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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.
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
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
- 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.
- Add water, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and eggs and whisk to combine. Pour into prepared pan.
- 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.
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.
Lemon Pudding Cake Recipe FAQs
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.
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.
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.
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Lemon Bundt Cake
Equipment
- Bundt Pan (I only use the Nordic Ware ones)
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 package lemon cake mix (see note 1)
- 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant lemon pudding mix (see note 2)
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (see note 3)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (see note 4)
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 4 eggs
For the glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Fresh strawberries for serving, optional
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
- 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.
- Yield: This recipe makes 12 slices (or fewer bigger slices, depending on how you cut them).
- Storage: Store leftovers covered at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
It’s alright, but tastes very eggy. Very moist and easy to make.. I just think the recipe calls for too many eggs.
Hi Jade, I’m sorry the recipe didn’t work for you! I just made this recipe again yesterday (testing a mini bundt version) and I think it’s perfect with the 4 eggs. You are welcome to use less, I’m not sure why it tasted eggy for you. I’m really sorry about that. I used a Duncan Hines cake mix and the lemon pudding. I’ve also made it with vanilla pudding in the past and it’s still so lemony and moist. I stand by my recipe but I know people like different things! Sorry again. Thank you. -Meggan
Dear Meggan and Bakers,
I made this delicious cake for my best friends birthday who loves a Lemon cake. I never made this before and I am not a huge fan of baking but I made this exact recipe an it was a HUGE success. She not only loved it but said it was the best she has ever had and requested that I make again for our friends dinner. I have made this for other groups of people and they love it as much. I actually get asked to make it for them to serve at their dinner or party. So I would like to say MAKE IT and Thank you Meggan for a great recipe! Cheers & Bon appetit!!!!
Hi Vanessa, THANK YOU this so so nice of and I’m so grateful for all the positive feedback! I agree it’s such a great cake, so lemony and moist. I’m currently working on “mini bundt cake” versions, both the 6 and 12-bundt size (one is mini, one is even smaller). Thank so much. I hope you have a great week and thank you for taking a chance on my recipe! Take care. -Meggan
Really enjoyed the lemon flavor in this cake and would make it again. the only thing that was disappointing was after cooling the cake for 15 minutes I inverted the pan to cool as mentioned and the cake broke away and left my cake in pieces. not sure what I did wrong.
Hi Rose, that’s really sad and depressing. I’m so sorry. Usually that happens if you didn’t grease the pan enough, I’m going to check the recipe and make sure it says GREASE PAN WELL. It needs to be greased really well, and then it should just pop out. I’m so sorry that happened, really. It has happened to me and it’s just like – ugh, are you kidding me. Sorry again. -Meggan
Sooo good
I’m glad you liked it! -Meggan
Can this recipe be used to make mini bundt cakes? If so, about how long should the baking time be? Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi Mary, yes this recipe certainly can! I used to make these in a mini bundt pan all the time. This is the pan I used: https://amzn.to/3T1e3pr – and it was a pan for 6 mini bundts. You obviously already have a pan I just wanted to show you it was a 6 not a 12. Some pans exist which make 12 even MINIER bundts, but I never tried that. I unfortunately don’t remember the exact bake time and cannot find my notes on it. I did some searches, and I think this recipe by Southern Lady might be close: https://southernladymagazine.com/mini-citrus-bundt-cakes-recipe/ They suggest baking the mini bundts at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, and I think that sounds true to my memory. I clearly need to make these again and find out for sure, but this recipe should get you there. If anything you could check them at 20 minutes, and they might need to go longer than 25, but it’s something. They were honestly so great and fun and what a great idea, thank you for reminding me Mary! I’ll put this on my list. Have a great weekend and thanks again. -Meggan
Delicious. I have made this before and it is always a big hit! I reduced the oil just a smidge and added 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt. Meggan’s recipes are always awesome!
Thank you so much, Denise! Thank you for your kind words, I’m so happy you love it! – Meggan
My husband loves Lemon Cakes and this is certainly lemony. The only difference to the recipe is that being from Florida I added Key Lime rather than lemon….otherwise every thing was the same
Sounds delicious, Isabelle! Glad you enjoyed it! – Meggan
What size cake mix did you use? Duncan Hines has a 15.25oz mix and Betty Crocker has a 13.25oz mix. Does it matter which one I use?
Hi Kathy! Thanks for your question and sorry about the confusion. Either size works as long as the box makes a 13×9 or two 8-inch rounds. Take care! – Meggan
Made your cake for my one of my Christmas dinner desserts it was a SUPER AWESOME hit. Thank you for sharing.
You’re so welcome, Rose! I’m so happy it was a hit. I hope you had a great Christmas! Take care! – Meggan
Love this lemon bunt cake receipt. Moist lemony flavour and simple to make.