This lemon raspberry bundt cake is tender, moist, and so tasty! Make my glazed bundt cake recipe for a Valentine's Day dessert, Mother's Day, or any special occasion!
When you want an easy and delicious treat that's also beautiful, you can't go wrong with bundt cakes.
You can make them with fresh or frozen fruit, like this raspberry cake, or keep them simple, like my banana bundt cake and vanilla almond bundt cake recipes.
Make your dessert look more beautiful with with a dusting of powdered sugar, buttercream frosting, or a simple lemon glaze over the top.
This cake has the perfect balance of sweet and tart from fresh raspberries and lots of lemon zest. It's a must try!
The raspberries in this cake give a rich flavor while being a bit tart, and having just the right amount of sweetness.
Meanwhile, the sweet lemon glaze just brings it to a whole new level. It's just as delicious as this glazed pumpkin bundt cake!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- A perfect sweet and tart flavor combo. Raspberries and lemons are delicious in desserts on their own, but even better when paired!
- Beautiful and easy to make. Bundt cakes are so pretty! You can use a detailed fluted pans to make your cake stand out!
- Great for sharing. Bundt cakes are perfect for sharing. Bring one to a tea party, bridal shower, potluck, or holiday party.
Ingredients
See ingredient substitutions in the next section. ⬇️
To make this glazed lemon raspberry bundt cake, you'll need:
- white granulated sugar
- leaveners: You'll need both baking powder and baking soda. If you haven't used them in a while, I recommend testing them for freshness. If your leaveners are too old, they won't release the gas bubbles that make the banana cake light and fluffy.
- unsalted butter: I recommend using unsalted butter in baked goods because the amount of sodium in salted butter varies a lot. Rather than using salted butter, it's best to add salt to prevent the bundt cake from being too salty.
- large eggs
- vanilla extract
- milk: I use whole milk to give the raspberry bundt cake a richer flavor.
- sour cream: Full fat sour cream is the best choice, but any variety will work.
- kosher or sea salt: Avoid using iodized table salt - it will give your dessert a bitter/metallic aftertaste.
- raspberries: I like the convenience of using frozen raspberries, and they tend to be a little bit less expensive than fresh. If you have access to fresh berries, by all means, use them!
For the lemon glaze, you'll need:
- powdered sugar: This is also known as confectioner's sugar.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice: The flavor of fresh lemon juice is so much better than concentrated juice!
- lemon zest: Just zest your fresh lemon before squeezing it for juice.
- unsalted butter: There's just 1 teaspoon of butter in the icing, but it helps to cut the acidic flavor of the lemon while accentuating the raspberry flavor.
You'll also need a 10-inch (10-cup) bundt pan. Here are some of my favorite bundt cake pans:
- nonstick bundt pan- highly recommend this one! It's affordable and works great.
- fancier bundt pan
- fleur de Lis bundt pan
I do not recommend using silicone bundt pans! They heat differently than metal bakeware, and removing cakes from them is difficult.
📖 Time-Saving Tip - Testing Baking Soda or Baking Powder for Freshness
This simple little test can save you time and money, because if your leavener is expired, whatever you're baking wont rise in the oven! This test works for baking soda and baking powder:
- Add about ½ teaspoon of baking soda or powder to a small bowl. Stir in an equal amount of an acidic ingredient, like vinegar or citrus juice.
- If the solution doesn't start to bubble immediately, it's time to replace your leavener.
Substitutions and Recipe Variations
- all-purpose flour: If you'd like to make the a gluten-free raspberry lemon bundt cake, substitute the AP flour with a cup-for-cup brand of gluten-free all-purpose flour. Two popular brands are Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur Flour.
- baking soda and baking powder: If you happen to be out of baking powder, but you have baking soda and cream of tartar on hand, you can make a baking powder replacement!
To use baking soda as a substitute for baking powder, mix ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar with ¼ teaspoon of baking soda for every 1 teaspoon of baking powder. - white granulated sugar: To reduce the calories of this dessert, feel free to use any cup-for-cup granulated sugar substitute. Monkfruit sugar is a good option. For this raspberry lemon cake, do not substitute brown sugar for white sugar. The molasses in the brown sugar will overpower the fruit flavors.
- unsalted butter: If you need or want to use salted butter, just omit the ¼ teaspoon of salt this recipe calls for.
I haven't tested plant-based butter alternatives with this recipe, but can't think of a reason that would prevent them from working. - egg: Egg yolks are important for creating moisture and structure in cakes, so I haven't tested any egg substitutes with this recipe. If you want to do some testing on your own, feel free! For tips and suggestions, read my article, Egg Substitutions for Baking.
- sour cream: If you need a substitute for sour cream, unflavored Greek yogurt is a perfect option. Dairy-free sour cream and yogurt are fine to use as well.
- vanilla extract: If you need an alcohol-free flavoring, you can use vanilla essence, or omit the extract altogether.
Bundt Cake Recipe Variations
- More Lemon: If you want more lemon flavor, add a tablespoon of lemon zest and juice to your cake batter. If you love lemon cakes, try our Lemon Olive Oil Cake or Lemon Poppy Seed Cake!
- Add chocolate! You can skip the lemon and add chocolate chips to make a chocolate raspberry bundt cake! You can also make a white chocolate raspberry cake by adding white chocolate chips to the batter.
- Use frosting instead of glaze- I prefer a glazed bundt cake, but you can use cream cheese frosting or even buttercream if you want to.
- Mini bundt cakes- I haven't tried making this in a mini bundt cake pan, but I think it would work. You'd likely need to decrease your cook time.
Can you use cake mix? Personally, I have never used a cake mix to bake in a bundt pan. You're welcome to try it, though!
How to Make Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake
Summary only. The complete recipe instructions are in the card at the bottom of this post ⬇️
*Important Note: Before making this recipe, be sure that all of the ingredients are at room temperature. See my tips below for quickly bringing cold eggs to room temp.
- Cream butter and sugar together. Be sure to use an electric hand or stand mixer on high power. The goal for creaming butter and sugar is to dissolve most of the sugar.
So, rub a little bit of the mixture between your fingers; if it still feels gritty, keep mixing.
- Incorporate the remaining wet ingredients for the cake batter. Start by adding the eggs, one at a time. Then add the milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients and raspberries.
- Pour cake batter into a greased and floured 10-cup bundt pan.
- Bake and cool completely. It's important to let the bundt cake cool completely before glazing it.
- Make the lemon glaze and decorate/garnish the bundt cake.
How to Make Lemon Glaze for Cake
- In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and melted butter.
- When the bundt cake is completely cool, drizzle the glaze over the top.
Liz's Tips for a Super Moist Cake
- Bring all ingredients to room temperature before you start baking. Having everything at room temp makes it easier to combine the wet and dry ingredients without over mixing.
- A quick way to bring eggs to room temperature is to place them in a dish or bowl covered with warm water (should be warm to the touch, but not hot or boiling) for about 5 minutes.
- Be sure to grease and flour the pan well! It's best to use a pastry brush or paper towel to apply the melted butter. Be sure to get into all the crevices of your bundt pan to prevent the cake from sticking.
- Measure carefully, and do not over mix your batter. Too much flour will result in a dry cake, and over mixing will cause your cake to be dense.
- Cool the cake for 10-20 minutes before turning it out. This helps to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
Storing: You can store leftover glazed bundt cake for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Because it includes perishable dairy products, the cake is best kept in the fridge.
Freezing: You can freeze an unfrosted bundt cake for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in a freezer-safe container, or an outer layer of aluminum foil. Thaw completely before glazing.
Bundt Cake Recipe FAQs
Any cake can be a Bundt cake if it's baked in a Bundt pan. A pound cake is traditionally called pound cake because it's made up of a pound of each butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. You can, however, make a pound cake in a bundt pan, making it a Bundt pound cake.
The typical culprit for a fallen cake is the use of extra sugar or leavening. Be sure to check the expiration dates of your baking powder and baking soda before adding it to your cake mix.
10 - 20 minutes is a perfect cooling time for a bundt cake. Flip too soon and you risk tearing the cake. Also, allowing it to cool too long can create more moisture and make your cake stick to the sides.
A bundt cake is better than a regular cake for so many reasons! Bundt cakes a prettier, easier to display than a regular cake, and slice so easily!
Other Easy Cake Recipes
Glazed Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled (4 ounces / 1 stick)
- 1 ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- ¼ cup milk or non-dairy milk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup raspberries fresh or frozen, plus more for garnish (if desired)
Lemon glaze ingredients
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1 large lemon
- ½ tablespoon lemon zest from 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan with melted butter and all-purpose flour. Set aside.
- To a medium sized mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer (or stand mixer) on high speed to cream sugar and butter until light and creamy, about 2-4 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to medium. Add and incorporate the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each egg, if necessary.
- Add the sour cream, milk, and vanilla, and mix again to combine. Reduce mixer speed to low, and gradually incorporate the flour mixture, making sure not to over mix.
- Add raspberries to the bowl. Using a mixing spoon or stirring spatula, gently fold them into the batter.
- Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out dry or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool in the bundt pan on a wire rack for 1 hour before removing. When cake is cool, make the glaze.
- In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and butter. Stir well to combine. *If lemon glaze is too thick, stir in 1 teaspoonful of lemon juice or water at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. To thicken the glaze, add more powdered sugar.
- Drizzle glaze over the cake and if desired, garnish with additional raspberries.
Helpful Notes and Tips From Liz
- Bring all ingredients to room temperature before you start baking. Having everything at room temp makes it easier to combine the wet and dry ingredients without over mixing.
- A quick way to bring eggs to room temperature is to place them in a dish or bowl covered with warm water (should be warm to the touch, but not hot or boiling) for about 5 minutes.
- Be sure to grease and flour the pan well! It's best to use a pastry brush or paper towel to apply the melted butter. Be sure to get into all the crevices of your bundt pan to prevent the cake from sticking.
- Measure carefully, and do not over mix your batter. Too much flour will result in a dry cake, and over mixing will cause your cake to be dense.
- Cool the cake for 10-20 minutes before turning it out. This helps to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
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