Lemon Yogurt Bundt Cake
This lemon yogurt bundt cake uses a simple lemon cake recipe with oil as the source of fat for a moist crumb and the reverse creaming method for easy mixing and a plush texture. Plus, with fresh lemons and the lemon yogurt, there's no need for extracts!
This from-scratch lemon cake recipe is a perfect snack cake for tea while still being decadent enough to serve for dessert. Looking for more cakes that pair with your afternoon coffee? Try my banana chocolate cake recipe, this spiced pear crumb cake, or this Biscoff cookie butter bundt cake.
Recipe Overview: Lemon Yogurt Bundt Cake
✅ Recipe Name: Lemon Yogurt Bundt Cake
🕒 Ready In: 1 hour
👪 Yield: 14 slices
🍽 Calories: 427 calories (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: lemon zest, lemon yogurt, cake flour, eggs, sugar, oil
👌 Difficulty: Easy and simple!
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Why You'll Love This Bundt Cake Recipe
- No extracts! Most of the lemon flavor comes directly from the lemon zest, with a little extra boost from your favorite lemon yogurt - giving the cake a smooth lemon flavor.
- It's easy to make with a soft crumb! This simple lemon cake recipe uses the reverse creaming method, which cuts out extra steps and gives it a plush texture.
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Key Ingredients
Lemons. Both the lemon zest and juice are used. The lemon zest flavors the cake, and the lemon sugar and the lemon juice are used in the glaze for a slight hint of sour flavor.
Lemon yogurt. Contributes more lemon flavor to the cake and tenderizes the crumb. My favorite to use is Yoplait's lemon burst yogurt, but I've recently had more difficulty finding it at my grocery store, so choose your favorite brand, but not one where the lemon flavor is solely from a mixin like lemon curd.
Oil. Makes the cake soft by preventing too much gluten from forming during mixing and makes the cake moist.
Cake flour. Has less gluten than all-purpose flour, so it makes the cake softer.
How to Make Lemon Yogurt Bundt Cake
- Step 1: Whisk the eggs and the lemon yogurt together and set aside.
- Step 2: Beat the dry ingredients with the oil until a smooth paste forms.
- Step 3: Add the egg/yogurt mixture and beat again until just combined.
- Step 4: Pour the lemon yogurt cake batter into a prepared 10-cup bundt pan and bake at 325°F for 50-60 minutes.
- Step 5: Sprinkle the lemon sugar onto the cake as desired if using.
- Step 6: Make the lemon glaze for the bundt cake and pour it onto the cooled lemon yogurt bundt cake, and enjoy!
FAQs
For true, concentrated lemon flavor, rub the lemon zest into the sugar. As the zest is agitated, the oils that hold the lemon flavor are released. The sugar should appear moistened - almost like kinetic sand.
In reverse creaming, the fat (typically butter or, in this case, oil) is mixed with the flour. The fat coats the flour, inhibiting excess gluten formation, which would make the cake tough and dense. The result is a soft and tender crumb. It's the same method I use in my brown butter vanilla cupcakes.
Tap the pan firmly a couple of times on the counter in its upright position, then invert it, giving it one final strong tap. You can use a kitchen towel or a cloth/cork trivet as a barrier between the bundt pan/cake plate and the counter to avoid scratching or breaking anything.
If the cake still doesn't release, firmly tap around the outside of the pan with a sturdy instrument like a wooden spoon. Give the cake pan another vertical tap on the counter for it to release.
To avoid future issues, invert the bundt pan while it is still warm. The cake will release easily.
Full-fat yogurt is best for optimal texture. In terms of flavor, my favorite to use is Yoplait's lemon burst yogurt. Both regular and Greek yogurt work for this recipe.
Ainseanlea's Top Tips
- Don't substitute the water for lemon juice in the glaze. The water balances the tart flavor of the lemon juice while helping to thin the glaze a bit.
- Measure ingredients in grams for best results. Grams are a more precise measurement. If you insist on using measuring cups, be sure to spoon the flour into the cups and then level with a straight edge. This prevents packing, which would result in a dense cake.
More Lemon Dessert Recipes You'll Love!
Tried this recipe? Please leave a comment with a star rating. I love hearing your feedback, and it greatly helps me improve recipes for you!
Lemon Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 325℉
- Whisk the eggs and the lemon yogurt together in a small bowl and set aside.375 grams lemon yogurt, 4 large eggs
- Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest to the bowl of your stand mixer. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar for 1-2 minutes to release the lemon flavor. The sugar should resemble kinetic sand once done.1½ large lemons, 410 grams granulated sugar
- Add all the other dry ingredients (cake flour, baking powder & salt) to the mixing bowl and with a flat beater attached, beat on low speed to evenly distribute the ingredients.315 grams cake flour, 2½ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Add the canola oil to the mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth.285 mL canola oil
- With the mixer still on medium speed, add about half of the egg/yogurt mixture set aside earlier. Beat just until combined, then scrape down the sides and bottom of your mixer and mix again until combined.
- Add the remaining egg/yogurt mixture to the mixing bowl and beat again on medium speed just until combined.
- Pour the batter into a 10-cup bundt pan prepared with baking spray and bake at 325°F for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a couple of crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool slightly in the bundt pan, but once the pan has cooled enough to be handled bare-handed, invert the pan onto your desired cake stand or serving plate to release it.
- Rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar to release the lemon flavor. Sprinkle over the cake as desired once cool.The sugar may clump together while it sits out - this is normal, just use your fingers to break up the clumps once ready to use.50 grams granulated sugar, ½ large lemon
- Whisk the lemon juice, water, and confectioner's sugar together in a small bowl until it forms a paste.2 TABLEspoons lemon juice, 1 TABLEspoon water, 145 grams confectioner's sugar
- Add the melted butter and whisk again. Pour on top of a cooled cake and serve.1 TABLEspoon butter
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container or under a cake dome for up to 5 days for the best flavor and texture.
Nutrition
Notes
- Unless otherwise stated, all ingredients should be at room temperature.
- Use a kitchen scale. It's more precise. If you insist on measuring by volume, spoon the flour into the measuring cups, then level to avoid packing.
- The glaze thickens and crusts once left to sit, so it's best to make it when you're ready to pour it onto the cake.
Hi! Do you have the imperial measurements for this recipe?
Hi Lisa! The issue should be fixed now and you should be able to see measurement in cups. Sorry about that!
Moist, not too sweet, amazing icing, are just some of the things that describe this superb cake. The lemon is not overpowering which is what I enjoyed the most. Amazing