Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake

A close-up of a sliced Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake reveals a golden, moist interior and a shiny sugar glaze coating the outside. - 5

A Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake with a swirled design sits on a glass cake stand, viewed from above. The cake features a shiny, sugary coating that enhances its appeal. - 6

A glazed lemon bundt cake with a golden yellow interior sits on a glass cake stand. Several slices have been cut and slightly separated, revealing the moist texture inside. - 7

A close-up of two slices of Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake on a white plate, with a gold fork cutting a piece from one slice. The cake looks moist and has a slightly crumbly texture. - 8

A close-up of a sliced Lemon Bundt Cake with a shiny glaze, featuring the text “Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake” and the website “www.errenskitchen.com.”. - 9

A close-up of a Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake on a glass plate with a golden knife cutting a slice. The cake features a shiny, sugary lemon glaze and a moist, yellow interior. - 10

Bright, citrusy, and drenched in donut-style glaze—this lemon bundt cake is the ultimate zesty dessert for lemon lovers and casual bakers alike.

in this article:

Know Before You Scroll
Bright, Bold, and Glazed to Perfection
Ingredient Notes
Step By Step Instructions
Other Lemon Wonders
Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake
Erren’s Top Tips
Storage & Freezing Instructions
FAQs

Know Before You Scroll

What You’ll Need

All-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, eggs, granulated sugar, canola oil, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, confectioners’ sugar.

Flavor Profile

Bright, tangy lemon with a soft, tender crumb and a thick, donut-style glaze that cracks just slightly when you slice in.

Difficulty Level

Beginner-friendly. Simple steps and big flavor payoff—just give it time to cool before glazing.

Equipment Needed

12-cup bundt pan, stand or hand mixer, mixing bowls, whisk, zester or microplane, cooling rack, parchment or foil

Top Tip

Let the cake cool completely before glazing. A warm cake melts the glaze and ruins that dreamy thick shell.

Time-Saving Tips

Use store bought orange juice for an orange cake only if you’re in a major rush—but fresh lemon juice and zest make a really flavorful cake.

Ingredient Swaps

No canola oil? Use vegetable oil. No salted butter? Add a pinch of salt to unsalted butter for balance.

Bright, Bold, and Glazed to Perfection

I wanted to create a super flavorful lemon bundt cake —something bright, moist, and loaded with real lemon flavor. So I tested a bunch of versions: some were too dry, some too sweet, some just kinda… meh. And then it hit me – My ultimate orange cake! It’s one of my all-time most popular recipes, and honestly, the texture is unbeatable. I swapped the oranges for lemons, gave it a thick, donut-style glaze, and boom—this cake came to life. It’s soft, zippy, buttery, and totally made for lemon lovers.

A close-up of a sliced Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake reveals a golden, moist interior and a shiny sugar glaze coating the outside. - 13

Ingredient Notes

Baking ingredients for a Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake on a white surface: a bottle of oil, butter, three lemons, a flour canister, bowl of sugar, eggs, sieve, salt shaker, and a small jar of sugar. - 14

Dry Ingredients

Best Choice

Use sifted all-purpose flour for a soft, tender crumb. Baking soda reacts with the lemon juice to give rise, and salt balances the sweetness.

Substitutions

You can use cake flour (reduce the amount slightly). Kosher salt can sub in—just increase slightly.

Fats

Best Choice

The mix of neutral canola oil and melted salted butter gives you the best of both worlds—moist texture from the oil and rich flavor from the butter.

Substitutions

Vegetable or avocado oil works. If using unsalted butter, just add a pinch of salt.

Lemon Flavor

Best Choice

Freshly squeezed lemon juice and plenty of lemon zest bring bright, bold citrus flavor to both the cake and the glaze.

Substitutions

Use store bought orange juice for an orange cake only if you’re in a major rush—but fresh lemon juice and zest make a really flavorful cake.

Sugar

Best Choice

Granulated or caster sugar for the cake and for the glaze, sifted powdered sugar gives the glaze that smooth, donut-shop finish.

Substitutions

You can make a crunch glaze using granulated sugar, see my orange cake recipe.

You can find the full, printable recipe at the top of this post , but you can read the detailed instructions with photos for each step below.

Step By Step Instructions

Prep the Pan and Oven

First things first: preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Then grease a 12-cup bundt pan really well. I like to use baking spray with flour or go old-school with butter and a dusting of flour. Either way—don’t skip this step. A clean cake release is the dream.

Whisk the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2½ cups of sifted all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set it aside—we’ll come back to it in a sec.

A metal whisk sits in a large white bowl filled with dry flour mixture for a Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake, set on a white marble surface. - 15

Beat the Eggs and Sugar

In a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat 4 large eggs and 1½ cups granulated sugar on high for about 5 minutes. You’re looking for a pale, thick, fluffy mixture that’s doubled in volume. This is what makes the cake light and airy, even without a ton of lift from baking powder.

Close-up of a metal whisk mixing creamy, light yellow batter in a glass bowl, creating smooth, swirling patterns—the start of a delicious Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake. - 16

Add the Fats

With the mixer on low, slowly pour in ½ cup canola oil and ½ cup melted butter. You’re looking for a slow steady stream. Mix until smooth.

Add the lemon

Then add 1¼ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. Mix until everything’s combined—it’ll look thin, but that’s okay.

A hand pours a yellow liquid from a measuring cup into a stand mixer with a glass bowl, preparing ingredients for a Lemon Bundt Cake. The mixer is branded “KitchenAid.”. - 18

Fold in the Dry Ingredients

Add your dry ingredients into the wet mixture and gently fold with a spatula or mix on low speed. Stop when the batter is just combined—no dry streaks, no overmixing.

Close-up of a creamy, pale yellow sauce with small bubbles and specks on its surface, suggesting the smooth, slightly thick texture perfect for drizzling over a Lemon Bundt Cake. - 19

Bake That Beauty

Pour the batter into your prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a wire rack. Let it cool completely before glazing—trust me on this.

Three stages of making a Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake: raw batter in a pan (top left), baked cake still in the pan (top right), and the finished golden bundt cake cooling on a wire rack (bottom). - 20

Make the Glaze

In a bowl, whisk together 3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons melted salted butter, and 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. If it feels too thick, add more lemon juice one tablespoon at a time until it’s thick but pourable. Stir in 1 to 1½ tablespoons lemon zest for that dreamy lemon-speckled look.

A whisk covered in smooth, creamy Glaze is held above a glass bowl, with the luscious batter dripping back into the bowl. - 21

Glaze the Cake

Place the cooled cake on a wire rack with parchment underneath. Slowly pour the glaze over the top, letting it drip down the sides. You can use a spoon to guide it, but mostly—let gravity do the work.

A Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake, golden brown and topped with a light glaze, sits on a round black wire cooling rack, viewed from above against a white background. - 22

Serve and Enjoy!

Let the glaze set for 20–30 minutes. Then slice, serve, and prepare for lemony compliments.

Other Lemon Wonders

Lemon Sponge Cake
Lemon Curd
Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

For the Lemon Cake:

▢ 2½ cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
▢ ¾ teaspoon baking soda
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ 4 large eggs
▢ 1½ cups granulated sugar
▢ ½ cup canola oil
▢ ½ cup butter (melted)
▢ 1¼ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 5–6 lemons)
▢ 2 tablespoons lemon zest (plus extra for a little lemon drama, if you want)

For the Lemon Glaze:

▢ 3 cups confectioners’ sugar (sifted)
▢ 2 tablespoons salted butter (melted and cooled)
▢ 4 to 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (start with 4, add more for pourable texture)
▢ 1 to 1½ tablespoons lemon zest

Instructions

Prep the Cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 12-cup bundt pan generously—I like to use baking spray with flour or do a classic butter-and-flour combo to make sure the cake pops out clean.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Make the Batter

In a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat the eggs and granulated sugar on high speed for about 5 minutes. The mixture should turn pale, fluffy, and doubled in volume.
With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the canola oil and melted butter. Mix until smooth.
Add the lemon juice and zest. Mix again just until everything’s combined.
Gently fold in the dry ingredients until the batter is smooth. Don’t overmix—just enough to get rid of any dry spots.

Bake It

Pour the batter into your prepared bundt pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Don’t rush this part—the glaze needs a cool cake!

Make the Lemon Glaze

In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, melted butter, and 4 tablespoons of lemon juice.
If the glaze feels too thick to pour, add more lemon juice 1 tablespoon at a time until it’s pourable but still thick enough to coat the cake and hold its shape.
Stir in the lemon zest. You want the glaze to be creamy, smooth, and slightly glossy—just like donut glaze.

Glaze & Serve

Place your cooled bundt cake on a wire rack with a sheet of parchment or foil underneath to catch drips.
Slowly pour the glaze all over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides and coat the whole surface.
Use a spoon or spatula to gently guide it if needed, but let gravity do most of the work.
Let the glaze set for 20–30 minutes before slicing. It will form a beautiful, slightly crisp shell on the outside while staying soft and lemony inside.

Tips

Erren’s Top Tips

Storage & Freezing Instructions

Nutrition

Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?

You can , but I don’t recommend it. Fresh lemon juice and zest bring brightness and flavor that bottled versions just can’t match. If you need a shortcut, use store bought orange juice and make an orange cake instead.

Why did my bundt cake stick to the pan?

Bundt pans can be tricky. Make sure to grease every nook and cranny with baking spray or butter and flour. Let the cake cool for 30 minutes before turning it out—it helps it firm up and release cleanly.

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

Yes! You can bake the cake a day ahead and store it (unglazed) tightly wrapped at room temp. Glaze it just before serving for the best texture and look.

Why is my glaze too runny or too thick?

This glaze is all about balance. If it’s too thick, add lemon juice one teaspoon at a time. If it’s too thin, add a bit more sifted powdered sugar. It should be pourable but thick enough to coat.

Can I make this cake gluten-free?

You can try using a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, but results may vary slightly in texture. Make sure your blend includes xanthan gum or a similar binder for best structure.