Lemon Bundt Cake

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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’ve been known to reach for the boxed mix. Why? Because the color and flavor are hard to beat with actual lemons, no matter how ripe and juicy they are.

In fact, many restaurants and bakeries all over the country use lemon cake mixes in their lemon baked goods. It’s the best way to ensure that strong lemony flavor (and the bright yellow color). They just never talk about it.

Recipe ingredients

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.

Ingredient 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.

Step-by-step instructions

  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.

Recipe tips and variations

  • 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.
  • 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.
Slices of lemon bundt cake plated with strawberries.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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
4.99 from 774 votes

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
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. I’ve been making this recipe for over a year and didn’t even eat lemon cake previously. This is the most moist, soft cake my husband and I have ever eaten!!… and I’m a chocoholic!!

    Thank you!!!
    Amy M5 stars

  2. Hi! I am wondering if it matters if I use instant pudding or not? I just got from the store and realized I didn’t get the correct pudding!

    1. I am so sorry to say I’ve never tried the cook and serve pudding in this cake! I honestly don’t know. This is something I will have to test because any of us could buy the “wrong” pudding and I should have that answer. I don’t right now. My hunch would be that cook and serve pudding should also work. However, I don’t want to ruin your day or your cake so I am unwilling to say for sure! But I will definitely test it and find out and update the post. I’m so sorry about that! – Meggan

  3. Curious if you think raspberries would do well as an add-in for this lemon cake? I know it mentions blueberries and you have a blueberry version, but I’ve got a party coming up that has a bunch of raspberry enthusiasts 😅.

    1. Hi Liz! I think raspberries would be delicious. My only curiosity here is if they are more wet than blueberries. Maybe a little bit, maybe not too much. I’ve tried adding strawberries to cakes in the past and it doesn’t always work without some adjustments because strawberries release liquid. I feel like raspberries will fall somewhere in the middle between blueberries and strawberries. My advice, however exhausting, would be to either 1). test the recipe with raspberries before your party so you KNOW and don’t have to worry, or 2). buy a backup dessert in case things go to heck. I’d hate for your cake/party to be ruined. It sounds like it should be an easy substitution, but I’ve had enough baking failures over the years to know sometimes details really matter. I hope that’s helpful. I know I didn’t answer your question. I’m hoping your party is awesome, and maybe the cake can be there. :) Thank you! Take care – Meggan

  4. It’s alright, but tastes very eggy. Very moist and easy to make.. I just think the recipe calls for too many eggs.

    1. 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

  5. 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!!!!5 stars

    1. 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

  6. 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.4 stars

    1. 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

  7. 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.

    1. 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

  8. Sorry, this just was not all around good. Years ago pudding Bundt cakes were delicious. Not so now. I think cake and pudding mixes have changed. The bigger issue was the glaze recipe. Sorry, but it did not play out as in the photo so I think there was a problem with the recipe as I followed it exactly. I really feel the photo showed more a frosting rather than a glaze. Probably it would have been better just dusted in powdered sugar. Anyway, it was all disappointing.1 star

    1. Hi Cynthia, thank you for taking the time to write. I’m sorry this cake didn’t meet your expectations. The changes in cake and pudding mixes is beyond our control, but I’ll revisit this to see if any changes need to be made. If you try this recipe again, I would recommend adding more powdered sugar until the glaze is the consistency you prefer, there is always some amount of variation when measuring and cooking, including humidity and temperature. Thank you again for taking the time to write. – Meggan

  9. 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!5 stars

    1. Thank you so much, Denise! Thank you for your kind words, I’m so happy you love it! – Meggan

  10. 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 same5 stars

  11. 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?

    1. 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

    1. You’re so welcome, Rose! I’m so happy it was a hit. I hope you had a great Christmas! Take care! – Meggan

  12. Had high expectations for this recipe but was very disappointed with the result. The lemon flavor was just too minimal to recommend. I used a name brand lemon cake mix and name brand lemon pudding mix along with myer lemon zest and juice. Still did not achieve a lemon flavor in the finished cake. Will keep searching for a great lemon cake recipe.

    1. Hi Lisa, I’m sorry this cake didn’t meet your expectations. If you are open to it, I would suggest experimenting with adding lemon extract or even more zest to the recipe. If you have any questions, feel free to write again, I’m here to help! Take care! – Meggan

  13. I served this for my birthday and everyone loved it. I substituted heavy cream for the water and also into the icing. No one knew it was a box cake mix. Also substituted white cake mix and used lemon pudding. It was definitely a hit. Yummy👍😋5 stars

  14. Why does the cook time at the top say 1 hour? And then the recipe says 40 minutes. Wish I would have noticed that before I overcooked my cake.

    1. Hi Mary, I’m so sorry your cake was overcooked. And sorry for the confusion. The overall cooking time of the recipe is an estimate and includes the time for the cake and the glaze. Also, since ovens vary, each baking time will be different, so cooking until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, is included as that’s the more accurate way to tell if a cake is done. i’m so sorry again and I hope your cake wasn’t completely ruined. – Meggan

    1. Hi Judy, I haven’t tried this myself with this cake, sorry! I believe you can, and you may need to adjust the amount of sour cream to have the batter maintain the proper consistency. Sorry about that! I wouldn’t want you to have a ruined cake. – Meggan

  15. Absolutely delicious! This is a keeper! I used vanilla pudding and omitted the zest. I also increased the fresh lemon to 1/3 cup.5 stars

    1. Hi Marimer, I haven’t tried adding pudding to the boxed cake mix that already has pudding in it. However, I’ve made this recipe with the pudding cake mix and not added the pudding mix and it was almost inedible! Sorry about that! – Meggan

  16. The video states. 1 package of lemon pudding. A package of pudding is 3.4 ounces. The recipe states 3 ounces. Which one is correct?
    Thank You

    1. Hi Jeff, you’re right. Thank you for pointing it out. I’ve updated the recipe. It should be 1 (3.4 ounce) package. Please write back and let me know how you liked this cake! Thank you again. – Meggan

    1. Hi Angellina, thank you for your questions. Sorry for the confusion. This recipe is for boxed cake mix, the powdered ingredients in the photo are powdered sugar and pudding mix. There is a recipe care in the recipe towards the bottom of the post, above where you wrote these comments, that has the full amounts and directions for the cake and the glaze. You can reach the recipe card using the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page, clicking”Lemon Blueberry Cake Recipe” in the Table of Contents”, or by scrolling to the recipe itself. I hope this helps and clears up the confusion! Sorry again! – Meggan

    1. Hi Todd, sure! Other readers have made it in two round pans successfully. Keep an eye on them and be midful of the cooking time, as it will likely be shorter. – Meggan

  17. I made the cake but did not use a bundt pan. I used 2 round cake pans, made two cakes and everybody LOVED them. I used fresh blueberries, and this recipe is PERFECT! Cake was moist, tasty and the drizzled icing made it an amazing dessert! I have been complimented and this is a keeper!!5 stars

    1. Thank you so much for your comment, Peter! I’m so glad it was such a hit! Happy baking! – Meggan

  18. I made this exactly as the recipe was written. It was perfect! Not too sweet, very lemony, and super moist. Will make again soon! Thanks for a wonderful summer cake that everyone enjoyed!!5 stars

  19. How do I get my icing to look like yours? I followed the quantities exactly but mine didn’t harden white – only clear.

    1. Hi Lindsey, thank you so much for your question! I’m sorry your glaze was clear instead of opaque. You can add more powdered sugar to the glaze to the consistency where it is firm yet liquid enough to pour. Using measuring cups can be imprecise at times, so let the consistency of the glaze guide you. Also, make sure to glaze the cake once it is cooled completely. I hope this helps! – Meggan

    1. Thank you so much for your comment, Shannon! I’m so glad it is a hit with everyone! – Meggan

  20. Have you tried making it with sugar-free pudding mix?
    If so how did it come out? I’ve done it in the past with chocolate cake mixes. It seemed to work.

    Also has anyone tried putting stiff stiff lemon curd in the middle of bunt pan? Creating a lemon version of tunnel of fudge.

    1. Hi Reggie, I am not sure what effect sugar-free instant pudding would have but I feel like it would work just fine. I really don’t think it would affect it, I just haven’t tried it, nor have I tried a lemon curd tunnel so I can’t say for sure. I’d love to hear if it worked for you! – Meggan

  21. I made this cake yesterday and it was delicious. I used a yellow cake mix. I replaced the oil with melted butter. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly. My boyfriend doesn’t normally eat cake but he had 3 slices of this one! Grandson thought the glaze was too lemony though. I thought it was delightful 🙂 Thank you Megan!5 stars

    1. Thank you so much for trying out this recipe, Bernadette! It’s always a great feeling when our loved ones appreciate our baking efforts. Take care! – Meggan

  22. This is the absolute best ever. The cake is perfect, and the glaze scrumptious. I wanted a glaze without milk. The lemony flavor is superb in the cake and the glaze.5 stars

    1. I’m so glad you loved it, Dewoo! Thank you for taking the time to write! – Meggan

  23. 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.

    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://www.culinaryhill.com/blueberry-lemon-yogurt-cake/ Take care! – Meggan

  24. I made this and it was delicious. I omitted the lemon zest because I was in a hurry. I baked in 13×9 glassware at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. It was a total hit!5 stars

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

  25. 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?

    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

  26. 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

    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.

  27. 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.

  28. 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

  29. 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.

  30. I discovered your recipe a while back and I’m just now leaving a review. This is my favorite lemon cake recipe! My family expects this lemon cake on the dessert table for every holiday. This recipe has become a part of our holiday traditions. Thank you!5 stars

    1. You’re welcome, Melissa! It’s wonderful that it’s become a family tradition! Thank you so much for taking the time to write a comment. Happy holidays!

  31. This cake was perfect! I was afraid it would taste too lemony and it didn’t. It was extremely moist and had an amazing flavor! I will definitely use this recipe again!! Thank you! 😊5 stars

  32. Hi Meghan,
    I tried this recipe for the first time on the weekend. It did not seem to rise up as much as I would have expected. It was baked inside and it tasted delicious. I made a blueberry sauce to serve with it. I am wondering if you could talk about how you add the wet ingredients. Do you add all at the same time? Or one at a time? Do you beat your eggs first? And lastly do you use an electric mixer or mix by hand?
    Sorry for all the questions just trying to figure out why it didn’t rise up very much.
    Jackie

    1. Hi Jackie, I am not sure why the cake seemed flat to you. Happy that you still enjoyed it, sounds dreamy with a blueberry sauce! Maybe your bundt pan is more than 12 cups? I make this by hand, whisking together the dry ingredients first. Then I add all the wet ingredients, then whisk until it is combined. I hope this helps!

  33. Hi, I want to use this one recipe to make twelve mini-Bundt cakes. I assume the only difference would be length of baking time. Can you confirm whether any modifications would be needed for bundtlets? How long should they cook? Or, how soon should start checking doneness with a toothpick? Any other recommendations? Thank you!!!

    1. Hi Marcia! I actually made these in a mini bundt pan several years ago, and I never made a note of how long I baked them. I would do a 350-degree oven for something like 20 to 25 minutes. Just let your nose be your guide, if you start to smell them, they might be getting close to done. Then, test with toothpicks until they come out clean (possibly with a few dry crumbs attached). I know this recipe works in those pans. I just don’t remember the specifics. Thank you! Take care! – Meggan

    1. Hi Julie, you can scroll to the bottom of the page to see the ingredients and full instructions in the recipe card, or you can use the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top. Hope this helps! Sorry you are disappointed. Take care! – Meggan

    1. Hi AJ, I haven’t tried adding pudding to the boxed cake mix that already has pudding in it. I have, however, made this recipe with the pudding cake mix and not adding the pudding mix, and it was almost inedible! You could try making the cake as written on the box, just in a bundt pan, if they have baking instructions for bundt pans. I think that would probably work a lot better. Good luck! I hope I was able to save you from making a disappointing cake. Take care! – Meggan

    1. Hi Krysta, yes! You’ll likely need to use two pans. Other readers have made this as cupcakes as well! – Meggan

  34. What size cake mix did you use in the recipe. The amount of mix in a box has changed recently. It use to be 18 and now it is 15.25. I just want it to turn out right. Thanks!

    1. Hi Stacy, either size works as long as the box makes a 13×9 or two 8-inch rounds. Take care! – Meggan

  35. Love lemon cake just had one for my daughter-in-law’s birthday and my neighbor requested one for her daughter-in-law’s birthday. Really looking forward to trying this recipe for her. I was just wondering if you shouldn’t also flower the bundt pan?4 stars

    1. Hi Donna, in this recipe I generously coat the Bundt pan with shortening or nonstick spray. Hope this helps! – Meggan

  36. This is the best dessert recipe I’ve ever found on the internet. Took it to a picnic yesterday and EVERYONE raved about it. Well, not everyone, it was gone pretty quick so some didn’t get any! The recipe was requested by a couple. It was
    very easy to make – a little hint on lemons – roll it on the table or countertop, pressing hard and it will be easier to juice. I only had one lemon so I augmented it with a few squirts of the lemon concentrate that comes in the lemon shaped container. I will be checking out Meggan’s other recipes.5 stars

  37. I love this recipe! Just wondering if you think it would work in a sheet pan? I’m envisioning covering it with a whip cream frosting and berries.5 stars

    1. Hi Mandy, I’ve never tried this so I can’t say for sure. Sorry about that! – Meggan

  38. My family loved this recipe! It is very easy to follow and the taste of lemon was amazing. It’s a wonderful cake if you want a strong flavor of lemon which I am always looking for! I will definitely make this again.5 stars

  39. This cake is fantastic. I may have made a “mistake” with the glaze as it soaked into the cake, rather than dripped on top. I hope I can make the same “mistake” again! I think I put too much lemon juice in the glaze.

    Young and old LOVED this cake. I cannot wait to bake it again. It is easy and delicious!5 stars

  40. Hi…this sounds lovely!…I bought the Better Crocker Lemon…then saw there is pudding in the mix. My question is should I still add the lemon pudding? Or half? Also the pudding I purchased is an off brand and it has 3.6 oz, I’m hoping it’s good, because the Jello brand has been out. Thank you! -Jan

    1. Hi Janet, I haven’t tried adding pudding to the boxed cake mix that already has pudding in it. I have, however, made this recipe with the pudding cake mix and not adding the pudding mix, and it was almost inedible! I was able to eat some, but it was bad. I don’t recommend omitting it. You could try making the cake as written on the box, just in a bundt pan, if they have baking instructions for bundt pans. I think that would probably work a lot better. Good luck! I hope I was able to save you from making a disappointing cake. Take care! – Meggan

  41. I made this for Easter with my relatives, and everyone loved it. It’s hard to find a recipe that everyone raves about. It’s perfectly lemony and moist. I sprinkled the top with powdered sugar instead of making a glaze, and it was wonderful. It’s also easy to make. I spent less than ten minutes making the batter and preparing the pan. It’s definitely a cake that you could throw together at the last minute.5 stars

    1. Hi MAGGEN,
      I love simplicity, so I tried your recipe and it was a big hit with all my dinner guests. Lots of lemon flavour and really moist.
      So easy to make. Thanks!

  42. Mmmm delicious!! Made these yesterday and the leftover ones that were uncovered on the counter overnight are still so soft and moist! Not a bite of hardness! I used Vanilla cake mix, 2 eggs and a cupcake pan instead, it Made two dozen cupcakes. Thanks for the recipe!5 stars

  43. I’ve been making this Bundt cake for years!!
    Everyone LOVES it.. Kids.. Adults.. and it’s easy ..
    fast .. and impressive!!👍👋💕4 stars

  44. I have made this several times and loved the ease and taste of this cake. For my latest bake, I substituted 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce for the 1/2 cup of oil and saved over 800 calories per whole cake without any noticeable difference in taste or texture.5 stars

    1. Hi Karen, thanks! Wow that’s awesome to know about the applesauce, thanks for sharing. – Meggan

    1. Hi Eve, I haven’t tested this myself, but I don’t see why not! If you are going to make cupcakes, I would recommend using cooking spray, silicone, or greaseproof liners, so the batter doesn’t stick. The bake time would be greatly reduced as well, so I would check on them after 10 to 15 minutes. Thanks! -Meggan

  45. Great recipe! My husband found this and insisted I make it for our neighbors dinner get together. He had one slice and was instantly hooked! It is so easy to make so I’ll be making this on a regular basis.

  46. This cake is amazing! I don’t even like lemon and I’m in love. I made it for a birthday party and we all agreed it was moist with a lovely lemon flavor that was not at all overpowering. YUM!5 stars

  47. I bake a lot and thought the recipe looked great. The batter had a great taste. It looked beautiful after 40 minutes so I tested it and it came out clean. I let it sit 10 minutes and it collapsed. I turned it out onto the rack and you can see it has a “waist” in the middle where it collapsed. Only 2 inches high now. I was going to bring it to someone as a gift but I’m afraid it will be weird inside.

    1. Hi Dana, so sorry about your sunken cake! It’s possible that the batter was over-mixed, causing it to fall. – Meggan

  48. Best lemon cake and milk first attempt! My glaze sat for a bit and thickened up. It was no issue covering the cake. Looks delicious. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe.5 stars

  49. I made this cake today and it is perfectly delicious and simple to make. Thank you for sharing this recipe5 stars

    1. Hi Nancy, we haven’t tried it with cook and serve pudding. But we know it tastes great with instant vanilla pudding if you can’t find instant lemon pudding. Hope this helps! -Meggan

    1. Hi Sherisse, I am not sure. It’s a cake mix, so they make the rules. You could definitely try it, if you wanted to try it I’d use an equal part butter to the oil listed (1/2 butter, or 1 stick). I’m not sure what will happen. I can’t imagine it would taste bad… it just might change the baking time. I tried making a cake once with margarine instead of butter, and it took WAY longer to bake. So I don’t know if that means a cake with butter would be done sooner, not necessarily. I would just be prepared for anything! Thanks. -Meggan

  50. I am not too familiar with glazes, but next time I am going to make it quite a bit thicker. I recycled it three times over the cake and it still looks pretty bare. The taste is spot on though!5 stars

    1. Hi Nancy, we haven’t tried it with cook and serve pudding. But we know it tastes great with instant vanilla pudding if you can’t find instant lemon pudding. Hope this helps! -Meggan

  51. I’ve made this delicious lemon cake so many times and have passed it on to my sisters who have made it as well. We’ve all done variations of the basic recipe. One that I really enjoy is I replace half the water with amaretto. I put maraschino cherries in the bottom of the indentations on my Bundt pan. For the glaze I use powdered sugar and maraschino cherry juice.

    1. Hi Brunet26, I’m so sorry your cake fell! 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 on temperature, so the cake might have needed a little more time. I’m sorry again, I hope the next one turns out better! – Meggan

  52. I loved this recipe. I am making it for the second time and I am going to leave off the icing this time. I think the can can stand alone. I love anything lemon and it is so moist.5 stars

  53. This cake was AMAZING! I made it in my behive Nordicware pan and it released from the pan perfectly! My friends thought it was so delicious! Thanks for sharing it, I know I will make it again!5 stars

  54. I just finished making the glaze for this cake to take to a friends for dinner tonight and it was extremely runny. I followed the directions to a T and it just basically all ran off. I made another half batch and added a lot more powdered sugar. Has anyone else had this problem with the glaze? Thank you.

    1. I had the same issue. Just going to make it quite a bit thicker next time. I tried repairing it over a couple times but that didn’t help much. I have time to make another batch so going to see if that helps.

    2. Hi Jennifer, I’m sorry the glaze was too runny. I did write this glaze to be somewhat runny so it would drizzle well. I definitely recommend to adjust it to your liking, and make sure the cake is completely cooled before drizzling the glaze. Sorry about that! – Meggan

  55. Hi, would this recipe work for layer cake or cupcakes? I know I’d have to adjust for the times. Thanks! Ally

    1. Hi Aline, I haven’t tested this myself, but I don’t see why not! If you are going to make cupcakes, I would recommend using cooking spray, silicone, or greaseproof liners, so the batter doesn’t stick. The bake time would be greatly reduced as well, so I would check on them after 10 to 15 minutes. For layers, I believe this should yield two 8-inch rounds, but I can’t say for sure that they won’t come out as thin layers or possibly ruin your day. Thanks! -Meggan

    1. Hi Julie, I am not sure what effect sugar-free instant pudding would have. I feel like it would work just fine, though. I really don’t think it would affect it, I just haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. I’d love to hear if it worked for you! Thank you so much! – Meggan

  56. Love the cake itself. My mom has always made something similar without the lemon juice and zest. However, the glaze kind of tastes like soap? Wondering if this normal?

    1. Hi Melissa, I wonder if it has to do with the type of bowl the icing was mixed in. You’ll want to make sure to use a non-reactive bowl, such as glass. Otherwise, it could be the powdered sugar. Did you taste the sugar? I’m sorry it has that taste, it shouldn’t. – Meggan

  57. Love this recipe! I made a buntini version of this cake and delivered them to all of my girl friends on Christmas Eve with pints of vanilla bean ice cream and fresh raspberries and blackberries! WOW! My son (usually a cookie requester), asked me to make this cake for his next birthday. I’ve never received more compliments on a cake. Keep the amazing recipes coming! Thank you!5 stars

  58. This cake is absolutely delicious! The only change was milk substituted for water. It disappears quickly.
    Wonderful!5 stars

  59. This came out delicious, I am pleased with this recipe. The new DH Lemon cake mix works fine with this recipe. I added 1/2 teaspoon of lemon extract because I love a strong lemon taste.5 stars

    1. Hi Amy, I don’t see why not! I haven’t tested this myself, but I would think to check the size of the round pans you plan to use to make sure there is enough batter for them. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out! Thanks – Meggan

  60. I’ve been making this cake for years. My mother first made it with Lemon jello and then moved to the pudding. It’s been a favorite in my family since I was a little girl, and I’m a grandmother now myself.5 stars

    1. Hi Melissa, thanks for sharing! It’s so lovely when we can pass these happy family memories on through the food we make. – Meggan

  61. haven’t tried this recipe yet but was wondering about the size of the cake mix you used. Cake mixes had been 18.25 oz for years, but are now only 15 oz. (432 grams) – That’s about a 20% difference which, to me, will make quite a difference in the outcome.

    1. Hi Betty, good question! You’re right, every cake mix is 15.25 ounces now. I have made this cake many times in the last few years and I haven’t had any issues, so I think the recipe should work fine. I guess I don’t know when they switched the size of the cake mix. I also don’t know if they changed the formula overall so that it still produces the same size cake? They reduced the amount of cake mix, but they are still saying it makes a 9×13 or whatever, you know what I mean? So it should still be fine. But good question, I hadn’t thought about that! -Meggan

  62. I made this and it was a HUGE hit for my family that doesn’t normally love lemon desserts. So light and airy. I did convection bake mine and whisked the eggs together before I added them to the mix (might be why other reviewers tasted like an omelet). I macerated strawberries and they were the perfect compliment. Only change I would make next time, yes they want me to make it again, is putting less glaze on it. I tried to use all of it and it was just a bit too much for some. Thank you for this hit!!!!5 stars

  63. I made this lemon Bundt cake, it was delicious! I used skim milk in place of water and I used unsalted butter in place of oil. This was the best lemon cake ! Thank you5 stars

  64. My great niece would love this in a mini Bundt pan. I am not a baker so I am hoping if you could please tell me how I can make this in the mini pans. Thank you so much for all your delicious recipes!

    1. Hi Linda, I don’t know exactly for sure. I actually made these in a mini bundt pan several years ago, and I never made a note of how long I baked them. I would do a 350-degree oven for something like 20 to 25 minutes. Just let your nose be your guide, if you start to smell them, they might be getting close to done. Just test with toothpicks until they come out clean (possibly with a few dry crumbs attached). I know this recipe works in those pans. I just don’t remember the specifics. Thank you! Good luck, I hope this was helpful at least a little bit. -Meggan

  65. My aunt made this cake a lot and we loved it. Instead of water she used orange juice. I started making this and bringing to the office and now I get request for Lemon Bundt birthday cakes.5 stars

  66. Has anyone tried this recipe by substituting the oil with butter? My cake mix calls for 1 stick of butter and I wonder if that’s okay to stick with for this recipe!

    1. Hi Radhika! I am not sure. I feel like it would probably be okay (butter is so good, and if your cake mix calls for it, that would be based on the dry ingredients in the mix). If you have any tolerance for risk, it’s probably worth trying. But if it’s going to ruin your day if anything goes wrong… I don’t want to ruin your day! LOL! -Meggan

  67. The cake was ABSOLUTELY amazing my husband and I almost ate the entire cake in one night.5 stars

  68. Hi, what size Bundt pan do you use? I used the 9.75 and it didn’t seem tall! I am not sure of the taste yet as I am making it for my son-in-law for Father’s Day tomorrow. The batter tasted good so hopefully the cake will be nice and moist also! I was just curious what size you had used or recommended for this recipe!!

    1. Hi Dottie, I’m so sorry I didn’t answer you in time for Father’s Day. I use a standard bundt pan, 12-cup, the normal size. I am not sure why the cake seemed flat to you. Hopefully the cake was nice and moist and you enjoyed it – maybe it just isn’t as tall as you were expecting? Sorry again for not replying sooner! -Meggan

  69. Hi,
    Can you use lemon pound cake mix I stead of lemon cake mix? Nervous it will come out too dense since pound cake it usually slightly more dense than cake. Thank you

    1. Hi Cyrina, I am not sure. I have never tested it that way so I don’t know what would happen. It might be fine? It might be too dense? I really don’t know. I’m so sorry about that! -Meggan

  70. This is a very good cake recipe. Made as directed and microwaved in a silicone bundt pan for 8 minutes. It came out perfect.5 stars

  71. Was so excited to make this recipe as my mom used to make a similar one which I loved!!! Sadly, it turned out so poorly that I literally had to throw it in the trash. It tasted like a sweet lemon omelet….very dense and way too eggy. I went back to check to make sure I didn’t mess up but I followed the recipe to the letter!!! I bake a lot and so this was a real disappointment!!!!

    1. Hi Kris, what you’re describing makes absolutely NO sense. I am just wondering if your oven isn’t calibrated correctly or you somehow didn’t bake it at the right temperature. Hundreds of people have made this recipe (I have personally been making it for 20 years) and it has NEVER been a “sweet lemon omelet.” Maybe you used lemon jello instead of lemon pudding? I am very sorry it didn’t work for you. Clearly something went wrong, but it’s not the recipe. I’m really sorry about that. -Meggan

  72. Hi, do you think I could put a layer of cake mix in the pan and then add some fresh raspberries then add the rest of the cake mix on top of them? Thanks

    1. Hi Judy, while this sounds DELICIOUS, it makes me nervous. I haven’t tested it this way, but I know that raspberries have so much liquid, I would hate for your cake to tun to mush! Have you thought about trying raspberry coulis for a topping? I posted a recipe for it recently: https://www.culinaryhill.com/raspberry-coulis-recipe/ Hope whatever you try tastes delicious. -Meggan

  73. I do not have a lemon cake mix, but I have a Betty Crocker Pound Cake mix that I’m going to use to make the Lemon Bundt cake. What should I add to cake mix to make it taste more like a lemon box cake? And how much? Thanks so much!!

    1. Hi Jen, I’d add the lemon pudding and lemon zest and lemon juice like it’s called out in this recipe. I’m not exactly sure how lemony it will be. I’ve used vanilla pudding with the lemon cake mix and LOVED IT, but I’ve never tried a vanilla (pound) cake with lemon pudding. I would basically just follow the recipe as you see it written and sub in your pound cake. But it might not work, I’m sorry I can’t say for sure! It should be fine, but I just don’t know. Sorry about that. Good luck! -Meggan

    2. Hi Jen – I just made this cake with vanilla cake mix instead of lemon cake mix. Followed the rest of the recipe. It came out plenty lemony for me.

    1. It’s 1 teaspoon! Not a stupid question. Sometimes it’s as much as you can get from the lemons you have (like maybe it calls for 1 teaspoon but you can’t quite get the much, generally the world won’t end). Or maybe you have a lot and you want to use it all. Just try it and you’ll see what I mean! I love lemon zest. Let me know if I can help with anything else. -Meggan

    1. Hi Lauren, I think so? I don’t know? I have never tried that in a cake mix. I can’t imagine what could go wrong, but it *seems* like it would probably be fine? I have a yellow cake I can try it out with, so I’ll try to test that in the next day or so and let you know. Thanks! -Meggan

  74. I had 2 cups of fresh blueberries about to go bad so I tossed them in flour and layered them throughout the batter. Lemon and blueberry are such great pairings! Thanks for the recipe.5 stars

    1. Hi Carol, I haven’t tried lemon olive oil. I haven’t even heard of that! I have some kind of lemon oil in my cupboard, but it’s a concentrated one, not olive oil (I was going to use it to try to make lemon-flavored pizzelle). I do have a lemon olive oil cake recipe that’s really good and also vegan, in case that interests you. https://www.culinaryhill.com/lemon-olive-oil-cake/
      Good luck and please let me know if you need anything else! Thanks! -Meggan

  75. Silly question but could you also do this with orange boxed cake and use orange juce/extract in place of lemon?

    1. Hi Elp, I’m sure you could! I haven’t tried it, but I can’t think of a reason why not? -Meggan

    2. I’ve used the orange box mix and turned it into margarita cake. I add grand marnier to the mix and the glaze I use grand marnier and tequila. Garnish it with orange and lime slices.

  76. Hi Meggan,
    What’s the best way to store this if I am making it the day before? Also should I wait to put the glaze on it?

    Thanks!

    1. Hi Erika, just store it at room temperature covered. You could wait on the glaze or not, if shouldn’t really matter. But just wait until the glaze has hardened before you cover it! Thanks! -Meggan

  77. Hello,

    I made the glaze with lemon juice and vanilla but it’s solid. There’s no way to drizzle it. Am I missing a liquid component? I don’t think 3 tablespoons of lemon juice is enough to dilute 2 cups of powdered sugar.

    1. Hi Sue, I am so sorry. I retested this a few weeks ago and it should be 1/4 cup of lemon juice and not 3 tablespoons. I updated the recipe. I hope you were able to add more liquid and use the glaze! Sorry about that!

  78. I love this recipe. It’s so easy to make. I have made it several times and my husband loves it! Absolutely delicious and very tasty too! Thanks for sharing ! :)5 stars

    1. Hi Debbie, you can. It won’t have as strong of a lemony flavor as using lemon pudding, but if you like how it tastes, that’s all that matters. Thanks! -Meggan

    2. Hi Debbie, I just wanted to let you know I made the Lemon Bundt Cake with vanilla pudding this weekend. I loved it! I used a Duncan Hines lemon cake mix which had plenty of lemon flavor. I now think the pudding is just there to make the cake more moist. Sure it adds flavor, but not enough to drown out the cake mix. The vanilla pudding was really great. I absolutely loved it. I would use that again in the future. Thanks for the idea! -Meggan

  79. I made 2 of these for an event and they were delicious. There was no leftover cake! I agree that the bright yellow color screams “artificial color” but the taste outweighs this minor fault. I thought the glaze tasted too sugary so I added 2 Tlb. Of melted butter and it was much better (for my taste buds).5 stars

  80. I made your lemon bundt cake, absolutely amazingly good. I put the left over cake in the refrigerator and tasted even better the next day!!!!!

    My question is, can I make this cake ahead and freeze?5 stars

    1. Hi Mary Kay! I’m so happy you enjoyed the cake. Yes, you can absolutely freeze it. Make sure you let the cake cool completely, and then I would recommend wrapping it in press n’ seal first, and then a layer of aluminum foil after that. It should be good for 4-6 months! Thanks! -Meggan

  81. I made your lemon bundt cake, absolutely amazingly good. I put the left over cake in the refractor and tasted even better the next day!!!!!

    My question is, can I make this cake ahead and freeze?5 stars

  82. The intro to recipe mentions milk as ingredient for glaze but it’s not listed in the actual recipe.   My cake is cooling now and I don’t know how much milk to use in the glaze!   Please help

    1. Hi Kathy, I’m so sorry I didn’t see this yesterday. I changed the glaze from one using milk to the one shown in the recipe, but I forgot to update the instructions. I did this for food safety reasons – I feel like glazes containing milk require that the dessert be refrigerated. So I changed it! I’m so sorry. I hope you were able to proceed. I’ll fix the recipe now. Sorry again. I feel terrible. -Meggan

    1. Hi Brenda, for the cake mix, I always go for the cheapest one out of Betty Crocker or Pillsbury (it seems like one is always on sale), and I get the 15.25 ounce box. I don’t notice a difference between them. For the pudding, I use the JELLO brand instant pudding, 3.4 ounce box. Let me know if you have any other questions! :D -Meggan

    1. Hi Ken, I am not sure. It’s a cake mix, so they make the rules. You could definitely try it, if you wanted to try it I’d use an equal part butter to the oil listed (1/2 butter, or 1 stick). I’m not sure what will happen. I can’t imagine it would taste bad… it just might change the baking time. I’m not sure. I tried making a cake once with margarine instead of butter, and it took WAY longer to bake. So I don’t know if that means a cake with butter would be done sooner, not necessarily. I would just be prepared for anything! Thanks. -Meggan

  83. Have you ever made this in 9 inch rounds or in a 9×13. Our daughter has requested a (butterfly-shaped) lemon cake for her birthday, and given all of the great reviews of this bundt cake, I wonder if it can be adapted for a more traditional birthday cake shape. Thank you!

    1. Hi Jessica, NO! You can’t omit the pudding! It will be disgusting. I just tried it. I had a cake mix with “pudding in the mix” and I made the recipe exactly as written except I omitted the pudding. The cake was flatter (makes sense because the pudding added volume), not nearly sweet enough (the pudding obviously has a lot of sugar and other ingredients here, like extra eggs and oil, etc. diluted the sweetness). It was also really dry. Nearly inedible. I was able to eat some, but it was bad. I don’t recommend it. You could try making the cake as written on the box, just in a bundt pan, if they have baking instructions for bundt pans. I think that would probably work a lot better. Good luck! I hope I responded in time and saved you from making a disappointing cake. -Meggan

  84. Hi Meggan,
    I am planning on making this cake in a few days for a party and am thinking of using a tube pan (with a cream cheese icing). I just wanted to make sure the baking time would be the same.
    Thanks.5 stars

    1. Hi Bunny, thank you for the question. We haven’t tested this recipe in a tube pan, so we don’t know for sure. I suggest checking the cake five minutes earlier just in case, and then every five minutes after until it’s done. I’m sure it will be a huge hit at the party! :) -Meggan

  85. I’ve made at least two of these cakes every month for the past two years for work and my residents love it still. They always ask when I’m making more lemon cake. It’s my bartering tool to get people who don’t attend activities to actually come out. Everyone loves this cake.5 stars

    1. Hi Julia, your comment makes my life so much better. This is great, it makes me so happy. thank you for trying the cake and sharing your experience! Bartering tool, heh heh! Thanks again. ;) -Meggan

  86. I made this as directed but the glaze turned out way too runny and soaked in.   I had to add more powdered sugar to thicken.   Also the vanilla extract made it kind of brown, so I put a couple drops of yellow food coloring in to make it look nicer.  Next time I will use closer to 1 3/4 cups sugar, skip the vanilla and maybe skip the milk as well.  I like things really tart and lemony.  4 stars

    1. Yes! I just bought some lemon extract too, so I’ll try it out myself. That’s a much better idea, using lemon extract! Just taste it and make sure you like it (just in case the swap isn’t 1 to 1). Thanks Lynn!

  87. I made this cake this week and it came out perfect and delicious. I want to make it again next month. Do you know of any reason that I couldn’t simply fold in a bunch of blueberries or raspberries into the mix, before baking? Would I need to increase the baking time, or make any other changes?

    1. Hi Kimie, I’m so glad you liked it! I can’t really think of a reason why you couldn’t fold in some fruit. Baking times are always a range anyway given variations across appliances. I’m willing to test it, though, and let you know. I will have time to test it next Monday which should be well enough in advance for your next planned baking session! I will let you know how it turns out. Thanks!

    2. Hi Kimie! I added 6 ounces of fresh blueberries to this cake and it worked beautifully. I made NO changes to the recipe other than stirring in the blueberries right before I poured the batter into the prepared bundt pan. I would stay away from strawberries due to their high water content. I’m not sure about raspberries specifically, but the blueberries were perfect! Good luck and thanks.

  88. Made this for my Grandmother’s birthday! Tastes amazing!! So simple, yet so much better. Thank you!5 stars

  89. Awesome cake! I cooked it a bit long so the outside was a bit darker but still moist and tasty. The only change I made was to replace more of the water with lemon juice. My son couldn’t believe how lemony this cake was. Very easy recipe. Thank you for posting and for the great pictures!5 stars

  90. Thank you for the response! I love this recipe as a bundt but wanted to take some to my son 1000 miles away and thought loaves would travel better. I will definitely be trying the blueberry lemon loaf, I love all things lemon-blueberry and blueberry season is just around the corner.

    1. Hi Ronda, yes I’m sure you can. 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.

      I also have a from-scratch Blueberry Lemon Loaf that is made with Greek yogurt and makes just 1 loaf. You could omit the blueberries. Might not be what you are looking for at all, but just another option: https://www.culinaryhill.com/blueberry-lemon-yogurt-cake/

  91. Hi Meggan
    Thanks for answering my email.

    I am goona try a white packaged cake mix. Ill let you know the results.5 stars

  92. Hi.. can i use buttermilk instead of water in the mix? Also please suggest what to do if i find the cake mix too sweet… how can i reduce the sweetness for the same recipe?
    Thanks.

    1. Hi Isbah, off the top of my head I cannot say whether you could swap in buttermilk. The reason is, when buttermilk reacts with leavening agents (such as baking powder or baking soda, or whatever it is happens to be in the cake mix), it creates extra leavening power. It might not be a problem, but IF it was, it might make the cake puff up super high when baking, and then fall. Without testing it, I don’t know for sure, but that is what concerns me. You could certainly try it and see what happens.

      As far as if the cake mix is too sweet, I am not really sure immediately how to solve that problem. You could potentially add more flour, but then that would mess up the whole recipe (your ingredient ratios would be off, and if you added more of everything else, the cake might be too big to fit in the pan).

      I do have a Hot Milk Cake recipe which I know for a fact is not overly sweet. It’s made from scratch and it uses milk (not buttermilk, but milk), and it’s a great recipe. I feel like if you are worried about a cake being too sweet, you should try the Hot Milk Cake: https://www.culinaryhill.com/old-fashioned-hot-milk-cake-recipe/
      I haven’t tried adding any kind of lemon flavor to it, so if that’s what you’re hoping for, this won’t work for you. Because lemon juice is acidic and could react with leavening agents, I’d have to test the recipe before saying that you can just go ahead and add lemon juice. Lemon zest wouldn’t be a problem, but on its own it probably wouldn’t pack the lemon flavor you are looking for (that is, if you’re looking for lemon flavor).

      If you have any other questions, please let me know! Good luck. I wish I could be of further help.

    2. Hi Barbra, i made this cake and everyone liked it. For the extra sweetness, i did some research, the tip is to add 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice. Since this recipe already has lemon juice i only added salt, and it wasnt too sweet. Also tried this with chocolate cake mix and worked beautifully.
      5 stars

    1. Hi Barbara, I don’t see why not. If you try it, I’d love to hear if it worked for you! Thanks!

    1. Hi Linda, my guess is if you doubled the recipe, it would spill out over the pan. Unless you had an extra-large bundt pan? Please let me know if you give this a shot, I’d love to hear how it works! :D

  93. Meghan, following your recipe but my cake mix calls for 1/3 vegetable oil. Can I leave that out? Extra calories I don’t need..5 stars

    1. Hi Connie, yes! To make sure your cake doesn’t dry out like cardboard, are you willing to sub in 1/3 cup of applesauce? You won’t even miss the oil then… Thanks!

  94. Hi Meggan. Can you use this recipe for cupcakes instead of a bundt pan? I have a church function and need to bring cupcakes.
    Thanks;!5 stars

    1. Hi Debbie, I’m sure you can! I just need to test it and make sure. When is your church function? I can test the cupcakes this weekend. Just let me know if that is too late. Thank you for your patience!

    2. Hello Meggan, Did you ever try it out? I have made the bundt cake before but I was wondering if you had tried it? I need to do this today for a Saturday party. I have 5 other items to make for a graduation party and my son requested lemon cupcakes.

    3. Hi Elaine, I’m making them today. Sorry for slacking off, I will advise in a couple of hours!!! I’m sure it will be fine but I just want to give you the info you need. So sorry again. I’ll be in touch. I’ll email you AND reply here with the info. Thanks!

    4. Hi Elaine! I just finished. The recipe works GREAT for cupcakes (not that I had doubts about that). Here’s what you need to know.
      1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees for a shiny muffin tin, or 350 degrees for a dark or nonstick muffin tin.
      2. Line muffin tin with paper liners and coat them with nonstick spray (I do this to make sure nothing sticks, ever).
      3. Prepare the batter as directed in the bundt cake.
      4. Fill muffin tins about halfway, approximately 3 tablespoons of batter per muffin cup. I found it easiest to use a 1/4 cup measuring cup and not fill it all the way (or fill it all the way and let some stick to the bottom of the cup between scoops which happens naturally anyway).
      5. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean with a few crumbs attachd. Make sure you rotate your pans halfway through baking time so the cupcakes all finish at the same time.

      Anything else you need to know? They are great! I will send this to you in an email too. Thanks for your patience and good luck with the party!

    5. Thank you Meggan! I am doing them today 😉 Last night I finished my reese’s cheesecake bits and cold pasta. Today I am working on Lemon cupcakes and deviled eggs. We have 70 people coming tomorrow. I am also thinking about doing Peanut butter captain crunch cupcakes. Our son live peanut butter captain crunch. I just trying to figure out cake mix to use for it 🤔 Any ideas on this one ? Thank for the help ❤

  95. This website is completely awesome. I’ve search through these recipes a great deal and I view it that is good written, easy to understand.
    5 stars

  96. Made this today with a light cream cheese frosting and used raspberries on top!
    This cakes the bomb (5) stars!!5 stars

  97. Wow this is delicious! I made it today and it was seriously the most delightful cake I’ve ever made. A definite keeper! I will say my glaze more so soaked into the cake rather than stayed on top as an icing, I’m not quite sure why but it was delicious and pretty either way. 5 stars

  98. I can’t wait to try this recipe. I will be making it tomorrow. I was wondering is it possible to use this recipe with spring form pans instead of a bundt pan.4 stars

  99. Can you make the cake the night before and refrigerate it, and then make and apply the glaze the next day before a party?5 stars

  100. I am going to make this lemon cake for a Holiday party.  I am using mint and maraschino cherries as holly around the bottom of the cake.

    1. Hi Vickie, that is the most adorable idea ever! Do you mind if I steal it?? Thank you so much for stopping by and take care!

  101. Question what was your answer for using sugar free pudding? I’m diabetic and any way I can cut the sugar super! Love 🍋 also can it be made as a regular cake?5 stars

  102. Trying this now! Since the cake is from a mix…..I decided to make a homemade glaze/topping and am attempting a homemade lemon curd. Hopefully, the tartness will refreshingly accompany the lemon cake!

  103. Hi Meggan!  Made this  for  my co  workers and it was a  huge  success !   Didn’t  last  long!  Getting  ready  to  make another  now….5 stars

    1. Thank you so much Ursula! I used to make this for work when I went to an office and it was always a hit. :) So glad your coworkers loved it! Thank you again and take care!

  104. Hi Meggan,

    Thank you for the recipe. I am making lemon bundt cakes for a church meeting, and was hoping to find a recipe that uses a cake mix. This looks like a good one!

    Thanks again. Lisa

    1. Hi Lisa! This Bundt cake is absolutely spectacular. I think you will really enjoy it, at least I hope you and everyone else at church does! It’s a keeper for sure. Good luck and thank you so much for your comment. Take care.

  105. Love lemon cake and this one sounds delicious! One question, can sugar free instant pudding be used in this recipe?

    1. Hi Debbie! I am not sure what effect sugar free instant pudding would have. I feel like it would work just fine, though. I really don’t think it would affect it, I just haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. When I get a chance to try that, I’ll update the recipe. If you happen to try it, too, I’d love to hear what you think! Thank you so much!

  106. Hello, just a quick question…when it says under # 2 “stir to combine”, does that mean you literally just stir everything together with a spoon?  No mixer or beaters?

    Thanks!

    1. Hi Lisa! Yes, well my preferred tool is a rubber spatula, but same difference. I should probably say “stir vigorously” and/or offer the option of using beaters, I just don’t do that for this cake. It’s pretty fool proof without an extra horsepower! I hope this helps. I’ll fix up the post though and suggest that just in case. Thank you!

  107. Fabulous easy recipe!  I garnished it with fresh flowers in the center and strawberries surrounding it.  Lovely!

    1. That DOES sound lovely! What a great idea. I’m requesting that for Mother’s Day… flowers and all! :) Thanks for sharing!

  108. When I make the lemon bundt cake my recipe calls for lemon jello…not lemon pudding and it gives it a great flavor and is really moist.  

    1. Hey Beverly, that’s really interesting! I’m always up for trying something new, and I cannot imagine how this could end badly. Thanks so much for the suggestion!!

  109. Lemon is such a great flavor. I am going to use this recipe for Easter. I think I will do a raspberry glaze on it just to give it some Easer color.5 stars

  110. Mornin’ Meggan.  I’ll be incorporating these flavoring and moisture-building ideas into the next gluten-free lemon cake I bake because like you said, “Who doesn’t like lemon?”  Dave
    PS:  I’ll likely zest one lemon and throw it into the batter as well.  Meyers are in season and they excel in flavor.   Yum!5 stars

    1. Thank you, Luciana! I hope you enjoy it. It’s definitely one of my favorites, people always think it is from a bakery. :) Thanks for stopping by!

  111. Hi Yvette, I’m so sorry your cake came out that way. I’ve never had this problem but I’m thinking either your cake was overcooked or the eggs weren’t beaten enough. Another possibility is that perhaps you used lemon jello instead of pudding? – Meggan