Y'all, this old fashioned dessert is light, fresh, tangy and just right for Spring! I know it's not Spring yet, and lots of you probably have snow, slush, or something in-between but really...It's coming.
Don't want to scroll through the page to get to the recipe? Use the table of contents to click on the section you want to go to.
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Old-fashioned flavor from an easy, from scratch cake recipe with a homemade lemon glaze. No boxed mixes needed.
- We love this for Spring; Easter, potlucks, parties, and family treats!
- The secret ingredient—instant pudding mix—makes the cake extra moist and deliciously dense
A Southern favorite, lemon pudding bundt cake is ready for all your Spring parties and potlucks! Lemon desserts are a fresh, light change after the heavy winter recipes.
Still craving that fresh citrus flavor? Try this Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit bundt cake!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
Cake recipes are kind of a science, and should be followed closely for the best final results. However, here are some tried-and-true variation ideas!
- If you can't find lemon instant pudding, vanilla will work instead. You can add a few extra drops of lemon extract to make up for it.
- Use Meyer lemons instead of regular lemon zest and juice for an even yummier flavor. You could also use oranges if you want a different twist.
- We like to stir pistachios into the cake batter. Blueberries are also good, and poppyseeds would add a lovely twist, too!
- If you're out of buttermilk, sour cream is a fine substitution for this moist lemon bundt cake.
- Prefer even more creaminess and tang? Make a lemon cream cheese frosting to go on top of the cake.
- To tone down the lemon flavor, you could swap out the lemon glaze and simply top the cake with a dusting of confectioners' sugar, instead.
- This can be made into 2 loaves instead of one bundt cake.
If you like lemony goodness give this very southern sweet tea bundt cake a try! It's moist and has the classic sweet tea flavor.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest, flavorings, and eggs.
- Add about ⅓ of the flour and mix well.
- Mix the buttermilk and lemon juice. Add about ½ to the batter mixture and beat well. Continue adding the ingredients, alternating the dry ingredients and the buttermilk mixture.
- Spoon into a prepared bundt pan and bake according to the instructions in the green recipe card below.
🥫 How to store leftover lemon bundt cake
Lemon pudding cake is one of those great recipes that actually tastes better on the second day—lemon lovers, trust me! And, storage is simple.
Whether cut or whole, keep the cake in an airtight container, like under a cloche or in a cake carrier. You can also cover the cake with plastic wrap, but be sure to seal it tightly around the edges of your serving plate.
At room temperature, the bundt cake will keep for about three days. You can extend its shelf-life by two more days using the refrigerator.
On the other hand, for moist lemon cake any time you want it, wrap slices in tight layers of plastic wrap. Freeze for up to two months, letting thaw in the fridge or at room temperature before enjoying.
Expert Tip:
It's always important to work with cake ingredients at the proper temperature. For this lemon bundt cake recipe, the butter and other liquids should be at room temperature.
💭 Things to know
- Use a sifter to combine your dry ingredients together more evenly.
- Pick fresh lemons that are heavy and fragrant for the best flavor.
- When zesting the lemons, don't scrape off any of the white pith—it's too bitter. Yuck!
- I don't recommend swapping the butter for vegetable oil. You need solid fat (rather than liquid) to aerate the batter for a delicious bundt cake.
- Some lemon cake recipes will let you get away with using pre-squeezed juice. For this cake, fresh lemon juice is best!
- Lemon pudding cake needs the proper pudding! It's important to use instant mix, not traditional pudding—it won't work the same way.
- Don't forget to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl! Dry ingredients tend to fall to the bottom and hang out there.
- You can use an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, but don't overbeat the batter. Once the flour is added, you only want to mix until everything is combined. Otherwise, you'll have a tough, dry cake!
👩🍳 FAQs
I like to use nonstick cooking spray or butter. Either way, be sure to get in every nook and cranny! Once you've coated the pan, go back and do it again—just in case.
First, let the cake cool for ten minutes—this is the "sweet" spot! Run a knife around the edges of the pan. Then, place the wire rack upside down over the opening of the bundt pan. Grip everything in both hands, and, in one fluid motion, flip it over. Carefully lift off the pan.
Are you greasing the pan well enough before pouring the batter in? See the first question above! Also, your pan might be old. It's always best to hand wash your cake pans—dishwasher detergent can remove the helpful non-stick coating.
Yum, moist cake—there's nothing like it. The texture of this lemon bundt cake comes from the proper balance of ingredients. Plus, the pudding mix adds moisture and buttermilk tenderizes the crumb. Are you drooling yet, like I am?
📚 Related recipes
- If you love nostalgic lemon recipes, you need to try this No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake. Absolutely delish, and easy, peasy, lemon-squeezy!
- Sweet, buttery, dense, and ultra-moist, Buttermilk Pound Bundt Cake is the kind of delicious dessert you'll crave for every occasion.
- This easy dessert recipe starts with a lemon cake mix to cut down on prep time—plus, it's the best Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake I've had!
📞 The last word
This easy lemon bundt cake recipe would be great on the table for Easter or Mother's Day!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Lemon Pudding Bundt Cake
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
Cake
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon lemon flavoring
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3.4 ounces instant lemon pudding mix , – make sure it’s instant
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- yellow food coloring, optional
Glaze
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Coat a 10 inch Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
- Mix the flour, pudding mix, baking powder and baking soda together in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- Whisk the lemon juice into the buttermilk and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy – about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom often.
- Beat in the lemon zest, vanilla, and lemon flavoring.
- With the mixer on medium-low beat in the eggs one at a time until you can’t see streaks of egg in the batter. Continue to scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.
- Beginning with the flour mixture add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the creamed alternating between each one and ending with the flour.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
- Stir in food coloring if using. Add it one drop at a time stirring after each until it’s the color you want.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake at 325F for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. An instant read thermometer inserted halfway between the center of the bundt pan and the edge will register about 200F.
- Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Carefully run a knife down the sides to separate the cake from the pan.Turn the pan over and let the cake slip out onto the wire rack to finish cooling.
Glaze
- While the cake is cooling, whisk together the ingredients for the glaze.
- Drizzle over warm cake.
- Allow the glaze to set about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- The butter and other liquids should be at room temperature.
- I don't recommend swapping the butter for vegetable oil. You need solid fat (rather than liquid) to aerate the batter for a delicious bundt cake.
- Lemon pudding cake needs the proper pudding! It's important to use instant pudding mix, not traditional cooked pudding mix—it won't work the same way.
- Once the flour is added, you only want to mix until everything is combined. Otherwise, you'll have a tough, dry cake!
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published February 19, 2014. Last updated February 2, 2024 for editorial improvements.
Jence says
Could this be baked in a jellyroll pan?
Marye says
I have no idea. I've never done it.