Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe

Meggan Hill

5 from 802 votes

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This amazing Lemon Bundt Cake uses two secret ingredients (cake mix and instant pudding!) to make it the easiest, most delicious lemon cake you’ve ever had.

An unsliced lemon bundt cake with lots of glaze and some strawberries nearby.


 

I love from-scratch baking, but when it comes to lemon cake, I reach for a boxed mix every time. Why? Because the bright yellow color and lemony flavor are hard to match with actual lemons, no matter how ripe and juicy they are. I learned this trick in my pastry classes at culinary school, and your favorite restaurants, bakeries, and wedding cake makers are all doing the exact same thing. It’s one of those “industry secrets” that no one talks about, and now you can get on the fun.

Table of Contents

  1. Lemon Pudding Cake Recipe ingredients
  2. How to make Lemon Bundt Cake with Cake Mix
  3. Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe Variations
  4. Storing Lemon Bundt Cake
  5. Lemon Pudding Cake Recipe FAQs
  6. Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
Labeled ingredients for lemon bundt cake.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Lemon Pudding Cake Recipe ingredients

  • Lemon cake mix: This gives you a head-start on the cake and is the secret to ultra-lemony flavor. Yes, even restaurants use boxed lemon cake mixes. Since package sizes vary, look for a box that makes 13×9 or two 8-inch rounds.
  • Instant lemon pudding: Can’t find lemon pudding? Vanilla tastes great too! Most of the lemon flavor comes from the cake mix, so you don’t lose too much flavor with vanilla pudding. I tested this to make sure.
  • Vegetable oil: Readers have reported that substituting ½ cup applesauce for the ½ cup oil works perfectly. To quote Karen from the comments, “[I] saved over 800 calories per whole cake without any noticeable difference in taste or texture.”
  • Lemon zest: Zest the lemons before you cut them in half for juice. To zest a lemon, hold a grater in one hand and the lemon in the other over a cutting board or clean work surface. Going in one direction, push the lemon away from you across the rough side of the grater, removing the colorful part of the fruit, exposing the pith. Gently rotate the lemon as you go.

How to make Lemon Bundt Cake with Cake Mix

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously coat a large Bundt pan with shortening or nonstick spray (if you don’t grease the pan enough, the top of the cake pay stick and tear when you flip the pan to remove the cooled cake). In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix and pudding mix.
Dry ingredients for lemon bundt cake next to a greased pan.
  1. Add water, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and eggs and whisk to combine. Pour into prepared pan.
Lemon bundt cake batter in a bundt pan.
  1. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, about 40 minutes. Cool 15 minutes in pan. Invert on to cooling rack set over a baking sheet and cool completely.
A bundt pan cooling on a baking rack.
  1. To make the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Drizzle over cooled cake and let glaze harden for at least 10 minutes.
An unsliced lemon bundt cake with lots of glaze and some strawberries nearby.
  1. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with fresh strawberries if desired.
Slices of lemon bundt cake plated with strawberries.

Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe Variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes 12 slices (or fewer bigger slices, depending on how you cut them).
  • Bundt pan size: Any 12-cup bundt pan will work.
  • Greasing the pan: Be very generous with your nonstick spray or shortening. Nothing ruins a bundt like a stuck cake!
  • Blueberries: Fold 6 ounces fresh blueberries into the batter at the end of Step 2 (do not use more than 6 ounces). Bake as directed.

Storing Lemon Bundt Cake

Store leftovers covered at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.

Slices of lemon bundt cake plated with strawberries.

Lemon Pudding Cake Recipe FAQs

Can I use applesauce instead of oil in this lemon bundt cake?

Yes! A lot of readers have had success with this substitution. Just use ½ cup applesauce instead of the ½ cup oil in the recipe.

What if I can’t find lemon pudding?

Vanilla pudding tastes great too! Most of the lemon flavor comes from the cake mix, so you don’t lose too much flavor with vanilla pudding. I tested this to make sure.

Can I substitute lemon Jello for the lemon pudding?

No, unfortunately not. There are other cakes in the world that use lemon Jello instead of lemon pudding. The amount of eggs, water, oil, etc. is different for cakes made with Jello. This recipe has only been tested with pudding.

More lemon recipes

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A lemon bundt cake on a cooling rack surrounded by strawberries.

Lemon Bundt Cake

By Meggan Hill
This amazing Lemon Bundt Cake uses two secret ingredients (cake mix and instant pudding!) to make it the easiest, most delicious lemon cake you’ve ever had. 
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Calories 367
5 from 802 votes
ReviewPrint

Equipment

Ingredients 

For the cake:

For the glaze:

Instructions 

To make the cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously coat large Bundt pan with shortening or nonstick spray (if you don't grease the pan enough, the top of the cake pay stick and tear when you flip the pan to remove the cooled cake).
  • In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix and pudding mix. Add water, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and eggs and whisk to combine.
  • Pour into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, about 40 minutes.
  • Cool 15 minutes in pan. Invert on to cooling rack set over a baking sheet and cool completely.

To make the glaze:

  • Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Drizzle over cooled cake and let glaze harden for at least 10 minutes.
  • Transfer to a serving platter and serve with fresh strawberries if desired.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Lemon cake mix: This gives you a head-start on the cake and is the secret to ultra-lemony flavor. Yes, even restaurants use boxed lemon cake mixes. Since package sizes vary, look for a box that makes 13×9 or two 8-inch rounds.
  2. Instant lemon pudding: Can’t find lemon pudding? Vanilla tastes great too! Most of the lemon flavor comes from the cake mix, so you don’t lose too much flavor with vanilla pudding. I tested this to make sure.
  3. Vegetable oil: Readers have reported that substituting ½ cup applesauce for the ½ cup oil works perfectly. To quote Karen from the comments, “[I] saved over 800 calories per whole cake without any noticeable difference in taste or texture.”
  4. Lemon zest: Zest the lemons before you cut them in half for juice. To zest a lemon, hold a grater in one hand and the lemon in the other over a cutting board or clean work surface. Going in one direction, push the lemon away from you across the rough side of the grater, removing the colorful part of the fruit, exposing the pith. Gently rotate the lemon as you go.
  5. Yield: This recipe makes 12 slices (or fewer bigger slices, depending on how you cut them).
  6. Storage: Store leftovers covered at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pieceCalories: 367kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 374mgPotassium: 55mgFiber: 1gSugar: 39gVitamin A: 90IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 100mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill

5 from 802 votes (702 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Has anyone made this in a large loaf pan? Or 2 smaller loaf pans maybe? Or has anyone added fruit? I have some frozen blueberries to use up. I want to layer in some blueberries and make a loaf.

    Reply

    1. Hi Rhiannon, Thank you so much for your question! Other readers have layered in blueberry into the batter for this bundt cake and loved it. I haven’t tried making this one into loaves, but I don’t see why you can’t. I haven’t tested that way myself (yet) but here is what I would do.
      1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans (I like to spray them, line them with parchment, and spray again, aka spray-paper-spray).
      2. Prepare the batter as directed for the bundt cake and then divide between the 2 prepared pans.
      3. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, about 50 minutes.
      4. Cool in pans 15-20 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut around the inside edge of each pan (only if necessary, should not necessary) and turn out on to a cooling rack to cool.

      If you would like to make a version from scratch, I have a Blueberry Lemon Loaf that is made with Greek yogurt and makes just 1 loaf. https://cash-surge.live/blueberry-lemon-yogurt-cake/%3C/a%3E Take care! – Meggan

    1. Thank you so much for your comment, Bruna! I’m glad it was a hit! Take care! – Meggan

  3. Bundt pan just arrived and I’m going to try this but am inclined to try it with the applesauce even if I have never baked anything but brownies before.

    I’m wondering about using yogurt instead of either applesauce or oil. I make my own great yogurt. Has anyone here tried that? Advice if any?

    Reply

    1. Hi wsmith! Thank you for your question! I haven’t tried this recipe with yogurt instead of oil, sorry. I do think you would be able to substitute it, but I also don’t want your cake to be ruined. – Meggan

  4. I made this for a friend’s birthday today. It was delicious and it is all gone!! I decorated it with lemon slice candies that I attached to the cake with toothpicks and some artificial daffodils from the Dollar Tree! It was beautiful and brought much joy. Had to give slices to the waiter & bartender. PLEASE use fresh lemons for juice & zest! WINNER!!5 stars

    Reply

    1. That sounds absolutely lovely and thoughtful, Janet! I’m glad you loved it and it was a hit! – Meggan

    1. Hi Val, sometimes bundt cakes fall in the middle if they are not cooked all the way. Did you check the center of the cake with a toothpick, and it came out clean? Also, ovens vary in temperature, so the cake might have needed a little more time. Otherwise, the batter may have been overmixed. I’m sorry if your cake fell and I hope the next one turns out better! – Meggan

    2. To the lady with the fallen cake. My Mom always said ” no banging or thimping I have a cake in the oven” this may sound like a wives tale but isn’t. Kids jumping or slamming doors WILL make a cake fall. Keep it quiet until at least half way through bake time. Just dropping something near an oven or on a counter top can absolutely make a cake deflate.

  6. I made this recipe and my family loved it. It disappeared in less the a day
    And the bonus was it was so easy to make.

    Reply

  7. Great recipe, so quick to make. Definitely one of my favourites! I divide the batter in half and sprinkle brown sugar, rolled oats and cinnamon in the middle and top the cake with it as well. Very delicious and always a crowd pleaser😊😊5 stars

    Reply

  8. My husband and I, and everyone who had tasted the lemon bundt cakes I make, love the great flavor and how moist it is.. even a few days later!
    Thank you!
    Amy M.

    Reply