Homemade Lemon Bundt Cake
Easy Lemon Bundt Cake made with buttermilk, fresh lemon juice, and zest is a wonderful cake for dessert or even brunch. It has a tender, moist crumb and is so easy you’ll have it baking in the oven in about 20 minutes.
This lemon buttermilk bundt cake is such a simple cake recipe and the perfect anytime cake. It’s light and soft with lots of lemon flavor – perfect for spring or any time of year.
I love adding buttermilk to cakes. Not only does it add a little tangy flavor but it creates a very soft and tender crumb. You don’t need to worry about a dry cake with this recipe!
The lemon flavor is the perfect complement. It’s bright and sunny making this cake a treat you can serve any time you want. It’s a great cake to serve with brunch, as an afternoon snack cake, or for dessert after dinner. I’ve even snuck a slice for breakfast with a cup of coffee!
And to tell the truth who doesn’t love the taste of lemon, it’s a favorite in our house, anything from Lemon Curd which is perfect as a filling for this Lemon Layer Cake or even these soft perfect Lemon Cookies.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Softened butter
- Granulated sugar
- Room temperature large eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Cake flour/pastry flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Buttermilk
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- Powdered sugar for dusting
How to make buttermilk
When you buy buttermilk, do you notice how thick it is? For that reason when I make homemade buttermilk I like to add some cream. For 1 cup of buttermilk I substitute with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar, 1/4 cup of cream and 3/4 cup of whole milk. Stir the ingredients together and let sit for about 10-15 minutes stir to combine then it’s ready to use.
Recipe Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease and flour a 10″ (25cm) bundt cake pan.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar for about five minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well between each addition. Finally, beat in the vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Starting with the dry ingredients, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk. Once combined the batter will be thick.
Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan. Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes.
Cool the cake in the bundt pan before turning it out onto a serving plate.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry or 2 to 3 crumbs are attached.
Let the cake cool in the pan then transfer it to a plate. Dust the lemon bundt cake with powdered sugar for serving.
FAQ
Check the cake with a cake tester or toothpick. When you pull it out there should be only a couple of moist crumbs sticking to it. If there is wet batter, bake the cake longer.
​For this recipe, I recommend using cake flour(also called pastry flour). If you don’t have any, you can make it with all-purpose flour and cornstarch.
For every cup of AP flour, remove two tablespoons and replace them with two tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift the mixture to remove any lumps and then use it in your recipe.
If you want to decorate it, I think a glaze would work best. Mix lemon juice with powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) until it’s pourable.Â
Drizzle or slowly pour the glaze over the bundt cake and let it run down the sides.
Any leftover cake can be stored in a covered cake dish at room temperature. It will keep for up to 2 days.
Wrap the completely cooled cake in plastic wrap then place in a freezer safe container or bag. It will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.
Today is a great day to treat yourself to a slice of this lemon buttermilk cake! It’s so simple to make and the perfect treat when you’re craving a lemon dessert. Enjoy!
More Easy Cake Recipes
Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake
Equipment
- 1 large bundt pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 1¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups pastry/cake flour*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch salt**
- 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
*To make homemade pastry flour – for every cup of all purpose flour remove 2 tablespoons and replace with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, sift together to remove any lumps.
**If you use unsalted butter add ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Grease and flour a 10"(25cm) bundt cake pan.
- In a large bowl cream butter and sugar for 5-6 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beat well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest
- In a medium bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture starting with the flour. The batter will be thick.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry or 2 to 3 crumbs are attached.
- Let the cake cool in the pan then transfer it to a plate. Dust with powdered sugar if desired before serving. Enjoy!
Excellent recipe and easy to make! I received raved reviews at a Super Bowl party. I also made fresh strawberry syrup and whipped cream to offer as accompaniments with the cake. Perfect!
Hi Tania, So happy to hear you all loved it!! 😀 the strawberry syrup and whipped cream additions sound divine!