This is my mom’s lemon Bundt cake recipe, and it’s been on her dessert table my entire life. Made with a box of cake mix and instant lemon pudding, it comes together in minutes and finishes with a bright, sweet lemon glaze that makes every slice feel special.
More Easy Lemon Desserts
Before You Get Started
A few things that make a real difference with this cake:
- Don’t skip the pudding mix. Add the dry mix straight to the batter; no need to prepare it. The gelatin in the pudding keeps this cake moist and fluffy all the way through, which matters especially in a Bundt pan where the bake time is longer.
- Grease the pan thoroughly. Coat every curve with butter and flour, or use a nonstick baking spray. Any missed spots and the cake will stick.
- Turn it out at 10 minutes. After about 15 minutes in the pan, condensation builds up and softens the crust you just baked.
How to Make Lemon Bundt Cake (with Cake Mix)
This easy cake strikes a perfect balance: rich, moist flavor with a light, tender crumb. It’s not as dense as my lemon cream cheese pound cake, and it’s finished with a sweet lemon glaze for a bright citrus finish.
Here’s how to make it:
Step 1: Prep the Pan and Preheat
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan, or spray generously with nonstick baking spray, making sure to coat every ridge and curve.
The ring shape of a Bundt pan allows heat to reach more of the cake’s surface at once, which means the inside cooks through without overbaking the outside. The result is a beautiful golden crust with a soft, moist center.
Step 2: Mix the Batter
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat together the cake mix, dry pudding mix, water, lemon juice, oil, and eggs for about 2 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. The batter will be thick and smooth.
→ For stronger lemon flavor, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon zest or a few drops of lemon extract to the batter at this stage.
Step 3: Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap it on the counter once or twice to release any air bubbles. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
Bundt cakes take longer to bake than most because the batter is dense and the pan is large.
Step 4: Cool and Remove
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
Don’t leave it in the pan longer than that because condensation will soften that golden crust.
Step 5: Make the Glaze and Finish
In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and vanilla extract until you have a thick but pourable glaze.
If it’s too thick, add more lemon juice a teaspoon at a time. Too thin, add a bit more confectioners’ sugar. Drizzle over the completely cooled cake.
For an extra lemony finish, add a little more lemon juice to the glaze or stir in a small amount of lemon zest before drizzling.
Once the glaze sets, slice and serve!
Mix It Up
This cake is easy to customize. A few ideas:
- Fold 1½ tablespoons of poppy seeds into the batter for a lemon poppy seed version.
- You can also gently stir in 2 cups of fresh or frozen raspberries or blueberries (don’t thaw frozen berries first).
- If you’d rather skip the glaze, a simple dusting of powdered sugar works beautifully too.
Love the cake mix and pudding method? It works just as well with other flavors. Try my strawberry Bundt cake or this orange juice cake using the same approach.
Have made this several times now and it always comes out perfect!
– Morgan
Storage
Refrigerator: Store loosely covered at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freezer: Cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Hold off on the glaze until after the cake thaws.
Make-ahead: This cake actually gets better as it sits. Baking it the day before you plan to serve it is a great strategy for potlucks, Easter, or any gathering where you want dessert done ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my Bundt cake deflate after baking?
A few things can cause this: the oven temperature was off, the batter was over-mixed, or the cake wasn’t fully baked through when it came out. Make sure your oven is fully preheated, mix the batter for about 2 minutes without going much longer, and always test with a toothpick before removing from the oven.
Why doesn’t my lemon cake taste very lemony?
Lemon intensity can vary depending on the brand of cake mix and how much fresh juice you use. For a stronger flavor, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon zest or a small amount of lemon extract to the batter. You can also add lemon zest in the glaze for extra punch at the finish.
I love lemon cake and this is the best I’ve ever tasted!! I made it without any machines, just a spoon. (Just for fun!) It was beautiful and delicious!
– Jan
More Easy Bundt Cake Recipes
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Lemon Bundt Cake with Cake Mix
Equipment
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE:
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box lemon cake mix
- 1 (3.4 ounce) box instant lemon pudding mix (dry; do not prepare)
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
FOR THE GLAZE:
- 1 ¼ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 2-3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan, or spray generously with nonstick baking spray.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat together the cake mix, dry pudding mix, water, lemon juice, oil, and eggs for about 2 minutes.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap on the counter once or twice to release air bubbles. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and the vanilla extract until you have a thick, pourable glaze. Add more lemon juice to thin, or more sugar to thicken.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. Let the glaze set, then slice and serve.
Notes
- Dry pudding only. Add the instant pudding mix straight to the batter. Do not prepare it first. The gelatin in the pudding is what keeps this cake moist and fluffy.
- Grease thoroughly. Coat every ridge and curve of the Bundt pan with butter and flour, or use a nonstick baking spray. Any missed spots will cause the cake to stick.
- Turn out at 10 minutes. Don’t leave the cake in the pan beyond 10 to 15 minutes after baking. Condensation builds up and softens the crust.
- Fresh lemon juice is best for both the batter and the glaze, but bottled lemon juice works too.
- More lemon flavor: Stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon zest or a few drops of lemon extract into the batter for a stronger citrus flavor.
- Make it ahead. This cake tastes even better the next day. Bake in advance and glaze just before serving.
- Freeze it. Cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Glaze after thawing for best results.
- High altitude. Adjustments may be needed. Check the notes on your cake mix box for altitude-specific guidance.
Nutrition
Originally published in March, 2021, this post was updated in March, 2026.
Love this cake. And the lemon drizzle over the top.
Thanks, Pat! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Absolutely
No more guessing This recipe is a keeper!
It turned out very moist and very tasty.
So happy to hear that!
I have seen on other lemon bundt cake recipes, that some have had the cake deflate after cooling for about 10 minutes. Has that ever occurred with this recipe? I want to try it out and have it as one of the desserts for a baby shower. Thanks in advance
Hi, Elinor! I have never encountered that problem, nor I have heard from others with that issue. Hope it works perfectly for you! 🙂
Can sugarfree cake mix work with this recipe?
Hi, Diane! I’ve never tried that, but I think it should work fine. 🙂
My cake mix is 375 g and pudding is 85g. How do I adjust amounts for oil, water etc.
What a fantastic lemon cake! I might be biased; this was the first time I got a cake to come out of a Bundt pan in one piece, haha. Wonderful flavor and just the right density. I let it sit for ~12 hours and it was amazing. Thanks for posting!
Thank you, Casey! I’m so glad that it worked well and that you enjoyed the cake. Thanks for taking the time to come back here and leave a note! 🙂
I made this with my boyfriends 6 year old and it was so easy. She took on e bite and said, “This is the best thing I have ever made”. This is definitely a keeper recipe as it is so moist and delicious. Yummy!!!
Oh, good! I love to hear that, Sherri. Thank you for letting me know!
I’m baking in the
Oven now. Using Avocado oil. Thoughts?
I considered Olive oil as well.
Hi, Kim! I hope you enjoyed the cake! I think avocado oil should be a good substitute, since it’s a neutral-flavored oil. Olive oil can have a stronger taste that actually flavors the cake, so that wouldn’t be my choice.
I only have cake mix that ‘ has pudding in the mix’. Do I just delete adding the pudding mix or add it anyway??
Hi, Donna! I’d add the pudding mix anyway. 🙂
I added frozen cranberries to the mix. Loved it.
Thanks, Sandy!
I love lemon cake and this is the best I’ve ever tasted!! I made it without any machines, just a spoon. (Just for fun!) It was beautiful and delicious!
That’s great, Jan! I’m making one tomorrow — my son’s birthday request. 🙂 So glad that you enjoyed it!
I’ve made a similar recipe in the past and have had great luck!
This time I added frozen blueberries, folded them in, and baked the cake. It took a LONG time to bake and after baking I discovered why. All the blueberries had settled to the bottom of the batter/pan. (Cold blueberry mass which didn’t allow cake to heat up properly.) It was like a cake covered with blueberry mush – very disappointing. And the mushy part stuck to the pan. It tasted okay but looked horrible and one couldn’t take a forkful and get the mix of blueberry and cake. I will probably make the lemon cake again but not with any fruit.
I couldn’t find lemon pudding so I used vanilla pudding instead and I folded in 2 cups of grated zucchini after I let it drain on a paper towel 1st. It did take longer to bake but it came out good with the lemon glaze. So I made a Zucchini Lemon Bundt cake with your recipe. Next time I want to add 2 cups Raspberries. I’ll toss them 1st with flour so the won’t sink to the bottom. Thanks!!! ☺️
Sounds good, Ruth! Thanks for your tips and new ideas. Glad that it was a hit!
Have made this several times now and it always comes out perfect !
Thank you, Morgan!
Hi, I am making your lemon Bundt cakes recipe today. What do you think about adding zest of lemon to batter and glaze? If I can how much would you put in the batter and how much for glaze? Thank you for the recipe, I know my daughter and I will love it!! Will let you know!
Hi, Tammy! The lemon zest will work well, but it can be a very strong, overpowering flavor…so I would add a small amount, taste, and go from there. It’s really a matter of personal preference. You’ll get a lot of lemon flavor from the lemon cake mix, lemon pudding, and lemon juice, so I don’t personally think it needs anything more. If you want to give it a stronger lemon taste, I would try about 1/2 teaspoon – 1 teaspoon in the cake, and then maybe 1/4 teaspoon or so in the glaze. You can always add more if you want it stronger, but you can’t take it out. 🙂
Hope you enjoy the cake!
My husband loves lemon anything! Our neighbor happily shared 4 small lemons, which produce a few more tablespoons of juice. that I felt i could use. I did however zest all of the lemon rinds, which produced about 1/4 of a cup of zest. As it was my first time making it, I filled the pan with about half the batter and sprinkle about 2/3 of it all over the batter. I then added the other batter over it and baked it. The remaining zest, I sprinkled over on the icing as I glazed it! My husband said it was the best lemon “anything” he has ever eaten!
Yay! So glad that it was a hit!
My cake mix is 375 g and pudding is 85g. How do I adjust amounts for oil, water etc.
Hi Robyn! Unfortunately, we don’t recommend using different measurements for the cake and pudding as we can’t say for sure how the cake would turn out or how to exactly adjust the quantities.
Sounds great but any special instructions if I want to make only half the cake? Using a 6 cup bundt pan, would I just cut the ingredients in half and shorten the baking time?
Thanks
Hi, Barb! I haven’t tried making half of the cake, but the prep instructions should be the same. You’ll need to decrease the baking time to account for a smaller cake, but I don’t know what the exact timing will be. Just keep an eye on it, I guess! 🙂 If you want to make the full recipe, you can divide it between two loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes. Freeze one of the loaf cakes for a later date, or share one with a friend.
Couldn’t find lemon cake mx, is using a yellow cake mix ok?
Hi, Diane! Yes, that should work fine. The cake will obviously have a different flavor, but you could add some fresh lemon zest to the batter if you’re worried that you’ll miss some of that lemon taste.
Thanks for sharing this simple, but absolutely scrumptious recipe!!!! Just bought Bundt muffin pans and am going to try making them tomorrow morning! Thinking I will keep 6 out and freeze the rest…to slow down our consumption!
Oh, yum. I bet the mini Bundts will be delicious!
Tastes delicious but mine completely flattened. Not sure what i did wrong. Will make again.
Hi, Tamara! I’m sorry to hear that the cake fell. Sometimes that can happen if you open the oven door too soon, or if you jostle the cake too much while pulling it in and out of the oven before it’s totally done. It could also be something as simple as accidentally not adding enough eggs, etc. Hope you get it to work next time!
My son asked for lemon cake for his birthday. Every adult in the room went nuts over this super moist, lemony cake!
That’s great to hear, Margaret. Thank you!
EXCELLENT!! Made it for Christmas Dinner dessert, and making it again for New Year’s Eve celebration!!!! Yummy
Thank you, Cathy. I’m so glad that it was a hit! Happy New Year!
I made this cake for my husbands birthday, he loves anything lemon. It was a big hit! Thank you so much.
I love this recipe! I’ve made it a few times and this time I subbed the eggs with chia seeds. It doesn’t rise as well and comes out a bit chewy, but taste-wise it’s good. My family loves it!
Thanks for that tip, Lisa. So glad that your family enjoys it!
Easy to make but not very much lemon flavor in the cake. The cake was moist but kind of spongy! The icing had a lot of lemon flavor.
I can’t wait to make this for Easter dessert! Blair, thoughts on using coconut oil instead of veg/canola oil? Wondering if it would taste good with the lemon and work well in the recipe. Thanks!
Hi Mari! Coconut oil will work, but it will add a coconut flavor to the cake.
I made it and Loved it Thank You
Thank you, Mack. I’m so glad to hear that!
Hi Blair,
This is the best lemon bundt cake! I have made it several times for family, co-workers and my card making group. Everyone raves about how moist and delicious and always requests that I make it for them! I have made several different versions of it according to your suggestions. First I made it with lemon only, 2nd time with raspberries and 3rd time with blueberries which I picked at my local farm. All versions were really good. Next time I am going to make it with poppy seeds.
Thank you for a great bundt cake recipe! I would give it more than 5 stars!!
This made our day, Annette! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave such a lovely review.
I had my son follow the directions and he baked this cake today. Our whole house smells amazing! We won’t be cutting into it until tomorrow but I can’t wait! Something tells me this will become a repeat for us! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for trying it out, Kristina! We hope you enjoy it.