If you love fresh, citrusy desserts, a Lemonade Bundt Cake is the perfect treat. This recipe creates a soft, moist, and beautifully fragrant cake infused with real lemon zest and juice. What makes it unique is the creamy lemon curd that gets added after baking — giving every slice a tangy, gooey center. Finished with a shiny lemon glaze, this cake is refreshing, comforting, and incredibly delicious.
This article provides an introduction, ingredients, step-by-step method, tips, and variations — all inspired by the original Lemonade Bundt Cake recipe from Flouring Kitchen.
🍋 What Makes This Lemonade Bundt Cake Special?
A Lemonade Bundt Cake isn’t just a simple lemon cake. Instead, it combines several layers of lemon flavor:
- Fresh lemon zest and juice give the batter a bright, citrusy fragrance.
- Sour cream and buttermilk create a soft, tender crumb.
- A gooey lemon curd filling is added after baking, making the cake extra moist.
- A tangy glaze brings a final burst of fresh lemon flavor on top.
The result is a dessert that is rich yet refreshing, sweet yet tangy — perfect for spring and summer, brunches, birthdays, or any celebration.
🥣 Ingredients Overview
Below is the complete list of ingredients found in the inspiration recipe:
For the Cake
- Granulated sugar
- Fresh lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
- Vegetable oil
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Salt
- Eggs
- Sour cream
- Fresh lemon juice
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Buttermilk
For the Lemon Curd Filling
- Store-bought or homemade lemon curd
(Using store-bought curd works perfectly and saves time.)
For the Glaze
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh lemon juice
- Optional: thin lemon slices for decoration
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the Bundt Pan
Grease the entire pan with butter or oil, making sure to get into all the grooves, then dust it lightly with flour. This helps the cake release cleanly after baking.
2. Combine the Lemon Zest and Sugar
Rub the lemon zest into the sugar using your fingers. This releases the natural lemon oils and intensifies the aroma.
3. Beat the Wet Ingredients
Add the oil, softened butter, and salt to the lemon sugar. Beat until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Add Sour Cream and Lemon Juice
Mix in the sour cream and lemon juice. The batter may look slightly curdled — this is normal.
5. Add the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder.
Add this to the wet mixture, alternating with the buttermilk.
Fold gently to avoid overmixing — this keeps the cake tender and soft.
6. Pour and Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 55–60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely before moving to the next step.
7. Add the Lemon Curd Filling
Once the cake is cool, use a long wooden skewer or the back of a piping tip to create several deep holes in the thickest part of the cake (similarly to filling a donut).
Pipe lemon curd generously into the holes until full.
8. Mix and Pour the Glaze
Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
Pour the glaze over the cake, letting it drip down the sides beautifully.
💛 Tips for the Perfect Lemonade Bundt Cake
- Use fresh lemons for the best flavor. Bottled juice does NOT give the same brightness.
- Do not overmix the batter after adding flour — this keeps the texture light.
- Let the cake cool fully before adding lemon curd; otherwise the curd will melt.
- Glaze right before serving for the shiniest finish.
- Store airtight: Keep the cake in the refrigerator for several days or freeze leftovers for up to 2 months.
🍰 Variations You Can Try
- Berry Twist: Add fresh blueberries or raspberries into the batter.
- Lemon-Poppy Seed Version: Add 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds to the dry ingredients.
- Cream Cheese Glaze: Replace part of the powdered sugar glaze with cream cheese for a richer topping.
- Pink Lemonade Cake: Add a few drops of natural pink food coloring to the glaze for a fun color.
🎉 Serving Suggestions
This Lemonade Bundt Cake is perfect for:
- Afternoon tea
- Spring and summer brunch
- Mother’s Day
- Bridal showers
- Light dessert after a meal
- Picnic desserts
Serve with fresh berries, whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra treat.
⭐ Final Thoughts
This Lemonade Bundt Cake is everything you want in a citrus dessert — bright, indulgent, gooey, and incredibly fragrant. The combination of a soft crumb, rich lemon curd filling, and fresh glaze makes it a show-stopping cake that feels both comforting and elegant.