Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake

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This Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze is the perfect treat for Easter, Mother's Day, or any spring celebration-and it's just as lovely for brunch, breakfast, or dessert! It's easy to make-less than 20 minutes of prep and under an hour in the oven! Get creative with the toppings-pastel sprinkles, candied lemon peel, powdered sugar, or fresh berries.

 

Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze (topped with festive sprinkles)

I'm clearly still channeling my inner Easter bunny, because here I go again-bringing you yet another Easter dessert showstopper right after blueberry lemon cake, lemon thumbprint cookies, and carrot cake cheesecake ! It's sweet, tangy, super moist, and bursting with fresh lemon flavor and juicy raspberries. I drizzled it with a thick lemon glaze and, of course, couldn't resist tossing on a handful of Easter-inspired pastel sprinkles. Best of all? It's easy to make-less than 20 minutes of prep and under an hour in the oven! All those pastel sprinkles make it perfect for Mother's Day too!

What really makes this cake shine is creaming the butter and sugar with freshly grated lemon zest, which unlocks those citrus oils, infuses the batter with bright, citrusy flavor, and makes the whole cake smell like spring. Make sure to grease and flour your Bundt pan well for a perfect release (you can use Baker's Joy baking spray with flour here). I love decorating this bundt cake with pastel sprinkles for that classic Easter look, but feel free to get creative and make it your own-swap in seasonal sprinkles for different holidays, or try adding candied lemon peel or fresh berries.

Main Ingredients & Substitutions

• Flour. Provides structure of the cake. I used regular all-purpose flour, but you can also use cake flour as a substitution to make the cake texture lighter. 
• Baking powder and baking soda. Using both baking powder and baking soda help to achieve the perfect rise and texture of the cake.
• Salt. Use fine sea salt or kosher salt to enhance the flavor. 
• Butter. Use 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for greasing the Bundt pan. 
• Sugar. I used regular granulated sugar as a sweetener. 
• Lemon zest and lemon juice. Only freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest. I recommend grating the lemon zest first, and then squeezing the juice.  You can use bottled lemon juice, but I highly recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice for baking. Fresh lemon juice has a brighter, more vibrant citrus flavor with no preservatives. 
• Eggs, room temperature. They make the cake moist and fluffy. 
• Vegetable oil. Helps to keep the cake moist. Use neutral vegetable oil like canola or avocado. Do not use Extra Virgin Olive Oil as its flavor is too strong. However, you can use extra light olive oil (usually labeled as such or labeled as high-smoking-point olive oil) - taste it before using to make sure the flavor is truly neutral.
• Vanilla extract. Use high-quality vanilla extract. 
• Lemon extract. Gives an extra burst of lemon flavor. 
• Greek yogurt. Adds moisture and helps activate baking soda. Use room temperature Greek yogurt. You can substitute with plain yogurt or sour cream.
• Raspberries. I used fresh raspberries and placed them in the freezer before using for about 1-2 hours or until solid. This helps distribute them evenly and keep their shape. 
• Tip: The photo below shows all the ingredients you'll need-go ahead and take a screenshot for your shopping list:

How to make Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake

• Here's a quick overview of the recipe with step-by-step photos to guide you! Tip: For the full ingredient list and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
• Freeze your raspberries in a single layer until solid (so that they retain their shape and don't totally disappear in the batter).
• Preheat the oven to 350°F and really grease and flour your Bundt pan-channel your inner Easter bunny and be thorough!
• Whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl.

• In another, cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until it's light and fluffy sunshine.
• Beat in the eggs one by one, then stir in the lemon juice, vanilla, and a splash of lemon extract for extra zing.

• Whisk in vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon extract into wet ingredients.
• Alternate mixing in the dry ingredients and Greek yogurt, then gently fold in the flour-dusted frozen raspberries.

• Pour the batter into your pan and bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.
• Let it cool, release it from the bundt pan, and drizzle it generously with lemon glaze.
• Top with pastel sprinkles (Easter and Mother's Day vibes!) and slice it up for dessert, brunch, or breakfast-you know the bunny would approve.

Baking Tips

1. Using eggs, butter and Greek yogurt at room temperature helps the ingredients blend smoothly, creating a uniform batter.
2. Always use freshly grated lemon zest. It adds a more vibrant, fragrant citrus flavor.
3. Toss raspberries with 1 tablespoon of flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake during baking. 
4. Don't overmix the batter to prevent cake from being dense and tough. 
5. If the top of the cake starts browning before the cake is fully baked, cover the top with aluminum foil and continue baking.
6. Feel free to decorate the bundt cake with colorful Easter sprinkles, pastel sprinkles, or any other festive toppings you like. 

What can I use instead of lemon glaze?

• Glaze or no glaze? The lemon glaze adds sweet-tart flavor and helps keep the cake moist, but if you want - you can make it without glaze. The lemon raspberry bundt cake is delicious on its own. You can dust it with powdered sugar for visual appeal.
• Use your favorite frosting instead. You can use white chocolate frosting, classic vanilla icing (or frosting), or cream cheese frosting.

Storage & Make-Ahead Instructions

• Fridge: Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in a fridge for up to 3 days. 
• Freezer: I recommend freezing this cake without glaze. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature before serving. Then, cover with the lemon glaze.
• Make-Ahead: You can prepare the cake a day ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature. Cover with thick lemon glaze right before serving.

Other Raspberry Desserts

• Raspberry Lemon Cake
• Raspberry Brownies
• Raspberry Peach Cake
• Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
• Mixed Berry Bundt Cake (with 3 types of berries)

5 from 2 votes

Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake

This Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze is the perfect treat for Easter, Mother's Day, or any spring celebration-and it's just as lovely for brunch, breakfast, or dessert! It's easy to make-less than 20 minutes of prep and under an hour in the oven! Get creative with the toppings-pastel sprinkles, candied lemon peel, powdered sugar, or fresh berries.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 slices

Calories per serving 493 kcal

Author: Julia

Ingredients

For the Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon for tossing with raspberries
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 1 medium lemon (zest and freshly squeezed juice of one lemon)
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon lemon extract optional
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 ½ cups fresh raspberries

For the Lemon Glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Easter sprinkles or pastel sprinkles, for decorating

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Instructions 

Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake

• Spread the raspberries in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer for about 1-2 hours or until the raspberries are solid.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan well. I used a 12-cup Nordic Ware Original ProCast Bundt Pan. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl or a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream together softened butter, sugar, and lemon zest for about 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beat after each addition until combined. Scrape the bottom and the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula to make sure all ingredients are combined. Then, whisk in vegetable oil, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and lemon extract until incorporated well.
• Gradually add a portion of the flour mixture, followed by a portion of the Greek yogurt, mixing gently with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula after each addition. Continue alternating until both the dry ingredients and Greek yogurt are fully incorporated, making sure not to overmix, just gently mix until no big streaks of flour remain.
• Remove the raspberries from the freezer and toss with 1 tablespoon of flour. Gently fold into the batter.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan. Spread gently and evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45-55 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
• Remove from the oven, and let cool for about 10-15 minutes in the pan. Then, place a cooling rack over the top of the Bundt pan and carefully invert it. Gently lift the pan. Let the cake cool completely before covering with glaze.

Lemon Glaze:

• While the cake is cooling, prepare the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, milk, and vanilla extract until combined.
• Spread the lemon glaze over the cooled cake. Decorate with Easter-style sprinkles. Slice the cake into 12 equal slices.

Notes

• Make sure to thoroughly grease and flour your Bundt pan, especially if it's a detailed shape. You can use Baker's Joy Baking Spray with flour. This helps the cake release smoothly without sticking.
• I highly recommend creaming the butter and sugar with freshly grated lemon zest - it brings out the lemon's oils and fragrance. This step helps to infuse the cake with a bright, fresh lemon flavor. 
• Adjust the consistency of the glaze: If the glaze is too thick for your liking, you can gradually add more milk until you reach the desired consistency. If it's too thin, sift in 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time until the glaze thickens.
• Let the cake cool completely before drizzling the glaze on top. This prevents the glaze from melting and gives it a nice, thick finish.
• Fresh or frozen raspberries? You can use frozen raspberries, but don't thaw them! Toss them with 1 tablespoon of flour before folding into the batter to prevent them from breaking apart and sinking to the bottom of the pan.
• How do you know when the cake is done baking? Start checking your cake after 40 minutes of baking. Use a toothpick inserted in the center to check the readiness of the cake. If the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet) the cake is done baking. Also, the cake should be golden on top, and the sides should slightly pull away from the pan.

Nutrition

Nutrition Information

Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake

Amount per Serving

Calories

493

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

20

g

31

%

Saturated Fat

 

11

g

69

%

Trans Fat

 

1

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

6

g

Cholesterol

 

104

mg

35

%

Sodium

 

231

mg

10

%

Potassium

 

97

mg

3

%

Carbohydrates

 

73

g

24

%

Fiber

 

2

g

8

%

Sugar

 

51

g

57

%

Protein

 

7

g

14

%

Vitamin A

 

583

IU

12

%

Vitamin C

 

10

mg

12

%

Calcium

 

78

mg

8

%

Iron

 

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Disclaimer:

The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.

Keyword easter bundt cake, lemon raspberry bundt cake