Quick Lemon Pudding Bundt Cake
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Short on time? This Quick Lemon Pudding Bundt Cake is a quick and easy cake recipe that will show you how to make a delicious bundt cake with lemon cake mix and lemon pudding mix. The result is a zesty and refreshing cake that is perfect for summer gatherings or potlucks!
Even as a trained pastry chef, sometimes I take shortcuts . . . delicious shortcuts! If you’ve ever needed a dessert that is decadent and tasty, sometimes it’s ok to use quick items like store bought cake mix or boxed pudding mix.
This lemon bundt cake is one of my most popular desserts on the blog! It’s made with both Duncan Hines lemon cake mix along with lemon zest, egg, oil, water, and a box of lemon pudding mix. That’s it! Just 7 ingredients to make up the base of this cake.
Simply add all of the ingredients to a bowl or stand mixer, bake, then finish it off with a simple glaze. This refreshing lemon flavor is great for summer BBQ’s or any occasion where you need a quick dessert that tastes fresh out of a bakery!
This is great recipe for beginner bakers to try too! The cake always bakes up nicely. If you do run into any issues you can always learn why cakes sink in the middle and how to fix it!
If you want to make a lemon bundt cake from scratch check out my lemon blueberry bundt cake or my lemon raspberry bundt cake! I am just crazy about easy lemon desserts!
WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE THIS RECIPE
- The base of the cake is made with just 7 simple ingredients including cake mix and pudding mix.
- The lemon flavor is perfectly refreshing for the summer months.
- No need to use a mixer, this cake can be whipped up by hand easily!
- Perfect when you need a quick decadent dessert that tastes as it came straight out of a professional bakery!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- Lemon Cake Mix – You can find lemon-flavored cake mix in most grocery stores in the baking section. My favorite one to use is the lemon supreme flavor by Duncan Hines.
- Lemon Instant Pudding Mix – Also found in the baking section, lemon pudding mix gives the cake a moist and dense crumb while keeping it light and fluffy. You will only use the dry powder, not make the actual pudding.
- Lemon Zest & Lemon Juice – Adds a fresh zesty lemon flavor that complements the cake and pudding mix.
- Water – Used to thin out the cake mixture to get it to the perfect cake batter consistency.
- Eggs – Binds the cake ingredients together and helps the cake set properly.
- Vegetable Oil – Adds a moist richness to the cake.
Please use Lemon instant pudding mix and not “cook and serve”. The results wont be the same.
Lemon Glaze:
- Confectioners Sugar – This finely milled sugar mixes with the liquid ingredients to create a thick drizzle texture.
- Cream – Some cream or milk helps thin out the glaze to make it a pourable consistency.
- Lemon Zest – Adds a bright lemon flavor to the glaze that complements the rest of the cake.
HOW TO MAKE LEMON BUNDT CAKE WITH CAKE MIX
Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 10-cup bundt cake pan with baking spray heavily and set aside.
Assemble the cake batter: Add the paddle attachment to the bowl of a stand mixer. You can also use an electric mixer with a mixing bowl. Pour in the cake mix and pudding powder and mix until combined on low for 30 seconds. Then, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, water, and eggs. Give it a mix on medium speed for one minute before adding the vegetable oil and mixing again just until fully combined.
Bake the cake: Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt cake pan. Add to the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the cake is set. After it cools for 10 minutes, flip it onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Glaze and serve: While the cake is cooling mix the glaze ingredients together in a small mixing bowl until well combined. Once the cake is cooled, drizzle over top. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
TIPS FOR RECIPE SUCCESS
- Learn how to bake and get a bundt cake out of a pan perfectly.
- The best oils to use are either canola oil or vegetable oil.
- Make sure the eggs are at room temperature before mixing into the cake batter as this will help them to mix in more evenly.
- For the glaze, add enough cream until you reach your desired consistency. If you want a thinner glaze, add more cream until it reaches the consistency you desire.
- Add a tablespoon of poppyseed to the cake batter for a nutty flavor and texture. to make a lemon poppyseed bundt cake.
- 4-5 lemons of medium-large size will give you about 1/2 cup of lemon juice. To get the juices flowing out of the lemon easier, roll it on a hard surface with a bit of pressure, then cut it in half and squeeze.
Yield
This cake makes enough to feed 12-15 people.
STORAGE AND FREEZING
Storing: This cake can be made a day in advance and stored covered at room temperature until you are ready to serve it. If you make it further in advance, I recommend storing it in the fridge for up to four days.
Freezing: To freeze bundt cake, wrap it tightly in cling film or place it in an airtight container and freeze for up to two months. Let the cake thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
FAQ
How many boxes of cake mix do I need for a Bundt pan?
This recipe uses a 10-cup bundt cake pan that needs only one box of cake mix. Other recipes may vary depending on the size and texture of the cake.
What can I use instead of lemon pudding mix?
If you can’t find lemon-flavored pudding mix, try using vanilla. Adjust the lemon flavor by adding a few drops of lemon extract. Make sure to use instant pudding mix and not cook and serve.
What if I don’t have a bundt cake pan?
You can use any size or shape of cake pan that you have on hand. The bake time will vary depending on the size and shape of the pan.
Can I make this cake without the glaze?
Yes, the cake is delicious on its own. If you choose not to make the glaze, sprinkle confectioners sugar over the top of the cake before serving.
MORE LEMON DESSERTS
We love the flavor of lemon in any baked treat! Try these delicious lemon recipes for your next holiday or party!
- Lemon Poppyseed Cake
- Lemon Meringue Cookies
- One Bowl Classic Lemon Cupcakes
- Blueberry Lemon Scones
- Easy Lemon Bars (3 Ways!)
Quick Lemon Pudding Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz box lemon cake mix, ( I use duncan hines lemon supreme)
- 3.5 oz Instant lemon pudding mix, (just the dry powder, not made, not cook n serve)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup lemon juice, fresh
- 4 eggs large
- ½ cup vegetable oil
Lemon Glaze:
- ½ cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tbsp cream, or milk
- ½ tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 10 cup bundt pan heavily with baking spray.
- In the bowl of a hand or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add the dry cake mix and lemon pudding powder and mix on low speed for 30 seconds.
- Add the lemon zest, ½ cup water, 1/2 cup lemon juice, and 4 eggs. Mix on low -medium speed for 1 minute. Add ½ cup oil and mix again.
- Fill the prepared bundt cake pan with batter. Bake for 35 mins.
- Cool for 10 mins then flip over onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Optional Lemon Glaze
- Mix the ½ cup confectioners sugar with 1 tbsp cream and ½ tsp lemon zest until fully combined.
- Drizzle over cooled cake.
Hi,
Would this require only using instant pudding mix or could I use the ‘cook and serve’ type powders as well?
Hi! I used this with instant powdered pudding mix but I dont see why it wouldnt work with the other as long as youre using the same quantity!
This is the moistest cake I have ever made. So glad someone else doesn’t mind using a box mix. If you add to it and make it your own that’s all that matters. It is light , and so refreshing . You won’t be sorry . Try it …. It’s amazing.
You just made my day Cheri!!! Thank you SO much for your comment and 5 star rating!! Theres no shame in making something from a box mix! SO happy you loved this recipe, appreciate your comment so much!
Can I make this in a 9×13 inch pan?
Thanks
You sure can! I would just make sure to check sooner, say 28 minutes or so. Let me know what happens!
Second time making the lemon pudding Bundt cake, it’s my all time favorite lemon cake!! Lemon is my favorite flavor sweet or savory, thank you Lori
Yay Lori!! I am so glad you love this cake! Lemon is one of my favorite flavors too! Thank you for letting me know and leaving a comment and rating, I appreciate it so much!!
adding the extra ingredients to this vake mix really made a difference. I will definitely make again!
YAY great Marie!! Thank you so much for your comment and 5 star rating!! So glad you love this cake!
Mine fell and I’m not sure why. I didn’t open the oven so I’m not sure what went wrong.
Hey Angie! I wish I could be in your kitchen to help trouble shoot this- there could have been a few other things that happened- The oven temperature could have either been to high or too low- sometimes our ovens are off even if it says the right temp. I recommend keeping an oven proof thermometer to see the accurate temperature. If the oven was too low then the cake might have also needed more time to bake. Sorry this didnt work out but thank you though for making this recipe!
Thank you. Once I flipped it, it doesn’t look noticeable but it’s just a bit thick almost like it didn’t get completely done, like it didn’t rise enough. Very tasty though, yummy.
Thank you Angie!
Can you make cupcakes or muffins? If so, how many would this make?
Hi! You can totally make cupcakes with these. I think you would probably get about 12-14 cupcakes. Bake them for 18 minutes each.
I loved this recipe. I added poppyseed and made in mini Bundt pan. I had to adjust baking time, but they turned out great. I plan to make it again!!
YAY Thanks Lisa! Adding poppy seeds is such a great idea!! Thanks so much for your comment and 5 star rating!
I wanted to make mini ones too, how much baking time?
How many did it make? How much mix should you fill the mini tins to? Thank you!
Hi Marlene! This would probably make 6-8 mini bundt cakes depending on the size of the mini pan. I would bake them for about 18-20 minutes, and fill them 2/3 of the way full. I hope that helps!
Yum Yum Yum! A perfect go to cake without a fuss!!!!!
Thank you Diane!! So appreciate your comment and rating! Thanks for letting me know you loved this cake!
Absolutely perfect! I’ve tried twice before to do a lemon drizzle bundt cake but neither one was right. THIS ONE is perfect! It didn’t taste write bought or extracty at all. I added extra zest to the cake and the icing, though. Just a tad. Thank you so much!
YAY Holly!!!! So glad this recipe was a winner for you- thank you so much for letting me know! The extra zest sounds delish! So appreciate your 5 star review, thanks!
I love this… I love it sooo much that I’ve also done it with chocolate cake mix / chocolate pudding, vanilla & strawberry ( I used vanilla pudding with the strawberry b/c I didn’t have strawberry & it was fine). I just omit the lemon zest & I use a basic glaze or even store bought frosting zapped in the microwave to pour over the bundle cake.
SO smart Kathy!!! So fun that you experimented with other flavors, I love that! Thank you so much for letting me know and for the 5 star review!!
Hi would this work with a yellow cake mix instead of a lemon cake for a more subtle lemon flavored cake?
I don’t see why not! If you try it please let me know how it works!
This is a very moist cake and we love it!!
So glad Lisa! Thank you so much for your 5 star ratine and letting me know you love the cake- yay!
So glad Lisa! Thank you so much for your 5 star ratine and letting me know you love the cake- yay!
I’m so disappointed the ingredients list didn’t indicate “instant” pudding. It wasn’t until after I got home from buying everything that I noticed the Note saying to use instant because cook and serve will have a different outcome.
I haven’t made this yet to rate it, but will assume it’s good and just give 4 stars instead of 5 because of this.
Hey Libby, Ive added it to the ingredients list specifically- it is helpful though to read through the whole post and the notes section for additional tips before making the recipe.
Can you use butter instead of oil?
Hey John, I havent tried this with butter and since the ratios are not 1:1 I wouldnt recommend it.
I just made this cake. Turned out awesome. The glaze I found needed a bit more cream than stated. Thankyou for sharing your recipe👍
Thanks for making this Sharon!
This is sooo delicious, refreshing & moist with the perfect taste blend of tart and sweet. It was very good simply topping with the powdered sugar and the presentation is so pretty. This will be a definite go to in my desert favorites.
Thank you for the 5 star rating and review Donna! I am so honored its now one of your favorites- thank you for letting me know!
Hi I was wondering if I could use just lemon juice instead of zest? I don’t have any
Next time sure!
We love this recipe! Can I add fresh blueberries and what would change when I cook it?
You can totally do that! Just dust them with flour before adding them to the batter so they dont sink to the bottom.
I am a hero in the neighborhood Best cake I ever made
Omg best compliment ever!! Thank you SO much!!!! Yay!
I loved this cake, I added blueberries as well and instead of using a microplane to zest lemon peel into the glaze I used a standard grater and did it after I glazed the cake so the zest served as part of the presentation. I do have one question though, although my cake came out of the bunt pan clean and easily, mine was much more brown than the one in the pictures. I’m wondering if you can share a tip for preserving the golden yellow color of the inside of the cake where it comes in contact with the spray/bunt pan. Thanks for posting this!
So glad you loved the cake Ana! The brown could be from the baking spray that you used, when it gets hot it is cooking the outside edges of the cake and making it turn brown. A spray with flour in it could help!
Can I use olive oil.?
I havent tested this with olive oil.