A Bundt cake is mostly about one thing: getting it out of the pan in one piece. This lemon version makes that easier than most, because the batter is rich with butter and the pan gets a proper coat of nonstick spray before anything goes in. Bake it at 350°F for 50 minutes and you get a ring of cake that serves eight.
Two lemon layers go on after baking. First a thin glaze of sugar and lemon juice, brushed on while the cake is warm so it sinks into the crumb. Then a thick icing that sets on top. Skip the first one and the cake still tastes fine, but it will be drier.
You need a 10-inch Bundt pan, a hand mixer and about an hour of cooling time before the icing goes anywhere near it. Everything else is pantry stuff.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the oven and prep
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 350°F. Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan thoroughly, getting into the corners of every ridge and around the center tube.
2. Mix the dry ingredients
Whisk the flour and baking powder together in a medium bowl. Set it aside.
3. Cream butter, sugar and salt
Beat the butter, sugar and salt in a large bowl with a hand mixer for about 3 minutes, until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl once or twice.
4. Beat in the eggs
Crack in the eggs one by one, mixing each fully before the next. Then beat in the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla.
5. Add flour and milk in turns
Beat in half the flour mixture. Pour in the milk and beat again. Add the rest of the flour and mix only until you cannot see dry streaks. Scrape the bowl and fold in anything stuck to the sides.
6. Fill the pan and bake
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles. Bake for 50 minutes. Doneness cue: a skewer pushed into the thickest part comes out with no wet batter on it.
7. Make the glaze while it bakes
Stir the 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup lemon juice in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute, stopping halfway to stir, until the sugar dissolves. Set it aside.
8. Make the icing
Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl, add the 3 tablespoons lemon juice and whisk until smooth. It should ribbon off the whisk slowly. Cover it so it does not dry out.
9. Cool and unmold
Leave the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges if it looks like it is catching, then turn it out onto a wire rack with a baking sheet underneath to catch drips.
10. Brush on the glaze
Poke holes across the top and down the sides with a skewer. Brush the lemon glaze over the cake in several passes. If it runs straight off, give the cake a few more minutes and keep brushing.
11. Ice and finish
Let the cake cool completely, at least 1 hour. Pour the icing over the top and let it run down the sides. Grate fresh zest over the wet icing. Leave it about 30 minutes to set, then move the cake to a plate and slice.
How to Store Lemon Bundt Cake
Refrigerator
Keep it covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Once sliced, press plastic wrap against the cut faces so they do not dry out.
Freezer
Freeze slices wrapped tightly for up to 2 months. Freeze the cake before icing if you plan to keep it whole, then ice it after thawing.
Reheating
A slice in the microwave for 15 seconds brings back the soft texture. Do not microwave the iced top or it will slide off.
Variations
Lemon poppy seed
stir 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds into the dry ingredients.
Orange version
swap the lemon zest and juice for orange in all three parts. The method stays the same.
Loaf pan
the batter fits a standard 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, but start checking at 45 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did my Bundt cake stick to the pan?
Usually one of two things: the pan was not sprayed into every ridge, or the cake sat in the pan too long after baking. Ten minutes is the window. Run a thin knife around the edges and the tube before flipping.
Q: Can I use bottled lemon juice?
You can, but the cake will taste flatter because lemon is the whole point here. Fresh juice from two or three lemons covers the cake, the glaze and the icing.
Q: How do I know the cake is done without opening the oven early?
Wait until the 50 minute mark, then test with a skewer in the thickest part. It should come out clean or with a few dry crumbs. The top should spring back when you press it lightly.
Q: Can I make the icing ahead?
Yes, whisk it and keep it covered at room temperature for a few hours. Stir it again before pouring, and add a drop of lemon juice if it has stiffened.
Q: Does the glaze make the cake soggy?
No, it soaks in and keeps the crumb moist. Poke the holes first so it goes into the cake instead of pooling on the surface.
Lemon Bundt Cake With Glaze and Lemon Icing
A soft lemon Bundt cake soaked in warm lemon glaze and finished with thick lemon icing. One pan, 50 minutes in the oven, and enough for eight slices.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven and prep — Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 350°F. Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan thoroughly, getting into the corners of every ridge and around the center tube.
- 2Mix the dry ingredients — Whisk the flour and baking powder together in a medium bowl. Set it aside.
- 3Cream butter, sugar and salt — Beat the butter, sugar and salt in a large bowl with a hand mixer for about 3 minutes, until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl once or twice.
- 4Beat in the eggs — Crack in the eggs one by one, mixing each fully before the next. Then beat in the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla.
- 5Add flour and milk in turns — Beat in half the flour mixture. Pour in the milk and beat again. Add the rest of the flour and mix only until you cannot see dry streaks. Scrape the bowl and fold in anything stuck to the sides.
- 6Fill the pan and bake — Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles. Bake for 50 minutes. Doneness cue: a skewer pushed into the thickest part comes out with no wet batter on it.
- 7Make the glaze while it bakes — Stir the 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup lemon juice in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute, stopping halfway to stir, until the sugar dissolves. Set it aside.
- 8Make the icing — Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl, add the 3 tablespoons lemon juice and whisk until smooth. It should ribbon off the whisk slowly. Cover it so it does not dry out.
- 9Cool and unmold — Leave the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges if it looks like it is catching, then turn it out onto a wire rack with a baking sheet underneath to catch drips.
- 10Brush on the glaze — Poke holes across the top and down the sides with a skewer. Brush the lemon glaze over the cake in several passes. If it runs straight off, give the cake a few more minutes and keep brushing.
- 11Ice and finish — Let the cake cool completely, at least 1 hour. Pour the icing over the top and let it run down the sides. Grate fresh zest over the wet icing. Leave it about 30 minutes to set, then move the cake to a plate and slice.
Maya writes about easy American cookies and bars, plus eggs and breakfast casseroles for busy mornings. She focuses on pantry-friendly ingredients, reliable bake times, and make-ahead steps that fit real weekday schedules. Her recipes keep instructions short and checkpoints clear so nothing gets overbaked or underdone.
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