Get ready to taste the flavors of spring with our Strawberry Lemon Bundt Cake! Bursting with the zing of fresh lemon and the sweetness of ripe strawberries, this cake is a treat that’s perfect for any occasion. Top it off with a sprinkle of powdered sugar for that extra touch of indulgence!
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Strawberry Lemon Bundt Cake
If you know us, you know we’re usually all about chocolate desserts. From chocolate soufflé, to double chocolate banana bread, and hazelnut chocolate crockpot candy, we love it all! However, once in a while we enjoy switching things up with a treat that’s a little on the lighter side. That’s when this strawberry lemon bundt cake comes into play! Full of fresh fruity flavor, it’s sweet, tangy, and super fluffy for a spring-inspired dessert everyone loves. Even better, it’s super easy to make and perfect for feeding a crowd!
What Is a Bundt Cake?
Bundt cakes are a type of cake baked in a bundt pan. Due to the pan’s design, bundt cakes have a distinct donut shape featuring a hole in the center. They are also very dense and moist because the pan does not allow for much expansion as the batter bakes.
Where Did the Bundt Cake Recipe Originate?
Bundt cakes as we know them today were inspired by thick, brioche-like cakes known as Gugelhupf made in Germany. However, the pan that we use to bake them was invented by H. David Dalquist Sr., an American engineer, in 1949. Originally, Dalquist’s invention was called a bund pan after the German word that translates to “bond” or “alliance.” However, a “t” was eventually added to the name, and demand for the product steadily grew. Then, in 1966, a bundt cake won 2nd place in the 17th annual Pillsbury Bake-Off competition, and the product’s popularity exploded. Today, it remains in production and is crucial to creating the popular cake recipe.
What’s the Difference Between Cake and Bundt Cake?
Easily recognized, bundt cakes have several distinct characteristics that set them apart from regular cakes. These include:
- The presence of fluted edges that give an elegant appearance
- A distinct donut shape, featuring a hole in the center of the cake
- A dense texture and bold flavors that are achieved with a special batter that includes less yeast or flour than is included in standard cake batters
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Lemon – Lemon juice and lemon zest are used to provide a bold, bright flavor.
- Granulated Sugar – Helps sweeten the batter.
- Fresh Strawberries and Strawberry Preserves – Both are used for a more intense strawberry flavor without creating an overly lumpy batter.
- Eggs – Crucial to provide structure to the strawberry lemon bundt cake.
- Salt and Vanilla Extract – Used to enhance the rest of the ingredients and enhance the sweet taste of the cake.
- Baking Powder – For the best results, and a fluffy lemon bundt cake, make sure your baking powder is fresh.
- All-Purpose Flour and Cornstarch – When combined, these form the base of the batter helping create a fluffy cake that has plenty of structure and a tender texture.
- Whole Milk – We prefer to use whole milk for an extra rich taste, but any milk you have on hand can be used.
- Sour Cream – This helps make this lemon bundt cake recipe extra rich and unbelievably moist.
- Powdered Sugar – Technically optional, this is dusted on top of the finished cake for a beautiful presentation.
How to Make This Strawberry Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
Due to its beautiful appearance, you might think that this strawberry lemon bundt cake recipe is extremely difficult to make, but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Just follow the simple steps below, and your cake will be unbelievably easy to make and finished in no time.
- Cream. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest together until they are smooth and fluffy. Then, slowly add in the eggs one at a time, beating well in between.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the salt, baking powder, flour, and cornstarch.
- Whisk the wet ingredients. In a third bowl, whisk the lemon juice, strawberry preserves, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Combine. Working in batches, combine the dry ingredients and wet ingredients in with the butter mixture. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing until the batter is just combined. Stir in the sour cream. Then, gently fold in the fresh strawberries.
- Bake. Pour the batter into a greased bundt pan, and bake until a cake tester can be inserted and comes out clean.
- Cool. Allow your strawberry lemon bundt cake to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before removing it and placing it on a wire rack to cool completely. Dust powdered sugar on top, and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
Grease Well. If you’ve ever made a bundt cake recipe, you’ll know that they’re famous for sticking to the pan. So, make sure to grease your bundt pan super well to help the cake slide out easily and keep its shape.
Adjust the Baking Time. Depending on your oven, your strawberry lemon bundt cake may take more or less time to cook. Ours was finished at exactly 49 minutes. However, you’ll want to start keeping a close eye on yours around the 45-minute mark and remove it from the oven as soon as a cake tester can be inserted and comes out clean. (Or, mostly clean, it’s okay if a few moist crumbs cling to it.)
Cool Completely. Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes in the bundt pan. Then, be sure to remove it and let it finish cooling on the pan. Otherwise, it might overbake due to the heat of the pan.
Topping Ideas
For this strawberry lemon bundt cake recipe, we kept the topping simple with just a dusting of powdered sugar. However, feel free to experiment with different toppings and decorations such as:
- Powdered Sugar Glaze
- Sliced Strawberries
- Chocolate
How to Store
Place your strawberry lemon bundt cake in a cake carrier, and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just make sure to let it sit out and come to room temperature before serving!
More Delicious Cakes to Try
Can’t get enough cake? We can’t either! Check out some of our other cakes that are super simple and chock-full of flavor!
Strawberry Lemond Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 4 extra large eggs
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup strawberry preserves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream full-fat greek yogurt may be substituted
- 1 cup diced strawberries
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and grease a bundt pan.
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well in between each addition.1 cup butter, 2 cups granulated sugar, Zest of 1 large lemon, 4 extra large eggs
- In a separate bowl, mix the salt, baking powder, all-purpose flour, and cornstarch until well combined.2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 3/4 teaspoon salt
- In a third bowl, whisk the lemon juice, milk, strawberry preserves, and vanilla extract until smooth.1/3 cup strawberry preserves, 1/2 cup whole milk, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Working in batches, add the dry ingredients and wet ingredients to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
- Stir in the sour cream until just combined. Be careful not to overmix!1/2 cup sour cream
- Gently fold in the fresh strawberries.1 cup diced strawberries
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester can be inserted and comes out clean. (It’s okay if there are a few moist crumbs stuck to it.)
- Remove the cake from the oven, and let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar, and enjoy!Powdered sugar for dusting
- Store in a cake carrier in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious, simple and made me look like an actual baker. Bravo and THANK YOU!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Tia! 😊 Thank you for trying it out.
Xo,
Alia & Radwa