A bright and citrus-ey cake that’s just perfect for breakfast, brunch, dessert, and all your coffee dates. Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake is sweet and tart and loaded with lemon. So lovely for spring!
This recipe was originally posted in 2013. I have updated the photos and edited the recipe slightly because sometimes things need tweaking. It’s even better now than it was before!!
I think I just went all week without posting a dessert recipe. How did that even happen?
I could offer excuses but really there’s no good explanation. So I’m offering cake. Good? Good.
I bought all these Meyer lemons awhile back because it was the first time I’d ever been able to find them in my little corner of the middle-a-nowhere. I got into this sort of hoarding I’m-never-gonna-find-any-more-Meyer-lemons mentality and ended up with entirely too many. I knew I needed to use them in EVERYTHING because I had like 257 Meyer lemons in a bowl on my kitchen table, but at the same time I felt like they had to be used in just the right recipe because I may not be able to buy them again until 2019.
I made those Meyer Lemon Oatmeal Cookies, made some lemony dressings, added the juice to a chicken marinade, and then I was afraid to spend the rest of my lemons.
Worried I’d be some kind of strange rotten fruit hoarder, I finally caved and made this Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake. With Easter just around the corner it seemed light and seasonal and like the kind of thing I’d like to see on my own brunch table. The super adorable Easter non-pariels helped, too.
Typical bundt cake has like 2 tons of butter (just ask this to-die-for Whiskey Sour Cake… ohhh mah gosh so good), but this one is made with sour cream (can i get an amen?!) and oil. So moist, light, sweet and tart— add this one to your Easter menu for sure.
And stop hoarding the lemons.
Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake
A simple (and small!) bundt cake recipe that's perfect for brunch or tea time. Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake is a lovely way to celebrate Meyer lemons!
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest (zest from 2-3 lemons)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
Glaze:
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons milk or cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9 or 10 cup bundt pan (see note)
- In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, or in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk together the sour cream, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, oil, vanilla, and lemon extract.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix until just combined.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The "top" of the cake may split while baking; it's okay! You are going to flip it over before serving.
- Let the cake cool for 5-10 minutes before turning it out of the bundt pan onto a serving dish to let it cool completely.
- Make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Add the milk or cream a teaspoon at a time to reach your desired consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cake and let it set up before slicing to serve.
Notes
This is a small cake. If you are looking for a full size pound cake, try this Lemon Yogurt Pound Cake.
You can use a 9 or 10 cup bundt pan for this recipe. Obviously the 10 cup pan will yield a more shallow cake. Keep that in mind when you are selecting which pan to use. It's also a great recipe for mini bundt pans. Adjust the bake time accordingly.
Greek yogurt is a good substitute for the sour cream in this recipe. Low fat Greek yogurt also works if you are cutting calories.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 293Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 196mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 0gSugar: 24gProtein: 4g
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Carolyn
Sunday 7th of February 2021
I would like to know what size bowl you have to hold 257 Meyer lemons. My Meyer lemons are big 3” x 2” each.
Heather Tullos
Sunday 7th of February 2021
Sorry Carolyn, that was sarcasm ?
Alida
Sunday 22nd of November 2020
Hi, is this cake okay to freeze?
Heather Tullos
Monday 23rd of November 2020
I've not tried it so I am not sure!
Betty
Thursday 7th of March 2019
It doesn't seem like there's enough flour for the most popular 12 inch Bundt Pan. Should it be baked in a smaller pan or is it just kind of a shallow cake?
Elouise
Wednesday 20th of February 2019
You need to amend the cooking time. Otherwise the sides of a the cake which were cooked were delicious.
Pat
Wednesday 10th of October 2018
Do you think Lemocello liquor could,be subbed for lemon juice?
Heather Tullos
Thursday 11th of October 2018
Double yes! But mind that it doesn't dry the cake out. Juice and alcohol can be pretty different in how they bake up.