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This is the Best Moist Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe you’ll ever try! Made completely from scratch with fresh lemons, this homemade lemon bundt cake has an incredible texture and so much citrus flavor that it’s a must-try for all the lemon lovers out there.
You can never really go wrong with a bundt cake. At first sight, you know they’re uniquely special because of the intricate patterns made from the bundt cake pan and the icing glaze on top. Then, when you slice into them, they’re almost too tender to eat, that mouthfeel is absolutely unmatched!
Now don’t get me wrong, I love all the flavors, especially a rich chocolate or spiced cinnamon. But this homemade lemon bundt cake just hits different. There’s not one, not two, but three layers of fresh lemon flavor!! Lemon zest and juice in the batter, a warm lemon syrup soak, and a thick lemon glaze on top. If that sounds like too much for you, you can turn back now. But if you’re like me, then I know you can’t wait to get started.
What makes this the best lemon bundt cake recipe? It uses both butter AND oil, so you get that rich buttery flavor while the oil keeps every single slice moist for days. Plus the flour-cornstarch combo gives you a super tender crumb without needing cake flour. This is the from-scratch lemon bundt cake recipe I wish I had years ago.
Let’s Chit Chat
I’ve been developing dessert recipes for years now, and lemon cakes are one of those things that sound simple but are surprisingly tricky to get right. The biggest complaint I see with most lemon bundt cake recipes is that they’re either dry, not lemony enough, or both.
That’s exactly why I built this recipe the way I did. Most lemon bundt cake recipes out there rely on just lemon juice in the batter and call it a day. But lemon juice alone doesn’t give you that punchy, bright lemon flavor you’re craving, a lot of that citrus punch bakes out in the oven. So I went with a triple lemon approach: zest rubbed into the sugar to release all those aromatic oils, fresh juice in the batter for acidity, and then a warm lemon syrup brushed on right after baking to lock in moisture AND add another wave of lemon.
I also tested this recipe with just butter, just oil, and then a combination of both. Butter-only versions tasted amazing but dried out faster. Oil-only was moist but lacked that rich, bakery-style flavor. The combo of butter and oil gave me the best of both worlds, tender, rich, and stays moist for days. That’s the version you’re getting here.
I tested this cake multiple times before publishing it, and every single batch disappeared within a day. It’s one of those recipes that looks impressive enough for a special occasion but is easy enough to make on a random weekday when you just want something sweet. Trust me on this one!
Since you’re here and love easy cake recipes, check out this Moist Vanilla Bundt Cake, this Blueberry Lemon Loaf Cake, or this Moist Honey Tea Cake Loaf Just Like Grandma’s.
Ingredients You Need
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this great recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the detailed ingredient measurements.
For the Lemon Cake
- All-Purpose Flour: provides the cake’s structure and ensures it holds together while remaining soft.
- Cornstarch: helps create a tender crumb by softening the flour.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: act as the leavening agents.
- Fine Salt: enhances the overall flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted Butter: adds richness to the moist cake.
- Granulated Sugar: sweetens the cake.
- Eggs: bind the ingredients together while adding moisture and structure.
- Vanilla Extract: deepens the flavor and complements the citrus notes.
- Lemon Zest: infuses the cake with a bright lemon flavor using the aromatic oils from the peel. You’ll need the zest of about 3-4 lemons for this.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: provides tangy citrus brightness and reacts with baking soda for a better rise.
- Sour Cream: adds moisture and a slight tang for a rich cake texture.
- Whole Milk or Buttermilk: helps loosen the batter while contributing to a soft crumb.
- Neutral Oil: keeps the cake moist and tender, preventing it from drying out.
For the Lemon Syrup
- Fresh Lemon Juice: intensifies the citrus flavor and adds extra moisture.
- Granulated Sugar: dissolves into the lemon juice to create a simple syrup that soaks into the cake.
Lemon Icing Ingredients
- Powdered Sugar: forms the base of the glaze, giving it sweetness and a smooth consistency.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: adds a tart and tangy punch while thinning out the glaze.
- Milk or Heavy Cream: provides extra creaminess and richness.
How to make the Best Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
This is how you can make this lemon pound cake. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for the oven temp, baking time, and full step-by-step instructions!
Prepare and Bake the Cake
- Preheat your oven and generously grease and flour a 10–12 cup bundt pan, or use a nonstick baking spray like Baker’s Joy for easier release. If using melted shortening, ensure every nook and cranny of the pan is coated.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest, rubbing them together with your fingertips to release the lemon’s natural oils.
- Add the softened butter to the sugar mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Incorporate the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is fully mixed in before adding the next.
- Stir in the vanilla extract, fresh lemon juice, sour cream, and oil, ensuring everything is well blended.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, alternating with the milk. Start and finish with the flour mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender texture.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan, smooth with a rubber spatula, and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Infuse with Lemon Syrup
- While the cake is baking, combine lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat until the sugar fully dissolves.
- Once the cake is out of the oven, use a skewer or toothpick to poke small holes in the top of the whole cake. While still warm, apply the lemon syrup over the top of the cake with a pastry brush, allowing it to soak in.
- Let the cake cool in the pan before carefully inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare the Homemade Lemon Glaze
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and heavy cream in a bowl until the glaze is smooth and thick enough to coat the cooled cake generously.
- Drizzle the glaze over the baked cake, letting it cascade down the sides for a beautiful finish.
Easy Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe Tips and Tricks for Best Results
- Use fresh lemon juice, never bottled. Bottled lemon juice has a flat, almost metallic taste compared to fresh. You’ll need about 5-6 lemons total for the batter, syrup, and glaze.
- Make sure your refrigerated ingredients are at room temperature. Cold eggs and sour cream don’t incorporate as well into the batter, which can lead to a dense cake. Pull them out about 30-45 minutes before you start.
- Mix in ½ teaspoon of lemon extract to the batter for an extra zesty kick. This is totally optional but takes the lemon flavor up a notch.
- Use a kitchen scale instead of a measuring cup to weigh your flour for better accuracy. Too much flour is the #1 reason cakes turn out dry and dense. If you don’t have a scale, use the spoon-and-level method — spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Never scoop directly from the bag.
- Over-baking is the most common reason for dry cake. Start checking for doneness at 45-48 minutes. The cake should still look slightly underdone in the center, it continues baking as it cools in the pan.
- Don’t skip the lemon syrup step! This is what takes the cake from good to “best lemon bundt cake I’ve ever had.” The warm syrup soaks into the crumb while the cake is still hot, adding moisture and an extra layer of lemon flavor.
- Grease your bundt pan like your life depends on it. Bundt cakes are notorious for sticking. I recommend a nonstick baking spray like Baker’s Joy, OR my cake goop brushed into every single nook and cranny, then dusted with flour. Don’t skip the crevices, those decorative ridges are exactly where the cake loves to stick.
Why This Is the Best Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
- Triple lemon flavor — lemon zest in the batter, lemon syrup soak, and lemon glaze means every bite is bursting with bright, fresh citrus.
- Stays moist for days — the butter and oil combo and lemon syrup soak keep this cake incredibly tender, even on day 3.
- No cake mix needed — this is a from-scratch lemon bundt cake that’s still easy enough for a beginner baker.
- Impressive enough for special occasions — bridal showers, Easter, Mother’s Day, birthdays — this cake looks and tastes like it came from a bakery.
- One of my all-time favorite lemon desserts — I’ve made this more times than I can count and I know you’ll love it just as much!
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ
Canola, vegetable, or avocado oil all work great for this recipe. You want something with a neutral flavor so it doesn’t compete with the lemon.
You’ll need a 10-12 cup bundt pan for this recipe. If you’re not sure what size yours is, fill it with water using a measuring cup to check the capacity. A standard bundt pan is usually 10 cups.
Yes, you can bake this batter in two 9×5 loaf pans or a 9×13 cake pan. Just know that the baking times will be different, loaf pans typically need 45-55 minutes, and a 9×13 pan may need closer to 35-40 minutes. Start checking early.
Yes you can still bake this batter in loaf pans or a regular cake pan. Just know that the cooking times will be different for each.
Yes! This is a 100% homemade lemon bundt cake from scratch, no cake mixes, no pudding mixes, no shortcuts. Just real butter, fresh lemons, sour cream, and pantry staples. That’s what gives it such an incredible flavor and texture.
A few things work together here: the combination of butter and oil in the batter (butter for flavor, oil for moisture), sour cream for richness and tang, and the warm lemon syrup that soaks into the cake right after baking. That syrup step is the secret weapon, it adds moisture AND an extra layer of lemon flavor.
I suggest wrapping each slice individually in plastic wrap to keep the cake as moist as possible. You can also store the whole cake in an airtight container, it just may dry out slightly faster. Room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freezer for up to a month.
Sure! You can bake the cake the night before and wrap it tightly is plastic wrap once it’s cool. Glaze it the next day, allow the glaze to set for a little and serve!
This cake is perfect as a tea time treat, but can also be served after dinner to your friends and family! I loved serving it after this slumgullion or even after this Cuban casserole!
Yes, you can use full-fat Greek yogurt as a 1:1 replacement. It provides a similar texture and tangy flavor. Don’t use low-fat or non-fat versions though, you need the fat for moisture.
For a thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time. For a thinner, more drizzly consistency, add a bit more lemon juice or milk. I like mine thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, it should slowly drip down the sides of the cake, not run off.
This is the #1 question I get about bundt cakes! The key is generous greasing — use a nonstick baking spray with flour (like Baker’s Joy), or brush this cake goop into every single groove and dust with flour. Let the cake cool in the pan for exactly 15 minutes before inverting, too short and it falls apart, too long and the sugar starts to glue it to the pan.
Yes! Adding ½ teaspoon of lemon extract to the batter gives you an even more intense lemon punch. It’s totally optional but I recommend it if you really love lemon.
The Best Moist Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Lemon Bundt Cake:
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Zest of 3-4 large lemons
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice about two lemons
- ½ cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1/4 cup whole milk or buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/3 cup neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
Lemon Syrup (For Extra Moisture!)
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
Thick Lemony Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice adjust for thickness
- 1-2 tablespoon milk or heavy cream for extra richness
Instructions
Make the Lemon Bundt Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- In a large mixing bowl add the sugar and lemon zest and rub everything together with your fingers to release the lemon oils.2 cups granulated sugar, Zest of 3-4 large lemons
- Add in the softened butter to the sugar and beat on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.4 large eggs
- Mix in the vanilla extract, lemon juice, sour cream, and oil until fully combined.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, ½ cup sour cream, room temperature, 1/3 cup neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
- Gradually add the dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, don’t overmix!1/4 cup whole milk or buttermilk, room temperature
- Generously grease and flour a 10-12 cup bundt pan or Baker's Joy non stick spray if you want something easier. You can also use melted shortening just make sure to get it in every crack and crevice, then dust with flour to cover every area of the pan.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 48-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
Soak in Lemon Syrup (for Extra Moisture!)
- While the cake bakes, heat 1/3 cup lemon juice + 1/3 cup sugar in a saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves.1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- Once the cake is out of the oven, poke holes in the top with a skewer or toothpick and brush the warm syrup all over the cake while it’s still hot.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Thick Lemony Glaze
- Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and heavy cream until smooth and thick enough to coat the cake generously.2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1-2 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
- Pour over the cooled bundt cake, letting it drip down the sides. Top with more lemon zest if you'd like
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolutely DELICIOUS!!! This recipe is a winner 🥳
Thank you so much!
Absolutely DELICIOUS!!!!
Thank you!!
Hi! Can I or should I make this cake with cake flour? I feel that it makes my cakes more moist instead of dry. Let me know if cake flour is a good idea for this recipe.
Hi 🙂 you definitely can! But since I haven’t tested it with that flour, I’m not sure what the exact measurements would be. The combination in this recipe of regular flour and cornstarch is used for replicating cake flour so the textures could just end up being similar. I know the swapping ratio is 1 cup and 2 tbls of cake flour for 1 cup of AP flour, so you could start there. Give it a shot and let me know how it goes!
I made this today for my Mom’s 91st birthday. It was so good! Everyone loved it! Another of the many awesome recipes I have made from your blog! Thank you!! 🙏😊
It makes me so happy that you have tried other recipes from the website!!