This buttery and soft lemonade bundt cake is packed with fresh lemon flavor! This cake is made with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest and is brushed with a lemon syrup. I poured over a homemade lemon glaze to make it extra lemony! If you could have a glass of lemonade as a cake - this would be it.
This lemonade bundt cake is based off of my lemon poppy seed cake. I love a lemon dessert that is packed with a lot of lemon flavor! This delicious lemon cake is perfect for bake sales, barbecues, bridal showers - or make it for the lemon lovers in your life!
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Why you'll love this lemonade bundt cake!
- This easy lemon bundt cake recipe uses just 9 ingredients, you probably already have everything in the kitchen!
- The bundt cake batter is folded with lemon zest and fresh lemon juice.
- Once the bundt cake is out of its pan, it is brushed with a homemade lemon syrup.
- The cake is then topped with a tart lemon glaze, I also decorated it with a few extra lemon slices.
Ingredient Notes
Buttermilk: I love using buttermilk in my cake recipes as it produces moist crumbs. If you don't have buttermilk you could substitute it for full fat yogurt or sour cream.
Sugar: I'm using regular white granulated sugar.
Baking Powder: this is going to help the cake rise.
Flour: I have only tested this with all purpose flour. Let me know if you try it out with gluten free flour!
Butter: I always use unsalted butter.
Lemons: you'll need a few fresh lemons for the zest and juice in the cake, as well as lemon juice for the syrup and glaze.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream your butter, sugar and salt together on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it is fluffy.
Step 2: Add in your eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. I also make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula so everything is getting combined.
Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk together your baking powder and flour.
Step 4: Add your flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Once completely combined, fold in your lemon juice and lemon zest.
Step 5: Prepare your bundt pan. I like to grease mine with vegetable shortening but you can also use vegetable oil if that is what you prefer! Pour in your bundt cake batter and use a small offset spatula to smooth out the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.
Step 6: Let the bundt cake cool for 5 minutes, then flip it over on to a wire rack - leave the pan on for another 5 minutes. Your pan should be released at this point so gently take it off. While it was cooling, in a small saucepan combine your syrup ingredients. Once the sugar has dissolved over medium heat, use a pastry brush to brush it over the warm cake. Once completely cool, whisk together your glaze ingredients and pour on top of the cake.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. It makes a huge difference to your baking and is the most accurate way to bake!
- If you aren’t weighing your ingredients and are using a measuring cup, then use the fluff and sprinkle method to measure your flour. Go to this link here to find out how to do that. If you use too much flour, then you won’t have those delicious moist crumbs!
- Make sure you have room temperature ingredients, including the buttermilk. Take everything out of the fridge an hour or two before you start baking.
- Your lemon bundt cake should be completely cool before you pour the glaze on top of the bread, otherwise the glaze won’t stick to the cake.
- Baking time depends on the color of your pan. If you have a dark colored bundt pan then your cake will only take 45-50 minutes to bake. If you are using a light colored bundt pan it might take up to 60 minutes. You'll know it's ready when a toothpick or cake tester inserted comes out clean or with just a couple of crumbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
The lemon syrup that I brush on top of the warm bundt cake helps keep it moist! I find with dark bundt pans it can make the outside of the cake dry, so brushing it with a lemony sugar syrup helps. Also making sure you use buttermilk and not regular milk will keep the cake moist.
One of the trickiest parts of making a bundt cake is getting the cake out of the pan! I recommend not prepping it until just before you are ready to pour the batter in. Otherwise some of the grease might fall down the sides and collect at the bottom. I melt some vegetable shortening in the microwave or brush the entire pan with it, making sure I get every nook and cranny. If you're extra worried you can also try dusting the pan with some almond flour just before pouring the batter in.
Keep the cake tightly wrapped at room temperature for 4 days.
Try these fruity recipes next!
Have you made this recipe? Make sure to tag me on Instagram @alpineella and leave a review below if you have! If you want more baking ideas, you can follow me on Pinterest.
Recipe
Lemonade Bundt Cake
Equipment
- 10 cup bundt cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 361 grams all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 227 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 350 grams sugar
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 227 ml buttermilk
- 4 lemons zested
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
Lemon Soaking Syrup
- 50 grams sugar
- 4 teaspoon lemon juice
Glaze
- 115 grams powdered sugar
- 6 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon butter melted
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C and place a rack in the middle of the oven.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar and salt for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula after each one to make sure everything is combined.
- Whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with the dry ingredients.
- Fold in your lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Grease your bundt pan. I prefer to use melted vegetable shortening, but use whatever works for you! I have also used softened butter and vegetable oil.
- Pour into your bundt pan and bake for 45-60 minutes. If your bundt pan is a dark metal it will take about 45 minutes, but it will take 10-15 minutes longer if your pan is a light metal.
- A toothpick inserted into the cake will come out with no crumbs if it is ready.
- Once it's done, take out of the oven and leave in the pan for 5 minutes. Make your syrup during this time.
Syrup
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, pour in the lemon juice and granulated sugar. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- After 5 minutes, flip your bundt pan over on to a wire cooling rack - leave the pan on for another 5 minutes. After those 5 minutes are up, gently lift up your bundt pan. Brush the syrup over the warm cake. Let it cool completely.
Glaze
- Sift the confectioners' sugar so there are no lumps into a medium bowl. Pour in the melted butter and lemon juice and whisk until completely smooth. If it isn't as thin as you would like, add more lemon juice. If it isn't as thick as you would like, add more confectioners' sugar.
- Drizzle it over the cooled cake.
Carolyn
I'm going to try this recipe next weekend,sounds good
Louisa
Hello, can I use oil instead of butter?
Ella
I haven't tested this with oil, sorry about that!
Debra
No! The cake won’t have the right consistency and taste if you don’t use real butter! It won’t have the right texture either!
Anne
How many eggs??
Ella
Hi! You need 4 eggs 🙂
Anne
You forgot to include how many eggs in the ingredients list! Would LIVE to make this sinful sounding recipe. Please modify to include eggs. Thanks!
Ella
So strange, it is showing up for me but maybe it is an issue with the recipe card - I'm so sorry about that! You need 4 eggs for this bundt cake.