My love for individual desserts knows no bounds! These Lemon Mini Bundt Cakes with Lemon Icing are bright, zesty, and irresistibly delicious—a perfect treat for any occasion. Moist and tender, they’re infused with fresh lemon juice and zest for a burst of citrus flavor.
If you’re a fan of citrus desserts, these Lemon Mini Bundt Cakes are sure to become your new favorite. Perfectly portioned, they’re ideal for everything from casual gatherings to elegant tea parties. Each bundlet cake is topped with a sweet and tangy lemon glaze and garnished with a touch of lemon zest for a stunning, eye-catching finish. Whether you’re looking for an easy recipe to impress guests or a special celebration, these mini bundt cakes are guaranteed to be a showstopper for any season!
These easy mini lemon bundt cakes were inspired by my decadent Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes. If you haven’t tried those yet, be sure to check them out!
Jump to:
- Why Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes are Beyond Special
- Why Fresh Lemons Are Essential for Perfectly Balanced Pastry Flavors
- Serving Suggestions for Lemon Mini Bundt Cakes
- Ingredients
- How to Make a Mini Lemon Bundt Cake with Sour Cream
- STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- Substitutions for Lemon bundt Cake Ingredients
- Variations for Mini Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
- Equipment
- Storage Lemon Mini Bundt Cakes
- Top Tips for Preparing Lemon Mini Bundt Cakes
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- Lemon Mini Bundt Cake
Why Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes are Beyond Special
These mini-bundt cakes are a treasure at any gathering. They bake up much quicker than the larger size, thus retaining more moisture. Of course, the lemon glaze adds a unique vibrancy.
Mini bundt cakes are as visually stunning as they are tasty. Bundtlet cakes gratify all the senses. They are easy to prepare, make perfect gifts for the office or for teachers, and are delightfully versatile to decorate. Small bundt cake desserts are easy to deal with at gatherings such as cookouts and picnics as they require no utensils and come with automatic portion control. And they are fun for kids to handle.
It is easy to create your own hosting style by serving individual miniature bundt cakes as a dessert. There is an abundance of mini bundt cake recipes with which to experiment. This homemade lemon mini bundt cake recipe emphasizes the tangy pleasure of lemons.
Why Fresh Lemons Are Essential for Perfectly Balanced Pastry Flavors
Lemons are used for more than lemonade. The addition of lemon flavor to pastry adds complexity and a pleasant tartness. Despite their tartness, lemons contain sugar, allowing lemons and sugar to work together in tasty harmony while subtly contrasting each other. The pairing of these two ingredients is a successful culinary marriage that creates a new and unique flavor profile. (Consider what the addition of salt does to food.) To bring out the true flavor, a tinge of lemon works a similar magic to a tinge of salt.
While cooking emergencies may compel you to reach for bottled lemon juice for your cake and lemon icing, it is emphatically not recommended. Fresh lemons are healthy and brighter due to the lack of preservatives. In a pinch, bottled may work, but chefs agree when flavor counts, only the vibrancy of true, fresh lemons will do. Fortunately, fresh lemons are easily obtained at any Market.
Serving Suggestions for Lemon Mini Bundt Cakes
- Pair these cakes with a hot cup of tea or coffee like my salted caramel latte for an afternoon treat or dessert.
- Keep it simple with a light dusting of powdered sugar over the mini bundt cakes. This enhances the zesty lemon flavor while maintaining a clean, elegant presentation. I do this when I am running out of time!
- Drizzle the lemond bundts with a sweet lemon glaze made from confectioners' sugar and fresh lemon juice. It adds extra tang and a glossy finish. As I suggested in this recipe.
- Serve with fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries for a burst of color and natural sweetness that complements the citrus flavor.
These serving suggestions ensure your lemon mini bundt cakes shine as a star dessert for any occasion, whether it’s a casual snack or an elegant celebration!
Ingredients
These ingredients come together to create a moist, flavorful, and perfectly balanced mini lemon bundt cake recipe!
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the cake and it’s the base that balances the wet and dry ingredients.
- Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the cake rise and achieve a light, fluffy texture.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor by balancing the sweetness and intensifying the lemon and vanilla flavor.
- Butter: Adds richness and moisture to the bundt cakes.
- White Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps retain moisture during baking.
- Eggs: Provide structure, richness, and stability while binding the ingredients together for a smooth batter.
- Sour Cream: Adds moisture and a slight tang, complementing the lemon flavor and ensuring a soft, moist crumb.
- Oil: Contributes to the cake’s moisture, keeping it soft and tender even after cooling.
- Fresh Lemon Juice:Infuses the cake with a bright, tangy citrus flavor.
- Lemon Zest: Adds concentrated lemon aroma and citrusy burst.
- Vanilla Extract: Complements the lemon flavor with a subtle sweetness and warmth
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Used to create the sweetened lemon drizzle that adds the perfect touch of sweetness to the lemon bundt cakes.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make a Mini Lemon Bundt Cake with Sour Cream
As with most baking jobs, start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. And here comes the main job, greasing your mini bundt pans. I recommend dusting it with flour after greasing as it is critical to prevent the cakes from sticking. Then in a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a separate bowl start whipping the butter and sugar with a hand mixer to ensure light cakes until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Start from low speed and gradually increase the speed and beat for 4-5 minutes.
Keep whipping as you add an egg at a time and whip after each addition. Then stir in the remaining wet ingredients, the sour cream, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and the vanilla extract. Combine well.
The sour cream is an important part of the cake batter as it adds moisture and prevents dryness. It also adds just enough tanginess to work with the lemon.
Gradually stir the flour mix into the wet mix. At this point, it is time to transfer the batter to the mini bundt cake pan. You can use individual bundt pans (six for this mini lemon bundt cakes recipe) or a single six-cup bundt pan. The latter may be more convenient.
Fill each up about two-thirds to the top and bake for 20 minutes – until you can insert a toothpick in the center of one of the cakes, and it comes out clean. Toothpick test always works great.
When the cakes are done, allow them to cool. Use this time to combine the icing ingredients in a bowl until the consistency is smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cooled mini bundt cakes and enjoy.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Beat the butter and sugar until pale and light.
Sour cream, lemon zest, oil added to the wet mixture.
Mix wet and dry mixture together gently.
Fill ⅔ of the bundt cake batter into the mini bundt cake pan.
Once done allow the mini bundt cakes to cool down.
Mix confectioners sugar, lemon juice and milk to make lemon icing.
Drizzle the amzing lemon icing over the lemon mini bundt cakes to enjoy with your cup of latte!
Substitutions for Lemon bundt Cake Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: Substitute with gluten-free all-purpose flour for a gluten-free option.
- White Granulated Sugar: Use coconut sugar for a natural sweetener or light brown sugar for a deeper flavor (may slightly alter the color).
- Sour Cream: Substitute with plain Greek yogurt, buttermilk, or coconut cream for a dairy-free alternative.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Replace with bottled lemon juice (in a pinch) or an equal amount of lime juice for a different citrus twist.
Variations for Mini Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
These variations let you customize your lemon bundt cakes to suit different tastes and occasions!
- Lemon Bundt Cake: Pour the batter into a regular bundt pan and bake for a show-stopping presentation. Drizzle with a lemon glaze or dust with powdered sugar. You can double the recipe and follow this same recipe to create a single lemon bundt cake.
- Add Blueberries: Fold in 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter. Toss the blueberries in a little flour before adding to prevent them from sinking to make Lemon Blueberry Bundt cake recipe.
- Lemon Poppy Seed Cake: Add 1–2 tablespoons of poppy seeds to the batter for a delightful crunch and a classic pairing with lemon.
- Add Raspberries: Swirl in raspberry jam or fold fresh raspberries into the batter for a tangy-sweet flavor contrast. The color contrast of the cake will be amazing.
- Lemon Coconut Cake: Replace the sour cream with coconut cream and sprinkle shredded coconut on top of the glaze for a tropical twist.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls - To mix the wet and dry ingredients separately.
- Mini Bundt Cake Pan - Essential for creating the signature bundt cake shape. Use a silicone or metal mini bundt pan with 6 cavities.
- Baking Spray - To grease the bundt pan cavities for easy release of cakes.
- Whisk and spatula - To mix the ingredients.
- Cooling rack - To allow the cakes to cool evenly after baking.
- Hand mixer or stand mixer - A handheld or stand mixer makes creaming butter and sugar easier, but you can also use a whisk or spatula.
Storage Lemon Mini Bundt Cakes
These easy, moist, and zesty lemon mini bundt cakes are perfect for making ahead and storing for later enjoyment. To keep them fresh and flavorful, here’s how you can store them:
Room Temperature: You can store your lemon mini bundt cakes at room temperature for up to three days. Simply place them in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out. This is ideal if you plan to enjoy them within a few days.
Refrigeration: For longer storage, refrigerate the cakes. Wrap them individually or layer them in an airtight container to lock in moisture. They’ll stay fresh for up to four days in the fridge. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Freezing: If you need to store them for a more extended period, these cakes freeze beautifully. Wrap each cake securely in plastic wrap to protect against freezer burn, then place them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. They can be frozen for up to three months. Thaw them at room temperature or in the refrigerator when ready to enjoy.
By following these storage tips, you can ensure your lemon mini bundt cakes retain their deliciously moist and zesty flavor, whether you’re saving them for a quick snack or a future celebration. Perfect for prepping ahead!
Top Tips for Preparing Lemon Mini Bundt Cakes
- Your bundt pans should be five inches in size. If you are using smaller pans, reduce the baking time.
- If you are out of sour cream, plain Greek yogurt can be substituted in a pinch.
- You can adjust the strength of the lemon flavor by adjusting the sugar and lemon quantities.
- Ovens vary, and you don’t want your mini bundts to burn. Check on them during the baking time.
FAQ
Mini bundt cakes typically take about 18–25 minutes to bake at 350°F (175°C). However, the exact time may vary depending on cake pan size and oven variations.
Yes! Replace the butter with plant-based butter, the sour cream with dairy-free yogurt, and the milk in the icing with almond milk or oat milk for the dairy-free version. Replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free 1:1 baking flour blend. Ensure all other ingredients are gluten-free as well for a gluten-free version.
Yes, these cakes freeze well. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Grease the pan thoroughly with oil or butter, then dust with flour. Tap out any excess flour. You can also use a non-stick baking spray designed for bundt pans.
While bottled lemon juice works in a pinch, fresh lemon juice is highly recommended for the best flavor. Fresh lemons also provide zest, which adds a fragrant citrus punch.
Absolutely! Double the recipe and adjust the baking time to about 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Use ingredients like sour cream or yogurt, don’t overmix the batter, and avoid overbaking. The glaze also helps seal in moisture and adds extra flavor.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this lemon mini bundt cake recipe:
Lemon Mini Bundt Cake
Equipment
- Mini Bundt Pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Hand Mixer
- Cooling rack
- Non-Stick Spray
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
For lemon mini bundt cake
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup white granulated sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream at room temperature
- ¼ cup flavorless oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Lemon zest for garnish
For Lemon Icing
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 - 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the mini bundt cake pan with oil and dust it with flour. Tap out any excess flour by inverting the pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
- In another bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then, add the sour cream, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until everything is well incorporated.
- Use a piping bag or spoon to fill each cavity of the prepared mini bundt cake pan up to ⅔ full. Smooth the tops if needed.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the mini bundt cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, carefully invert the pan onto a wire rack to release the cakes. Allow them to cool completely for another 10 minutes.
- While the cakes cool, prepare the icing by combining confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, and milk in a bowl. Stir until the mixture reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
- Once the cakes are cool, drizzle the lemon icing over the top and garnish with lemon zest. Enjoy these delightful mini bundt cakes!
Notes
- If you're looking to make a gluten-free version of lemon mini bundts, simply substitute gluten-free flour for the all-purpose flour (1:1 gluten-free baking flour)
- Store the bundt cakes at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
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