I absolutely love lemon desserts because the tart flavor is a great accent to sweets. It’s an amazing flavor to use as the weather warms up and you want to bake, but you want something lighter. This Homemade Lemon Bundt Cake recipe is one that I make every springtime. There’s no cake mix shortcut because it’s completely from scratch, but the effort is worth the outcome. The pound cake dense texture of the cake is heavenly and it’s topped with a tart lemon icing. You really can’t go wrong serving this beautiful dessert.

There’s a secret to this amazing cake and it’s a single ingredient that I oftentimes use in my baking. Sour cream is the secret ingredient! I’ll never tell my husband because you can’t even tell. It helps the density of the cake and brings out the fresh tart flavor of the lemon. I also use sour cream in my traditional pound cake. Nobody expects to find sour cream in baking recipes, but it adds so much.

When I make this Lemon Bundt Cake recipe it’s when the warmer months start sneaking in. For our family, chocolate rules in the winter and lemon during the spring or summer. It’s a beautiful ending to an Easter dinner or brunch. Whenever I serve it to guests, they’re always asking for seconds. The bundt cake design adds a touch of fancy that’s perfect for a special occasion.

Looking for more great cakes made in a bundt pan? These are my reader favorites:

• Amaretto Pound Cake
• Salted Caramel Pound Cake
• Boozy Kentucky Bourbon Pound Cake
• Matcha Pound Cake

How To Make The Ultimate Homemade Lemon Bundt Cake

A baker is only as good as their tools and that’s something that I firmly believe. You’ve got to start with great bakeware to get the job done. I trust Nordicware Bundt Pans for all of my cake making. This recipe will create 10-cups of batter, so you want to go with a larger one. The bundt pan that I use is 12 cups. I also place a cookie sheet underneath the bundt pan just in case (because that’s an oven mess that nobody wants to clean).

What To Serve With Lemon Bundt Cake

The lemon flavor is slightly tart and sweet. You can serve vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream with this cake. If you want more intense lemon flavor, look into serving the cake with lemon gelato. That would be a super tart accompaniment to the cake! 

How To Get Your Bundt Cake Out Of The Pan

Here’s the key – be patient. Let your cake cool completely before you flip your bundt cake over. If you’re still having issues, which can happen, there are certain tricks that you can do. The more ornate the bundt pan design is, the harder it might be to remove your cake. Don’t despair – here are some tips to follow:

• Generously use non-stick cooking spray in every nook-and-cranny. Use a spray that has flour in it.
• Let the cake cool completely before you even attempt to remove it from the pan.
• If it sticks, hit the bundt cake pan with a spoon to loosen it.
• If the sides are sticking, use a knife around the edges.
• Flip it onto the cooling rack and walk away – let gravity take over.
• If all else fails –  let the icing hide the imperfections!

Why Did My Cake Bake Unevenly On The Bottom?

You’re going to invert your bundt cake onto a cake plate. So essentially, the cake bakes upside down. A common problem with bundt cakes is the bottom being uneven when you flip it because it bakes up towards the center of the tube pan. You can invert your cake onto the cake plate and then AGAIN onto another plate, so the bottom is facing up. Use a bread knife to gently level the bottom of the cake. Flip it back over onto your cake plate and add the icing.

Recipe Substitutions You Can Make

There’s only one recipe substitution that you can make. If you want to use a reduced fat sour cream, instead of whole fat, you can. It won’t make a difference in the cake. Do not attempt to substitute the flour and sugars without researching the exchanges. If you do, the flavor and texture of the cake will change. 

How To Keep Leftover Lemon Bundt Cake Fresh

Once the cake has cooled and iced, store the leftover cake covered. It *does* need to be refrigerated. If you have a cake stand with a cover, that’s great. Or you can cover the cake with a plastic wrap. The Lemon Bundt Cake will last about 4-5 days and stay fresh to enjoy.

Can You Freeze Lemon Bundt Cake?

This lemon cake is amazing for freezing. Sometimes I make double and store one in the freezer to pull out in case we have an occasion. Even the icing freezes well too. Keep it in the freezer for up to three months. Let it thaw for 3-4 hours on the counter before enjoying again.

What You’ll Need From The Grocery Store:

• Butter
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Lemons (For Juice, Zest)
• Lemon Extract
• All-Purpose Flour
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Sour Cream
• Confectioner’s Sugar

Step-By-Step Directions To Make Homemade Lemon Bundt Cake

In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (5-7 minutes).

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in lemon juice, zest and extract. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Beat just until combined.

Pour into a greased 10-in. fluted tube pan (non-cooking spray that includes flour). Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, 55-60 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing: in a small bowl, beat the sour cream and butter until smooth. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar. Beat in lemon juice and zest. Drizzle over the cake. If desired, top with additional grated lemon zest. Store in the refrigerator.

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Yield: 12-16 Servings

Homemade Lemon Bundt Cake

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The perfect dessert for spring or Easter, this Lemon Bundt Cake is topped with a delicious lemon icing. It has a thick pound cake texture and it's slightly tart and sweet.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Butter (softened)
• 3 Cups Sugar
• 6 Large Eggs (room temperature)
• 5 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 1 Tablespoon Grated Lemon Zest
• 1 Teaspoon Lemon Extract
• 3 Cups All-purpose Flour
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1-1/4 Cups Sour Cream

For The Icing:

• 1/4 Cup Sour Cream (room temperature)
• 2 Tablespoons Butter (softened)
• 2-1/2 Cups Confectioner's Sugar
• 2 to 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 2 Teaspoons Grated Lemon Zest

Optional:

• Additional Grated Lemon Zest

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º. In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (5-7 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in lemon juice, zest and extract. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Beat just until combined.
2. Pour into a greased 10-in. fluted tube pan (non-cooking spray that includes flour). Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, 55-60 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. To make the icing: in a small bowl, beat the sour cream and butter until smooth. Gradually add confectioners' sugar. Beat in lemon juice and zest. Drizzle over the cake. If desired, top with additional grated lemon zest. Store in the refrigerator.

Notes

Place leftover cake in the refrigerator and enjoy for 5-7 days.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 549Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 224mgCarbohydrates: 73gFiber: 1gSugar: 53gProtein: 6g

**Nutrition is calculated by a third party. Actual values may vary.

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