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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.
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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 a special birthday, baby shower, or a casual Saturday evening dessert. See below the recipe for helpful tips and more recipes like this one.
Key Ingredients
- Lemon cake mix – A quick and flavorful base that brings bold citrus flavor.
- Lemon instant pudding mix – Adds extra lemon flavor and keeps the cake super moist.
- Sour cream – Makes the crumb tender and rich, just like the original.
- Eggs – Help bind the cake and give it structure.
- Vegetable oil – Keeps the cake soft and moist.
- Fresh lemon juice – Adds bright, natural lemon flavor.
- Water – Helps thin the batter to the right consistency.
- White chocolate chips (optional) – Add a creamy, sweet contrast to the tart lemon.
For the Frosting:
- Cream cheese and butter – A rich, tangy base for the frosting.
- Vanilla extract – Adds a warm flavor to balance the lemon.
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens and thickens the frosting to a pipeable texture.
- Fresh raspberries and mint (optional) – For a beautiful and fresh garnish.
How to Make Lemon Bundt Cake
- Preheat and prep your Bundt pan with non-stick spray or butter and flour. Mix the batter by combining cake mix, pudding, sour cream, eggs, oil, lemon juice, and water until smooth. Fold in white chocolate chips if using, then pour the batter into the pan.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes, before turning out onto a rack.
- Remove from the bundt pan (see tips below) and place on a serving plate. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill the cake overnight for best texture and easier frosting.
- Make the frosting by beating together cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar until thick and fluffy.
- Fill a piping bag or ziplock bag with frosting. If using a ziplock bag, snip a corner of the bag to allow for a thick frosting stripe.
- Frost and decorate by piping thick stripes over the cake and topping with fresh raspberries and mint if desired. Keep the cake refrigerated, if not serving immediately.
Tips and Tricks
- Use fresh lemons for zest and juice to get the best citrus flavor. Bottled juice works in a pinch but isn’t as vibrant.
- Bring ingredients to room temperature (like eggs, butter, and sour cream) for a smoother, well-mixed batter.
- Don’t overmix—stir just until combined to avoid a dense texture.
- Grease the Bundt pan thoroughly with baking spray or butter and flour for easy release.
- Avoid overbaking by checking a few minutes early. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan for 15–20 minutes before inverting to help the cake set and prevent breakage.
- Try a lemon glaze with powdered sugar and lemon juice for a quicker, zesty topping.
- Garnish with lemon zest to brighten the look and flavor.
- Store in an airtight container at room temp for a few days, or refrigerate to keep it fresh even longer.
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.
How to Frost
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.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! In fact, it tastes even better the next day. Chill the unfrosted cake overnight for the best texture, then frost before serving.
Nope! They’re optional. They add a sweet, creamy bite, but you can leave them out or swap with another mix-in like blueberries.
Absolutely! Just make sure it’s a lemon-flavored mix or add extra lemon zest and juice to boost the flavor.
Keep it covered in the fridge. It stays fresh for up to 4–5 days. Let it sit at room temp for about 15 minutes before serving for the best texture.
Yes—freeze the unfrosted cake tightly wrapped in plastic and foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then frost before serving.
A 10- to 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan works well. Just make sure to grease it thoroughly so the cake releases easily.
More Bundt Cake Recipes
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!
Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lemon cake mix
- 3.4 ounces lemon instant pudding mix, *IMPORTANT – SEE RECIPE NOTES
- 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.
Equipment
- Hand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Bundt Cake Pan
Notes
- IMPORTANT NOTE ON INSTANT DRY PUDDING MIX:
- Use fresh lemons for the brightest flavor—bottled juice just isn’t the same.
- Room temp ingredients mix more smoothly for a better batter.
- Mix gently to avoid a dense cake—just until combined.
- Grease the pan well to help the cake release cleanly.
- Check for doneness early; a few moist crumbs on the toothpick is perfect.
- Cool in the pan for 15–20 minutes before turning out.
- Try a lemon glaze for a quick topping, or finish with cream cheese frosting.
- Sprinkle lemon zest on top for a fresh look and flavor.
- Store airtight at room temp or refrigerate to keep it fresh.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Is this already adjusted to a higher elevation. I just wanted to make sure I am not adding anything extra if not needed. (From what I have gathered it is, but just wanted to double check!)
Yes, it is adapted for higher elevation. I live at about 4,500 feet above sea level and it turns out great every time. Thanks for asking!