

    July 3, 2019 at 2:18 pm

    Can I substitute cake flour for the Ap flour and cornstarch?

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      July 3, 2019 at 3:23 pm

      Yes you can! 😀

      Reply
  2. Victoria says

    July 18, 2019 at 10:13 am

    What size bundt tin did you use for this?

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      July 19, 2019 at 9:04 am

      Hi Victoria! I used a 10 x 2 1/2 bundt pan.

      Reply
  3. Lourdes says

    July 26, 2019 at 7:43 pm

    Could I use organic raw cane sugar in place of granulated sugar?

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      July 27, 2019 at 9:10 pm

      Hi Lourdes, yes! That should work just fine. The texture might be slightly heavier since it’s not quite as fine as granulated sugar, but it should still bake up just fine! 🙂

      Reply
      • Jonny montgomory says

        April 1, 2021 at 2:05 pm

        5 stars
        So good im gonna enjoy it with my family on saturday night!

        Reply
  4. Amanda says

    August 9, 2019 at 7:15 pm

    Do you think I can leave out the lemon and just make it a vanilla bundt cake? Or will it affect the texture? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      September 16, 2019 at 8:02 pm

      Hi Amanda! If you do leave out the lemon juice, I would substitute milk in for its place, otherwise the cake might be too dry. I’d probably add another tsp of vanilla extract as well 😊 I think that should work!

      Reply
  5. Kathy says

    December 6, 2019 at 12:20 pm

    5 stars
    Great cake add more lemon!

    Reply
  6. Julie says

    January 4, 2020 at 11:51 pm

    5 stars
    I made this lemon cake with a slight alteration of using heavy whipping cream Instead of milk (as I had no milk on hand). This turned out Devine. The cake was more of a pound cake but the flavors were all there. I also discovered I still had my bundt pan packed in a box so I made mini loaves and one regular bread loaf pan. The mini loaves turned out fabulous, I just adjusted the time and the bread pan I had to turn down the temp to 325 and cook it longer as the sides were browning and the middle was still gooey. It turned out great. Thanks for the awesome recipe.

    Reply
  7. Katie says

    February 6, 2020 at 10:23 am

    5 stars
    I just made this and it was absolutely AMAZING!!! My favorite lemon cake recipe! It tastes a lot like the one you get at Starbucks. It turns out so moist and dense and delicious. Thank you for sharing!!!

    Reply
  8. Danielle says

    March 31, 2020 at 9:06 pm

    5 stars
    I made this tonight and it turned out so good!! I love how lemony it is!

    Reply
  9. Dhani says

    April 12, 2020 at 3:10 am

    5 stars
    Fabulous cake with a perfect, light texture and that lemony taste I was looking for! We loved it.

    Reply
  10. Rennae Howard says

    April 15, 2020 at 10:58 am

    5 stars
    My family loves this cake! My husband even asked me to make one for him to take to work. The mistake I seem to make is possibly putting the glaze on too soon. We usually want some cake soon after it’s baked and the glaze seems to run down and pool in the middle or around the edge.

    Reply
  11. Tracie says

    April 16, 2020 at 11:20 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe! My family decided there needs to be triple the amount of glaze.

    Reply
  12. Dan says

    June 14, 2020 at 9:06 pm

    5 stars
    Followed the recipe to a tee, came out a little dry. Wife said I should have sifted the flour.

    Reply
  13. Pam says

    August 17, 2020 at 6:46 pm

    5 stars
    Love this cake . It’s light and just the right amount of lemon. We didn’t need the icing. It was perfect and beautiful with just the glaze!

    Reply
  14. Cathy Ohlwine says

    November 26, 2020 at 8:22 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is amazing. The flavor and texture is perfect. I made mini bundt cakes and the recipe made 20 delicious cakes. So good!!!

    Reply
  15. Toni Brockington says

    January 6, 2021 at 12:59 pm

    It would be really useful if you would specify the size bundt pan…(6 cup or 12?) that you are using.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      January 30, 2021 at 5:03 pm

      Hi Toni, I’m using a 12 cup bundt cake pan. 🙂

      Reply
  16. Brenda says

    January 14, 2021 at 12:27 pm

    5 stars
    This is by far one of the best lemon cake recipes that I have tried (which is saying something)

    Reply
  17. Stacy, creator “Otterly Delicious Treats” says

    January 15, 2021 at 5:23 am

    5 stars
    I added a big container of fresh plump blueberries, which I precoated in flour to prevent from sinking to the bottom. Lemon and blueberry are my favorite combo. Just like my famous breakfast muffins, minus the delicious crumb topping (if only I could figure out how to make this toooing and it not cook in the cotton of the Bundt pan. So yummo I convinced myself it was specifically a breakfast treat!

    Reply
  18. Hilda says

    January 15, 2021 at 7:43 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe! You will love it, the fresh lemon flavor in cake makes it amazing. I made it exactly as the recipe stated and wouldn’t change a thing.

    Reply
  19. scott says

    January 19, 2021 at 9:27 am

    5 stars
    I followed this recipe exactly and it turned out delicious. I feel like the cake itself could use more lemon flavor, so next time I will add more lemon (juice, rind or something lemony).

    Reply
  20. Amirah C says

    January 25, 2021 at 3:16 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely loved this cake. It tasted professionally done and I am no professional! I subbed 4% plain yogurt for the sour cream, and reduced the sugar very slightly. Still perfect and didn’t need the icing!

    Reply
  21. Dani says

    January 26, 2021 at 8:11 pm

    This looks like a delicious recipe. Do you think I could add blueberries to the mix?

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      January 27, 2021 at 7:13 pm

      Hi Dani, yes, I do think adding blueberries would work. I would toss the blueberries with 1 Tbsp of flour before adding them to the batter. This will keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake while it cooks. ☺️ Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  22. Demelza says

    January 28, 2021 at 2:47 pm

    5 stars
    Outstanding! Absolutely delicious cake, loaded with lemon flavor. Thank you for a beautiful recipe.

    Reply
  23. Mary Story says

    February 7, 2021 at 2:53 pm

    5 stars
    I made this recipe today with freshly picked lemons our friend gave us. I made 2 loaf pans. I’m bringing a loaf to her. This recipe is so delicious! I followed the exact recipe. It’s so moist and lemony. It’s definitely a keeper. Thanks so much!!

    Reply
  24. Anya says

    March 13, 2021 at 9:01 am

    5 stars
    I made this to bring to work for my boss’ birthday. She took the first bite and said “THIS is delicious!” Of course I beamed. It was loved by all and I would make it again. Great recipe.

    Reply
  25. Wendy says

    March 15, 2021 at 7:47 pm

    Hi, can you substitute gluten free flour with xanthan gum? If so, would you still include the cornstarch? I would like to make this recipe for my daughter who has a wheat allergy. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      March 26, 2021 at 3:40 pm

      Hi Wendy! The cornstarch is used to make the cake extra light and fluffy (cornstarch + flour is a DIY cake flour), so I would still include it in the recipe. As far as gluten free flour, I like Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 flour because you can substitute it for any recipe with regular flour (without needing an xanthan gum). I hope that helps!

      Reply
  26. Christine Cooper says

    March 20, 2021 at 10:45 am

    5 stars
    Loved this recipe. I used a mini bundt pan tray that I had and it made individual cakes and they were so pretty! I’m going to use this recipe for my Easter baking that I share with others. I’m making the bundts ahead and freezing them this weekend. I’ll take them out for Easter, glaze them and deliver them to friends.

    Reply
  27. Kayla says

    April 4, 2021 at 3:00 pm

    5 stars
    I whipped this up real quick last night for Easter today and it was so delicious! Perfect texture and lemon flavor!

    Reply
  28. Jessie says

    April 4, 2021 at 5:21 pm

    5 stars
    Love the recipe! Can i put wiped cream on it?

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      April 15, 2021 at 2:10 pm

      I bet whipped cream would be fantastic! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. No Bake Lemon Cream Pie - A Latte Food says:
    March 27, 2019 at 3:30 am

    […] and need a few more lemon options (because who doesn’t L-O-V-E options??), might I suggest this Lemon Bundt Cake, this Strawberry Lemon Pie or these Coconut Lemon […]

    Reply
  2. A Delicious and Moist Coffee Cake Recipe - Sugar and Charm says:
    July 10, 2019 at 10:35 am

    […] Easy Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe by A Latte Food […]

    Reply

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I'm Michelle and this is where you'll witness my baking addiction. I bleed coffee and breathe sugar. Come join me as I journey through life one recipe at a time! READ MORE
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