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.
My Bundt cake was beautiful while baking but after resting for 15 minutes in the pan after baking it deflated. I followed directions. What did I do wrong?
We’re sorry to hear this, Janet! Without seeing the cake it’s hard to tell, but the most common reasons are that the oven was too hot or cold, the incorrect amount of leavening agents were included, opening the oven too frequently, and overmixing.
I made this lemon cake and it was such a hit at my sister’s Halloween party! Everyone commented how good and moist it was! I will make this again because it was that good!
We’re so happy to hear this, Tina! Thank you for trying it out.
Delicious Bundt Cake. Easy to follow directions and cake is amazingly moist, and perfect way to set off a chicken or fish dinner.
Yay! I’m so glad that you love it, Marren. Thank you!
I made this cake for my friend’s son’s 9th birthday. He LOVEs lemons and I happen to have two Meyer lemon trees in my backyard. This was the first time I made a Bundt cake and it came out perfect! I made the frosting a little bit lighter because I put extra Meyer lemon juice in it and it was delicious! Thank you so much for posting this recipe to share with everyone❤️❤️
How nice of you, Sarah! We’re so glad it was a hit and hope your friend’s son had a very happy birthday! Thank you for trying out the recipe and taking the time to leave a review.
I live at high altitude. Would you make any adjustments to recipe ? I’m always confused when using a cake mix as a base for a recipe.
Hi, Cindy! Yes, I believe that you’ll need to adjust for the high altitude. While I don’t live at a high elevation to test that way, some standard suggestions include:
– Add 2 to 4 tablespoons of extra liquid to help keep the cake moist.
– Raise the oven temperature by 15–25°F to help the cake set faster.
– Decrease the baking time. Check the cake 5–10 minutes earlier than the suggested time, since baking can be faster at high altitude.
I hope that helps!
Very light and delicious. I added lemon jest to the recipe. I will make this again.
Thank you, Robin! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
I make a rum bundt cake for Christmas that reminds me of this recipe. Thank you for the information. I am making it over the weekend for my birthday. lol!! I am sure this will start a summer tradition. My family always requests my rum bundt cake at Christmas is I can’t wait to try this!! thanks again for sharing!!!!!
We hope you enjoy it, Brenda! Happy early birthday!
I’m afraid I didn’t like this at all. All cake mixes these days taste funky to me – not sure what they are putting in them. And I didn’t like the fake yellow color. I added blueberries – coating them in flour but half still sunk to the bottom. This recipe – just tastes funky. I guess I’m a make-it-entirely -from-scratch gal. I should have known better.
I’m sorry to hear that, Barbara. Thanks for your feedback, though.