Lemon Bundt Cake
This Lemon Bundt Cake is a buttery, perfectly moist showstopper bursting with bright, fresh citrus flavor from real lemon zest and juice. The sour cream batter bakes up with a tender, velvety crumb inside the gorgeous fluted Bundt shape, and a silky lemon glaze soaks into every ridge for maximum flavor in every single bite. It's easy enough for a weeknight bake, stunning enough for any celebration, and keeps beautifully for days — making it one of the most reliable and crowd-pleasing cakes you'll ever add to your baking rotation.
Equipment
- 12-cup Bundt pan Non-stick recommended for easy cake release
- Stand mixer Or hand electric mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl For dry ingredients
- Microplane zester Or citrus zester; for lemon zest
- Citrus juicer
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wire cooling rack
- Small bowl For mixing the lemon glaze
- Whisk
- Pastry brush (optional) For greasing the pan
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 360g
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter 226g; softened to room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar 400g
- 4 large eggs At room temperature
- 1 tbsp lemon zest From about 2–3 fresh lemons; zest before juicing
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice 60ml; from freshly squeezed lemons
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream 240ml; at room temperature; or substitute full-fat plain Greek yogurt
For the Lemon Glaze
- 1½ cups powdered sugar 180g; sifted
- 3-4 tbsp fresh lemon juice Add more or less to reach desired glaze consistency
- 1 tsp lemon zest Optional but recommended for extra flavor
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Generously grease every crevice of your 12-cup Bundt pan with softened butter, then dust thoroughly with flour and tap out any excess — or use a flour-based baking spray like Baker's Joy.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
- Using a microplane zester, zest 2–3 large lemons to get 1 tablespoon of zest for the batter (plus 1 teaspoon for the glaze), then juice the lemons for ¼ cup of juice for the batter and 3–4 tablespoons for the glaze. Always zest before juicing.
- Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed for 4–5 minutes until the mixture is very pale and noticeably fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Do not rush this step — it creates the cake's light texture.
- With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, waiting until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Increase to medium speed and beat for 30 seconds after the last egg is added.
- On low speed, mix in the 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract until just combined, about 15–20 seconds. The batter may look slightly curdled — this is normal.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the sour cream in two additions (flour, sour cream, flour, sour cream, flour), beginning and ending with flour. Mix only until no streaks of flour remain — do not overmix.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, smooth the top, and tap the pan on the counter 3–4 times to remove air bubbles. Bake at 325°F for 50–55 minutes until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for exactly 10–15 minutes, then place a rack on top of the pan and confidently flip them together to unmold. Allow the cake to cool completely on the rack — at least 1 hour — before glazing.
- Whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, 3–4 tablespoons of lemon juice, and optional lemon zest until smooth and pourable. Once the cake is fully cool, drizzle the glaze evenly over the top and let it set for 15–20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients are essential: Cold butter, eggs, or sour cream can cause a dense, uneven batter. Pull everything from the fridge at least 45 minutes before baking.
- Grease the pan thoroughly: This is the most common cause of stuck Bundt cakes. Use softened (not melted) butter and get into every single groove, then flour the pan or use a flour-based baking spray like Baker's Joy.
- Always zest before juicing: It's nearly impossible to zest a lemon that's already been juiced. Zest all lemons first, then juice them.
- Do not overmix after adding flour: Mix only until the flour just disappears into the batter. Overmixing activates gluten and results in a tough, dense cake.
- The 10–15 minute cooling window matters: Too short and the cake breaks apart when unmolded; too long and it sticks to the pan as it cools and contracts. Set a timer.
- Glaze only when fully cool: A fully cooled cake holds the glaze in a thick, beautiful coat. Glazing a warm cake causes it to run off and soak in unevenly.
- Sour cream substitute: Full-fat plain Greek yogurt works as a perfect 1:1 substitute. Buttermilk also works — use ¾ cup buttermilk in place of 1 cup sour cream.
- For stronger lemon flavor: Increase the zest to up to 2 tablespoons, or poke holes in the warm cake and pour a lemon simple syrup (3 tbsp lemon juice + 2 tbsp dissolved sugar) over it before cooling.
- Make-ahead and storage: The cake can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored wrapped at room temperature. Glaze on the day of serving. The unglazed cake freezes well for up to 3 months — wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then glaze after thawing.
- Lemon Blueberry variation: Fold 1½ cups of fresh blueberries (tossed in 1 tablespoon of flour) into the finished batter before pouring into the pan for a beautiful and delicious variation.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SliceCalories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 5gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 195mgPotassium: 85mgFiber: 1gSugar: 38gVitamin A: 12IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 8mg
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