From Scratch Lemon Pudding Pound Cake

Fresh lemon zest gives this from scratch lemon pudding pound cake bright citrus flavor, and a pudding mix makes it so moist and tender! It’s coated in a tangy lemon glaze, so every bite is pure lemon bliss.

I’m a fan of all things lemon, and I also happen to be obsessed with Bundt cakes. Not only do they look beautiful on a dessert table, there’s no tricky layering – win!

I have another recipe for lemon bundt cake with cream cheese frosting, but it calls for buttermilk, and I was out. I did happen to have a box of instant lemon pudding mix, so I decided to give this cake a try.

My husband took it to work to share with his coworkers, and came home with just a few crumbs. He said everyone LOVED it.

I tried a slice before sending it, and I wished I would have kept another one for myself. It’s perfectly lemony, and the glaze that hardens on the outside just melts in your mouth. It’s so, so good!

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Pudding Pound Cake

• Pudding mix makes an extra soft, perfectly moist cake.
• Fresh lemon zest gives it a boost of citrus flavor that lemon cake mix just can’t beat.
• It’s not hard to prepare, but makes a lovely presentation that looks like you fussed.
• The fresh lemon glaze is brushed in every nook and cranny, and it crackles when you bite into it, then it just melts. Delicious!
• You can serve it alone, or with whipped cream, berries, or ice cream.

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How to Make Lemon Pudding Pound Cake From Scratch

1. PREP – Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan thoroughly, or use Baker’s Joy spray. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. CREAM – Beat the butter, oil, and sugars for 4-6 minutes until very pale, light, and fluffy. (I use an electric hand mixer, but you can use a stand mixer.)
3. WET INGREDIENTS – Next, beat in the eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, and juice until well blended, then beat in the milk.
4. DRY INGREDIENTS – Whisk the flour, dry pudding mix, soda, and salt, then add them to the wet ingredients. Stir until well combined.
5. BAKE –  Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes at 350°, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with no wet batter.
6. ICING – Melt the butter in a small glass bowl. Add the powdered sugar, salt, zest, and enough lemon juice to make a thin glaze. Brush over the top of the hot cake.
   Let sit in the pan for about 15 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. Brush the rest of the icing over the entire cake.

Tips for the Best Lemon Pound Cake

• Use fresh lemons! You can’t beat the bright flavor you get from freshly grated lemon zest and juice.
• Grease the pan well to prevent sticking. For bundt cakes, regular cooking spray doesn’t always do the job. Use a spray with flour (like Baker’s Joy), or spread every crevice with shortening and sprinkle with flour.
• Don’t skip the creaming. It seems like 5 minutes is a long time to beat sugar and butter, but is does impact the texture of the cake.
• If you have a kitchen scale, weigh your flour. If not, just make sure you don’t pack the flour into the measuring cup, or you will end up with too much flour and a drier cake.

What to Serve With Lemon Pound Cake

This cake pairs perfectly with:

• Fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries
• Vanilla ice cream or sherbet
• Hot tea or coffee
• A dollop of fresh whipped cream
• Lemon curd, store-bought or homemade

Variations:

• If you want a thicker frosting, use my recipe for Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.
• For a lighter cake, you can just add a simple dusting of powdered sugar to the top of the cake.
• Try folding a cup and a half of fresh blueberries or raspberries into the batter before baking.
• For a tropical twist, add a cup of shredded coconut and use 1 tsp of coconut extract in place of the vanilla.

How to Store Lemon Pudding Pound Cake

Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. I love this cake keeper. If you don’t have a large container, you can wrap the cake with plastic wrap, or cut in and store individual slices.

For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 1 week or wrap in several layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.

MORE LEMON DESSERTS:

• Lemon Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
• Italian Lemon Cookies
• Lemon Brownies
• Better Than Crumbl Lemon Cookie Recipe
• Lemon Lush
• Pink Lemonade Pie
• Lemon Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe inspired by Food Network.

Lemon lovers won’t be able to resist this lemon pudding pound cake! Serve it for Easter, Mother’s Day, summer parties, or anytime you want an easy yet impressive dessert.