The Best Moist Mini Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
Need a sunny pick-me-up for brunch, showers, or just a Tuesday? These Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes deliver a bakery-style crumb bursting with triple lemon (zest, juice & buttermilk hack) and finish with silky lemon-cream-cheese frosting. They bake in 15 minutes, cool fast, and look ridiculously cute on any dessert table—no fancy decorating skills required.
Mini bundt cakes are a fantastic choice if you don't want to make a large cake to serve as slices. Much like my Chocolate Peppermint Mini Bundt Cakes and Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes, these lemon-flavored mini bundt cakes are sophisticated without the need for major recipe adaptation.
They can be enjoyed all year round, served as an individual dessert or alongside a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.
Why You'll Love My Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes
- Mini lemon bundt cakes are cute alternatives to large traditional bundt cakes. They'll add a pop of fun to your table -perfect for high tea, bridal or baby showers, and other parties.
- These mini bundt cakes are just as moist and fluffy as regular bundt cake.
- The lemon zing in these mini bundt cakes cuts through the sweetness, offering a delicious and lighter option to decadent chocolate bundt cake.
To make the best tasting mini lemon bundt cakes, I've included buttermilk and sour cream into the cake batter. These two key ingredients add a ton of flavor to the simple lemon cake batter and the perfect amount of moisture to ensure that you don't get ultra soft and fluffy mouthfuls with every bite!
Make the bundt cakes ahead of time if you like, and whip up fresh lemon cream cheese frosting just before serving. A little sprinkle of fresh lemon zest over the frosting with a thin slice of lemon completes the look and is sure to impress your friends and family!
Ingredients & Substitutions
For the Cake
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour is my choice of sturdy flour for baking. Gluten-free all-purpose flour could be used instead, if needed.
- Baking powder – To help give these mini bundt cakes a good rise.
- Salt – A little bit of salt in your batter will balance the flavors and also highlight them.
- Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter. If you opt for salted butter, consider omitting the salt above.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar offers a good amount of sweetness and won't discolor the cake batter. Light brown sugar could be used in a pinch.
- Lemon zest – The fresh zest adds natural lemon flavor and delicious texture to the cake batter. Zest a little extra to keep on the side for garnishing these mini lemon bundt cakes once the frosting has been added.
- Lemon juice – Always use freshly squeezed lemon juice for best flavor. Bottled lemon juice should always be a last option.
- Sour cream – Provides moisture and a slight tangy flavor.
- Eggs – Bring your eggs to room temperature for easy mixing.
- Buttermilk – This also adds a slight tangy flavor and a load of moisture to the cake batter. If you don't have buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of regular milk and allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese – Allow the cream cheese to soften at room temperature to ensure easy mixing and a lump-free consistency.
- Butter – Salted butter balances the flavors beautifully and cuts through the sweetness of this rich frosting.
- Powdered sugar – Add more or less to achieve the consistency of frosting that you prefer best.
- Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed lemon juice is a must!
My Secret Tips For Moist and Delicious Bundt Cakes
- Start with room-temperature everything—butter, sour cream, eggs, even the buttermilk. When they’re all the same temp they blend like a dream and hold on to tiny air bubbles that make the cakes rise fluffy instead of dense.
- Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off instead of digging the cup straight into the bag. Packing in extra flour is the sneakiest cause of a dry bundt.
- The butter-and-sugar step is more than mixing; it’s where you beat air into the batter. Give it a solid two to three minutes on medium. You’ll see it get pale and lighter—that’s your moisture insurance.
- Add the eggs one at a time on low speed, scraping the bowl after each. Once the dry ingredients go in, mix only until the last streak of flour disappears. Over-mixing at this stage toughens the crumb fast.
- Sour cream and buttermilk aren’t just flavor—they keep the batter moist and tender. Don’t be tempted to swap them out for straight milk; you’ll lose both richness and that bright lemon tang.
- Grab an inexpensive oven thermometer and check your real baking temp. Minis bake quickly, and an oven that runs hot will dry the edges before the centers set.
- Start testing for doneness at the 15-minute mark. If a toothpick comes out with just a couple of moist crumbs, pull the pan. The cakes keep cooking from residual heat, and you’ll lock in that super-soft, lemony crumb.
Storage & Freezer Instructions
- Room Temperature: Store these mini lemon bundt cakes (without frosting) in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
- Refrigeration: Frosted mini lemon bundt cakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Wrap unfrosted lemon mini bundt cakes with plastic wrap and again with foil to store in an airtight container or sealable bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the cakes overnight in the fridge and add fresh cream cheese frosting just before serving.
More Lemon Zesty Desserts
Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes
Ingredients
Lemon Cake
- 3 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- Zest from 3 lemons
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup sour cream
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup salted butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Using non-stick spray, thoroughly coat the mini bundt tray.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until fluffy. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and sour cream and mix until smooth. One-at-a-time, add in the eggs, Slowly, add in half of the dry mixture and half of the buttermilk. Once combined, add in the remaining dry mixture and buttermilk. Be sure to scrape the sides as needed and mix until combined.
- Pour the batter into the bundt cake cavities until ¾ filled. Place in the oven for approximately 15-18 minutes or until the tops are slightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool.
- To make the frosting, using a mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, lemon juice, and powdered sugar. Mix until smooth.
- Pipe or spread the frosting on top of the cooled bundt cakes. If desired garnish with lemon zest and a lemon slice and serve.
Notes
Recipe FAQs
Can I make mini lemon bundt cakes with cake mix?
Yes—use a lemon or white cake mix, replace water with milk, and add extra zest for bakery flavor.
Why did my mini bundt cakes stick to the pan?
Under-greasing is the main culprit. Use a baking-spray-with-flour or brush melted butter into every crevice, then dust with flour.
Can I bake this recipe as cupcakes?
Absolutely! Fill liners ⅔ full and bake at 350 °F for 14–16 minutes.
How do I know my mini bundts are done?
Tops should be lightly golden and spring back; a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
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