old fashioned lemon buttermilk bundt cake

Catch the last few rays of summer sunshine in a bite of Old Fashioned Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake. This bundt recipe is both nostalgic and modern and is sure to impress any houseguest or little picky eaters.

Grandma might have been known for her perfect bundt cake at the church potlucks, but this can be your new sensation! Let me share with you some of my top tips for making a perfect bundt cake, no matter what.

TIPS FOR A PERFECT LEMON BUTTERMILK BUNDT CAKE

1. Start with room temperature butter, eggs and buttermilk.  Don’t try to speed up the process by warming the butter in the microwave.  Partially melted butter won’t be able to cream properly.
2. In a stand mixer, cream the sugar and butter for a full five minutes until the mixture is ultra light and fluffy. Allowing the mixture to merry for several minutes does two things: dissolves the sugar crystals and whips tiny air bubbles into the butter.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix for about thirty seconds between each addition.
4. Always use real butter.  Margarine and butter substitutes will change the consistency of the bundt cake and I cannot guarantee the results.
5. Pound cakes and bundt cakes are very dense.  Make sure to thoroughly prep the pan with butter and flour prior to adding the batter. Any part of the crust that sticks to the pan will tear away under the weight of the cake as it tries to release from the pan.
6. Do not open the oven door AT ALL within the first hour of baking.  Bundt cakes are easy to test for doneness because the edges will pull away from the bundt pan.
7. Allow the bundt cake to cool for ten full minutes before turning it over onto the cooling rack. This will allow the cake to naturally loosen and release.

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INGREDIENTS FOR BUTTERMILK BUNDT CAKE

• 3 cups all purpose flour, sifted
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 3 cups sugar 
• 6 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or 1 teaspoon of lemon extract
• Zest of one lemon

INGREDIENTS FOR LEMON GLAZE

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• optional 1-2 tablespoons milk

HOW TO MAKE LEMON BUTTERMILK BUNDT CAKE

1. Preheat oven to 325 one hour prior to baking.  Grease and flour a 10” bundt pan.  Tap the pan lightly against the countertop to loosen the flour and discard the excess.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.  
3. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar for five minutes at a medium/high speed.  Gradually add the eggs, lemon juice, zest and vanilla extract.  Beat on medium/low speed for one minute more.
4. Alternate adding a cup of the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the sugar mixture. Continue alternating the flour and buttermilk until well incorporated. 
5. Carefully pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Use a rubber spatula to gently smooth the surface of the cake and release any air bubbles.
6. Bake in the preheated oven on the center rack. Do not open the oven door until the cake has baked for the full hour.  My secret tip for knowing when the cake is by looking at the edges of the pan to see if the cake has pulled away (see the picture above).  I don’t even test it with a tooth pick because the edges are such a reliable indicator of doneness.
7. Let the cake cool in the bundt pan for 10 minutes before inverting it on a wire cooling rack.  If the cake doesn’t immediately release from the pan, lightly tap along the bottom and sides of the pan with the handle of a wooden spoon.  
8. My favorite way to serve this Old Fashioned Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake is to drizzle it with the lemon glaze and pair it with Prosecco, mimosas or a fresh glass of orange juice.

HOW TO MAKE THE LEMON GLAZE

1. In a blender or stand mixer, combine the lemon juice, vanilla, powdered sugar and softened butter.  Whisk until smooth.  
2. Drizzle the lemon glaze over the warm lemon buttermilk bundt cake.

TIPS FOR STORING A BUTTERMILK BUNDT CAKE

My preference for storing a bundt cake is to leave it on the counter in an airtight container for up to three days. Honestly, we will eat it for several days beyond that, but for ultimate freshness try to eat it fast!  I really love using a cake storage container like this one.

To freeze a bundt cake, first allow it to cool completely after baking. Wrap the lemon buttermilk bundt cake in plastic wrap and add two layers of tin foil.  I use this trick for making a cake ahead of time, like for a birthday party. The goal is to get it out of the freezer quickly, for example within a few weeks.

For longer storage, I recommend using a vacuum sealer after the cake is pre-frozen.  I have learned from personal experience that it is important to freeze the cake prior to vacuum sealing. Just ask the first few loaves of sourdough I tried vac sealing and flattened… oops!

HOW TO KEEP A BUNDT CAKE FROM STICKING TO THE PAN

The fancy curves and lines of a bundt cake pan can make cake removal tricky, if not impossible if I get lazy preparing the pan.  For easy pound cake removal, I first grease the pan with melted butter and then dust it with flour.

Coat each little nook and cranny with flour! Lightly tap the bundt pan against the counter a few times to loosen any excess flour and pour it out.  

Add the cake batter to the pan and bake the bundt cake according to the recipe instructions. I simply look along the edges of the pan to see if the cake has pulled away from the sides to tell when it's fully done.

Allow the bundt cake to cool in the bundt pan for ten minutes.  Invert the bundt pan onto a cooling rack and let the poundcake release naturally.  My mother-in-law told me once that she has success inverting her angel food cakes and bundt cakes on a bottle.

CAN MILK BE SUBSTITUTED FOR BUTTERMILK IN THIS RECIPE?

Short answer: No. Milk has a thinner consistency and a mellow flavor. A traditional buttermilk is tangy and thick, perfect for a moist lemon buttermilk bundt cake.

To create a buttermilk substitute using milk, add one teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to one cup of milk.  Let it sit for five minutes.  Use this as a substitution for buttermilk in this Buttermilk Bundt Cake recipe. I have used this trick many times!

Want something easier? Unflavored yogurt or sour cream diluted 50% with water as a quick substitute for buttermilk.

VARIATIONS TO THIS RECIPE

• Skip the lemon in the glaze recipe and add 1 teaspoon of bourbon to give this bundt cake a boozy and rich flavor! Click here for the full recipe of Bundt Cake with Bourbon Glaze.
• Combine ⅓ cup of cocoa powder in the flour mixture to make a chocolate vanilla pound cake.
• Make this a vanilla poundcake by omitting the lemon in the glaze.

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. For more delicious recipes from scratch and homesteading tips, follow me on instagram @NinnescahHomestead

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