This Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake is the softest, lemon-packed cake you'll ever eat! While this cake is a delicious treat all year-round, it’s the perfect citrusy dessert to enjoy during the spring and summer months.
Craving more lemon? Try my insanely delicious copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf Recipe or Lemon Blueberry Scones.
There's just something about the tart and sweet combination of lemon desserts that's just so delicious and this lemon bundt cake recipe is no exception. The texture is sort of dense. Think: pound cake. But it is SO ridiculously soft, moist and packed with lemony flavor! This cake is delicious on its own but the simple lemon glaze for bundt cakes on top really brings this dessert over the top and really packs a big punch of lemony flavor - just like my Triple Lemon Gooey Bars. The lemon sugar sprinkled on top makes it look even prettier while adding an extra dose of lemon.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- You get triple the lemon in this outrageously delicious cake! There is lemon flavor in the cake, in the simple lemon glaze AND lemon sugar is sprinkled on top.
- I have served this to guests who claim they do not like lemon desserts and in return receive absolute rave reviews because they can't believe how delicious this lemon bundt cake is!
Ingredients
- Lemon zest: Used in the cake and lemon sugar topping to elevate the lemon flavor even more. Zest the lemons before you cut them in half for juice.
- Lemon juice: Fresh lemons are a must for the best flavor! I use the juice in the cake and lemon glaze for bundt cake for a strong and fresh lemon flavor.
- Choose lemons that have a good squeeze to them . This = more juice!
- Milk: Whole milk is used in this recipe. I have substituted 2% when needed with no issues.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is used in this recipe to control sodium. If only salted butter is available to you, omit the salt in the recipe.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions.
Substitutions & Variations
There are so many delicious ways to change up this lemon bundt cake with lemon icing to make it your own!
- Lime: Substitute lemons with limes for a lime bundt cake.
- Poppy seeds: For a lemon poppy seed cake, add 2 tbs of poppy seeds to the batter. An Easter lemon poppy seed bundt cake would be such a delicious addition to your holiday spread!
- Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake: For a lemon blueberry bundt cake, fold berries into the batter just before baking. You can also add raspberries for a lemon raspberry cake or even chopped strawberries for a lemon strawberry cake. Such yummy alternatives!!
How to make Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake
Step 1: Beat eggs on low until they are thickened, foamy and very pale yellow in color.
Step 2: Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest. Slowly pour in dry ingredients on low speed until combined. Stir in heated milk.
Step 3: Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 27-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Step 4: Thoroughly mix the lemon zest and sugar together and let it sit for 5 minutes. If you don’t want the lemon zest on top of the cake, push the sugar through a fine mesh strainer, separating the two and discard the zest.
Make the glaze by whisking powdered sugar and lemon juice, using more or less lemon juice as needed to get a thick consistency. (I like to keep mine slightly thick so it won’t thin out too much when I serve it over warm cake.)
Drizzle glaze over warm cake. Sprinkle lemon sugar on top of glazed lemon pound cake.
Pro Baking Tips
How to zest a lemon: Over a clean surface or cutting board, hold the grater in one hand and the lemon in the other. A microplane grater works best but you can also use a box grater - just be sure to use the smallest holes so you get the lemon zest very fine. Push the lemon down the grater in one direction, removing only the the yellow outer part of the fruit, being careful to avoid the bitter pith.
Leaving the lemon zest in with the sugar is totally optional, but sometimes I push the sugar through a fine mesh strainer to separate the two, depending who I am serving. It's all about personal preference.
Bundt pan size: You can use any 10-12-cup bundt pan.
Grease the pan: You want to be extremely generous with greasing a bundt pan - they are notorious for sticking!
If you love lemon, you absolutely need to make this.. like now.
Storage
Room temperature
Store cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezing
Cover lemon bundt cake without glaze very well in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Place wrapped cake in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight and allow to come to room temperature before serving. Drizzle with glaze and top with lemon sugar just before serving.
Recipe FAQs
The biggest difference is the shape of the pan. A regular 8-inch round cake pan holds up to 6 cups of batter and a standard bundt cake pan holds 10-12 cups of batter.
Grease your pan HEAVILY making sure to get all nooks and crannies. After greasing, flour your pan lightly and shake out excess. This method will ensure no sticking.
More bundt cake recipes you'll love:
Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @sprinkle_some_sugar on Instagram!
📋 Recipe
Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Lemon Cake
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tbs lemon zest
- 3 tbs lemon juice
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 10 tbs unsalted butter cubed
Lemon Glaze
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3-5 tbs lemon juice
Lemon Sugar Topping
- 1 tbs lemon zest
- 1 tbs granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a bundt pan very well, making sure to really get into all crevices. Then, lightly flour the pan. Set aside.
For the cake:
- Lightly whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside. In the bowl of your stand mixer (if you're using one) fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs on low until they are thickened and very pale yellow in color.
- Turn mixer on low and slowly add sugar to running mixer and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest. Slowly pour in dry ingredients on low speed until combined.
- In a small saucepan, heat milk until very hot and butter is just melted. Do not boil and whisk the mixture to help the butter along. Pour into batter and mix until smooth. Batter will be very thin.
- Pour into prepared baking pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Once done, remove cake from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in pan. Release the sides of the cake with a butter knife to ensure it isn’t going to stick. Turn cake onto a large round platter or cake stand. (If using a 9x13 pan, do not remove cake, just place entire pan onto wire rack so underneath the pan can cool also.) Allow cake to finish cooling until warm to the touch.
For the lemon sugar:
- Thoroughly mix the lemon zest and sugar together and let it sit for 5 minutes. If you don’t want the lemon zest on top of the cake, push the sugar through a fine mesh strainer, separating the two and discard the zest. If you don’t mind the zest on top of your cake (it will give it a nice pop of color!), then just set the mixture aside.
For the lemon glaze:
- Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice, using more or less lemon juice as needed to get desired consistency. (I like to keep mine slightly thick so it won’t thin out too much when I serve it over warm cake.) Once cake is cooled down slightly, drizzle glaze over warm cake. Alternately, you can drizzle the glaze over each individual piece being served. Sprinkle lemon sugar on top.
Notes
Nutrition
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Tracy Ryder says
Can I use a loaf pan as I do not have a bundt pan?
Jessica says
Sure! I would probably use two 9x5 loaf pans and distribute the batter evenly.
Mandy M says
This was probably the best lemon Bundt cake recipe I’ve ever made! Only change was that I baked it for 40-42 mins., and I used soy milk instead of regular milk (it’s what I had available). I have a regular electric oven, maybe it would take less time if you had a convection model? Anyway, we had it for my Mom’s birthday and the family raved about it. The lemon flavor comes forward without being overly tart, and the crumb was tender and moist. Thanks for sharing this recipe, it’s a keeper! ❤️🍋🍰
Yayayayaya says
I tried this cake last night and it was delicious! Absolutely so easy as well! I will definitely make it again!
Yayayayaya says
So sorry, I meant to give it 5 stars ⭐️
Carla Williams says
My husband and I hosted a dinner party, and I served this cake as dessert. I was a tad nervous because I don’t like to serve desserts without trying before hand. This went over so well! It was loved! Some even had thirds! I will keep this recipe to use again and again.
Jessica says
Oh, this makes me so happy!! So glad this cake went over so well with your guests, Carla!
Jean says
This sounds like the perfect cake for our ladies' afternoon "dessert & coffee" gathering in a couple of weeks.
Jessica says
Yes! This would be so perfect for that!
Roberta says
Hi there! Is the time for a Bundt cake pan or rectangular pan? I haven’t made it yet but looking forward to it!
Thanks!
Jessica says
This is for a bundt cake pan.
Joann says
Hi,
Do you think I could stir in blueberries? I love lemon flavor and blueberries!
Jessica says
Yesss, absolutely! I would just shake them in a bit of flour before adding them to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the pan while baking.
Maryse Guevara says
Delicious! I used gluten free flour and let the batter rest in the pan 10 minutes before baking. The lemon sugar makes it!
Jessica says
Agreed! The lemon sugar really makes it pop.
Jill Iorio says
I made this cake for a going away party at work. We made a potluck of the guest of honors’s favorite foods. She wanted a lemon cake so I made this. It went over great! Got rave reviews from my coworkers. Now my daughter wants me to make her one for her birthday!
Jessica says
That's wonderful! Glad to hear it. 🙂
lisa says
I made this for our weekend girls trip and it was a HUGE HIT!! I did end up having to cook it an extra 12 minutes. I added some rosemary to the batter, because I love rosemary & lemon together! Next time, I'll add more lemon zest as it wasn't super lemony, but freakin' MOIST! The girls LOVED IT!!! Thanks for the keeper!!