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This Lemon Bundt Cake recipe tastes just like a Nothing Bundt Cakes original! A sweet, tart cake with an AMAZING cream cheese frosting.
Lemon Bundt Cake
This gorgeous Lemon Bundt Cake is just as delicious as what you can get at the Nothing Bundt Cakes store, but now you can make it right at home! The dense, rich, moist cake is bursting with lemon flavor, with the flavor and consistency of lemon pound cake. It’s topped with a light, fluffy cream cheese frosting. Make this yummy Lemon Nothing Bundt Cake for an special birthday, baby shower, or a casual Saturday evening dessert.
This is one of our most popular cake recipes! And we didn’t stop at lemon! We have copycat recipes for all the Nothing Bundt Cakes classics: Chocolate Chocolate Chip, White Chocolate Raspberry, Red Velvet and more!
Ingredients for this Lemon Bundt Cake
Using cake mixes helps this recipe come together in a snap! You’ll avoid having to use salt, baking powder, baking soda, etc. Here’s all you need for the best lemon bundt cake recipe ever:
- Lemon cake mix from the store – any brand will do!
- Lemon pudding mix – you’ll stir the dry instant pudding right in the batter.
- Sour cream
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Lemon juice – you can use fresh lemon juice squeezed right from a lemon or you can measure ¼ cup of lemon juice from a bottle.
- Water
- White chocolate chips (optional) – For a richer cake, fold in some white chocolate chips into the batter using a rubber spatula.
Bundt Cake Frosting
The cream cheese frosting is so easy and can be used on dozens of treats. Here’s all you need:
- Cream cheese – make sure it is softened at room temperature.
- Butter – I like to use unsalted butter at room temperature.
- Powdered sugar – use a sifter to make sure the confectioners’ sugar is nice and fine.
- Use fresh raspberries or mint leaves as a garnish. You can also use a little lemon zest on top for a beautiful finish.
How to Frost this Lemon Bundt Cake
Sometimes I frost this cake like the store on our Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake. This looks pretty, but I always feel like someone gets short-changed if they don’t get the big blob of frosting on their slice. To prevent this, I sometimes frost the whole cake as pictured above. There is always plenty of frosting and I pile the extra in the middle so there is added frosting on each piece when I slice it. You can also thin the frosting with milk to make more of an icing and drizzle it over the top.
More Than Meets the Eye
Because of the richness of Nothing Bundt Cake’s Lemon Cake, one bundt cake can easily serve 15-20 people. It saves in the refrigerator for several days if you have leftovers. The cake can also be frozen and then thawed in the refrigerator before it is frosted. Make sure it is wrapped in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil before freezing to maintain the moisture and texture of the cake.
Removing the Cake from the Bundt Pan
Sometimes it can be tricky to remove the cake from the bundt pan after baking. Here’s a tip to remove the cake once it cools.
- Run a knife around the outer and inner edges of the cake (between the cake and the pan).
- Place the plate or stand you will be using to hold the cake upside down on top of the bundt pan.
- Gently hold the bundt pan and plate together as you flip them both right side up. The cake may pop out of the pan as you are flipping, but if it does not leave the cake pan upside down on top of the plate.
- Gently tap around the top of the pan with the handle end of a butter knife. This will loosen the cake from the sides and it should easily come out onto the plate.
- If not, flip the platter and bundt pan over again and start over by running the knife around the edges of the pan.
Tips for Making this Bundt Cake Recipe
- Use Fresh Lemons: For the best flavor, always use fresh lemons for both zest and juice. You can use bottled lemon juice but it may lack the vibrant citrus flavor you are looking for.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Bring ingredients like eggs, butter, and sour cream to room temperature before starting. This ensures better mixing and a smoother batter.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can result in a dense and tough cake.
- Properly Grease the Pan: Use baking spray or butter and flour to coat the Bundt pan thoroughly. This helps in easy release after baking.
- Avoid Overbaking: Check the cake a few minutes before the recommended baking time to prevent it from becoming dry. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
- Cool the Cake Properly: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 15-20 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack or cake platter. This helps the cake settle and prevents it from breaking.
- Try a Lemon Glaze: For an extra burst of lemon flavor and sweetness, consider adding a simple lemon glaze made with powdered sugar and lemon juice instead of making a cream cheese frosting.
- Garnish with Lemon Zest: To make the cake more visually appealing, sprinkle some fresh lemon zest over the frosting.
- Store Correctly: Store the cooled cake in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. It can stay fresh for several days at room temperature or longer when refrigerated.
What Readers are Saying About this Recipe
“I have made this cake from this recipe so many times I figure it is way past time I gave a review. It is a delicious moist cake and the frosting is to die for. I do not add all the powdered sugar (usually around 2 cups) and I grate a little lemon zest along with the raspberries and mint leaves for the top. This is one of my go to recipes when I want to impress!!!” – Rosie G.
“Amazing! I’ll never spend $30 on the real deal Bundt cake ever again. This recipe is as good, if not BETTER! Thank you for sharing! It was delicious!!” – Michelle
“I even made this Gluten Free using Magnolia Mixes GF Lemon pound cake mix. I also zested my lemon before juicing it. The non-gluten free family and friends could not believe how good it tasted! Thank you!” – Leah N.
More Bundt Cake Recipes
- Carrot Cake – I found a new way to use all of the same ingredients, including the ease of a cake mix, yet give the cake a lighter texture that is similar to the Nothing Bundt Cake texture.
- White Chocolate Raspberry Cake – White chocolate chips and a raspberry filling give this cake so much flavor!
- Try the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake – A rich and moist pumpkin cake that is perfect for the holidays.
- Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake– This Bundt Cake is rich, moist, and delicious! Our recipe tastes just like the cake you can get at the shop.
- Red Velvet Cake – The cake is rich and chocolatey and it is topped with a sweet cream cheese frosting.
Nothing Bundt Cakes Lemon Cake Copycat
Video
Equipment
- Hand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Bundt Cake Pan
Ingredients
- 1 lemon cake mix
- 3.4 ounces lemon pudding mix dry, instant pudding
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh lemon juice tastes best)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips optional
Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- raspberries for garnish (optional)
- mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gather your ingredients.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the cake mix, pudding, sour cream, eggs, oil, lemon juice, and water for 2 minutes. If using white chocolate chips, chop the chips into smaller pieces and add to the cake batter. Pour cake batter into a greased bundt cake pan (nonstick cooking spray works best).
- Bake for 45-50 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the bundt pan and place it on a serving plate or cake stand. See post above for details on how to easily do this. Wrap the cake well with plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight before frosting and serving.
Frosting
- In a medium bowl or mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually add the powdered sugar. Start with 2 cups and then keep adding until the frosting is nice and thick.
- Place a ziplock bag or piping bag into a cup and fill with frosting.
- Snip the corner of the bag. You want a thick frosting strip, so make sure the hole is big enough to let out the right amount of frosting.
- Frost the cake in thick stripes going from the middle to the outside. Keep cake refrigerated.
Hi! Planning on trying this out for a possible thanksgiving dessert:) Can I use regular cake pans or does this have to be in a Bundt pan?
You can use regular cake pans but you might have excess batter and it will take less time to bake. Check the cakes after 20 minutes for doneness and keep checking every few minutes until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean. Hope this helps!
I baked the lemon and the carrot Bundt cake. Unfortunately both are too dense (gummy). I will try again and use 1/2 of the pudding mix. Any ideas of what can help?
That is strange, I definitely haven’t experienced it being gummy. I wonder if it wasn’t baked long enough? Maybe reducing the pudding will help but I feel like it might have more to do with how long it was baked. Did you do the “toothpick” test to check for doneness?
Great cake !! Love the cream cheese icing. I add fresh blueberries or frozen . And use lemon juice and zest . So good !
This cake was delicious! I used the lemon and powdered sugar glaze on the cake and also added raspberry jam to the frosting and decorated with raspberries.
A friend wanted lemon cake for her bday cake. I made this, but found the batter (prior to baking) wasn’t too lemony. 1/4 cup lemon for me was 2 lemons. I used 3 lemons and the zest of 1 lemon. I also halved the frosting and that was perfect. I did add an additional 1 lemon zest (not juice, just zest) to the frosting. WOW, came out amazing! Everyone loved it! Tastes amazing the next day too, cold!
This cake is now requested for every family dinner!
Made this for my son’s 18th birthday, he loves lemon cake. Unfortunately this recipe didn’t work out for me, turned out super dense not cake like at all. Maybe because of the pudding mix? Won’t be making this one again
I’m sorry this didn’t turn out! Do you live at a higher altitude? Sometimes that can affect baking.
do you think using melted butter instead of vegetable oil would be richer? I do that with my brownies — they call for veg oil and I substitute it with melted butter. Just wondering if it would mess with the “chemistry”! it doesn’t hurt my brownies. I just think butter tastes better than oil. I haven’t tried this recipe yet but I am soon!
I haven’t tried it with butter so I can’t say for sure, but I know in other recipes butter can make a more dense cake structure. I think it would still work but it might change the structure a bit. You could try half oil/half butter!
I make your cake all the time and I use 2 Lindt white chocolate bars. I have also two smaller bunt cake pans and the recipe makes two smaller cakes. I always have at least two cakes not iced in my freezer. Every time I take this cake to a dinner party everyone love’s it and want the recipe. I also ordered the Raspberry filling on Amazon and it is always perfect. Please help me to print the recipe – I took the cake to a Dinner party last Sunday and everyone want’s the recipe.
Here is a direct link to our printable white chocolate raspberry bundt cake recipe: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/wprm_print/19887
Hope this helps!
Hello Mary Hair, when you use this recipe and use the 2 small Bundt cake pans do you still back at the same temperature and 40-45 minutes? Thank you 🙏
Have you made the cupcake doz bundts with this recipe. I am wondering how many it would make?
We haven’t tried the cupcakes yet!
A definite keeper! I think I’ve found a new favorite!
Have made this multiple times and it’s just perfect. My family loves it and ask for it often! Thank you
I have made this as a mini bundt cake with blueberries several times, my co-workers are addicted to them. I went to nothing but cakes, bought a dozen and it was $25. I have learned my lesson and bake these probably once a month, I have tried all different flavors too but, I only put a glaze on mine. Thank you so much for an awesome recipe !!!!
How many small ones does it make?
How did you add the blueberries? I put fresh raspberries on top but I’m curious if I could bake blueberries into it
Hello Susan, what size is your mini Bundt cake? Do you bake it at 350 for 40-45 minutes? Thanks
I cannot wait to make the Lemon Bundt Cake. The Raspberry cake turned out so delicious that I know the lemon will be a winner as well! Your recipes are truly amazing and most that I’ve tried are keepers!
This is a fabulous recipe, thank you. The first one I baked was perfect. However, the past two times the cakes had literally folded into its self ending up looking and tasting more like a pound cake. Does anyone know why this would happen? I’m not sure if I used a different cake mix the first time or not. I want to make this gif friends but I’m embarrassed to give them a shrunken Bundt!
My family loved this cake very much. I was requested to make it again for birthday days! I did add lemon juice to the cream cheese frosting giving a little extra kick. If I was thinking at the store I would have purchased more lemons as a garnish😜
Melissa, what brand of cake and iudding mixes did you use? Mine are nit turning out right.
Thanks!
Try adding 2-3 Tablespoons of flour to the batter. This works for one of my Bundt cakes 🎂 make that tend to sink!