This post may contain affiliate links. See my privacy policy for details.
This lemon pudding cake came about while I was fresh off the success of my homemade Pistachio Pudding cake. That cake rocked my world. It took my love of pistachio pudding to new heights. This cake rocked my lemon world and was in fact, Mike’s birthday cake. He wanted date squares for his birthday. I gave him date squares and a homemade lemon pudding cake because I mean, honestly, what’s a birthday without a birthday cake? What kind of wife, nay, what kind of food blogger would I be if I didn’t bake my husband a cake for his birthday?
And what a cake it was.
How to Make Lemon Pudding Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a standard Bundt pan.(the 12 cup capacity)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt then set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the lemon pie filling mix POWDER ( YOU DO NOT COOK IT) and combine thoroughly.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is thoroughly incorporated.
- Mix in the lemon zest.
- Combine the milk, oil and vanilla extract in a large measuring cup or bowl.
- Starting with the dry ingredients, alternate pouring a third of the wet and dry ingredients into the mixer bowl, incorporating thoroughly after each addition. You will end on the wet ingredients. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes after the last addition.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Invert the cake onto a baking rack to cool.
- Frost with Lemon Buttercream Frosting when the cake has completely cooled and sprinkle lemon zest over the icing if wanted.
Fluffy, moist, amazing lemon flavor cake for my honey bunny on his birthday. So he got his birthday date square and I got my lemon cake. I think it’s a good symbiotic relationship. Not that he complains of course. “Oh no, my wife made me TWO desserts for my birthday because she wanted to try a lemon cake. Poor me!” <—- said no man ever.
Happy baking everyone! I hope you love this cake!
Love you more than cake,
Karlynn
Homemade Lemon Pudding Cake
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cook Time
- 55 minutes
- Total Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Course
- Dessert
- Cuisine
- American
- Servings
- 12
- Calories
- 377
- Author
- Karlynn Johnston
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups of white granulated sugar
- one 99 grams -128 grams package of jello lemon pie filling or instant lemon pudding (small packet
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a standard Bundt pan.(the 12 cup capacity)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt then set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the lemon pie filling mix POWDER ( YOU DO NOT COOK IT) and combine thoroughly.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is thoroughly incorporated.
- Mix in the lemon zest.
- Combine the milk, oil and vanilla extract in a large measuring cup or bowl.
- Starting with the dry ingredients, alternate pouring a third of the wet and dry ingredients into the mixer bowl, incorporating thoroughly after each addition. You will end on the wet ingredients. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes after the last addition.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Invert the cake onto a baking rack to cool.
- Frost with Lemon Buttercream Icing when the cake has completely cooled and sprinkle lemon zest over the icing if wanted.
Nutrition Information
All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Made this recipe?
Share a photo of what you made on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thekitchenmagpie or hashtag it #thekitchenmagpie.
Please rate this recipe in the comments below to help out your fellow cooks!
Learn to cook like the Kitchen Magpie
A Very Prairie Christmas Bakebook
Cookies, Candies, Cakes & More: Vintage Baking to Celebrate the Festive Season!
Flapper Pie and a Blue Prairie Sky
A Modern Baker’s Guide to Old-Fashioned Desserts
The Prairie Table
Suppers, Potlucks & Socials: Crowd-Pleasing Recipes to Bring People Together
PIN THIS RECIPE to your BAKING RECIPES Boards and Remember to FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST!
Beth says
Love the cake second time making it but always sticks to the pan any ideas of why or is there something to do to keep it from sticking I did Excatly as you said but thought I give it another try but nope stuck worse this time very disappointing
Cee says
pls clarify, your Lemon Pudding Cake recipe calls for Either Lemon Pie Filling powder like Shirriff OR Lemon Powder Pudding mix like Jello instant pudding powder? I would hate ruin the ingredients.
Prunette says
I Cee. Yes like Jello instant pouding
Sherri says
Recipe for the Lemon Buttercream Icing?
Sharon Richardson says
My cake rose great and didn’t fall. I followed recipe to a “t”. Only problem I had was stuck to pan in some places. I had to use non stick spray cooking oil and then floured pan. I usually use solid cooking oil like Crisco to grease pan and then flour. Maybe that’s the reason it stuck to pan in places.
LaShaunda R Wiggins says
Try using Bakers Joy. It works perfectly in all my baked goods. It has flour in it. I hope this helps. Blessings
Sharon says
Cake did wonderfull. Except I had problem getting it out of Bundt pan. I let it cool completely but still stuck to pan. Pulled one side off of cake. Oh well I will ice it tomorrow and hope for the best.
patricia Boatman says
can I bake in 9X12??
Marsha Garmon says
This cake was absolutely delicious. However, there was no recipe for the icing.
Linda Hurteau says
I am very fussy about cakes I make. Love a nice moist and flavorful cake and this recipe hit the mark. It is DELICIOUS! Gave some to my kids and they each texted me remarking that the cake was “banging!” Will definitely be making this again!!!
Debra Burkeen says
After reading the reviews I was a little nervous to make this cake. It didn’t sink but there was a gummy area about an inch down from top. Not sure what caused it. People said it was good. I was to full to eat any so I am saving my piece till tomorrow. It was real pretty though.
Susan says
I made the cake for a potluck event with a group of friends, who gave it great reviews. I used a packet of instant lemon pudding and I was happy with how the cake turned out. I used a simple lemon and icing sugar glaze for the top, which gave it a little bit more of a lemon punch. This cake will stay on the rotation.
Leslie says
I also wanted to add that I started with timing it for 40mins first to check on it, at 325. Was Perfect timing. Everyones oven is different. I also choose to do 8 inch cake pans instead of the Bundt pan, so the Bundt pan may need 50-60 mins because it is a heavy duty metal pan.
Leslie says
OMG!!! This cake turned out Fantastic!!! I am obsessed with anything Lemon, and when I read that Lemon pudding goes into this for added Moisture, taste, and fluffiness, I was dying to try!!
This will be my Go-To Lemon Cake, so easy and refreshing!! I did it in 2, 8 inch cake pans, turned out perfectly. I did the Lemon Buttercream Icing and that tops off the flavoring to the Cake BEAUTIFULLY.
Jamie King says
I made this cake today. Followed the recipe exactly and then got distracted outside while it was baking! It ended up baking for 75 minutes! It was perfect! I’ve been told it’s the best cake ever!
Mary J says
Love anything lemon, but have to pass this by. Lemon pudding mixes, most any pudding mixes have yellow food dyes #5 or6 or both and can severe allergic reactions, hives, difficuty breathing and sometimes death. Rethink some of your recipes.
Patty says
The comments on this cake atr right I baked this cake it collapsed like crazy fell apart it does have a greasy taste to your lips when you eat it somethings not right about this recipe!
cynthia aldrich says
I believe that the temp for the cake needs to be raised to 350* F to prevent the cake from falling. 325*F is too low.Cover with foil to prevent over browning. Length of time may be less as well.
Lynda says
This sounds soooo good. I really want to make it but am hesitant. I was wondering IF the problem might be the kind of lemon pudding you are using. The regular cook and serve, the regular instant, or the diet lemon instant pudding. Has anyone pondered this. I just love love love lemon and do so want to bake it.
B.N. says
I made this tonight. I followed the recipe exactly and mine also completely collapsed after just a few minutes. I bake for a living and have never had this happen with a cake. My guess is there is too much fat in the recipe with the butter in addition to oil, not to mention whatever oil is released from the lemon zest, and too little flour to absorb the excess fat. The flavor is nice but the interior is just on the verge of being doughy even though it was cooked for 55 minutes and a toothpick came out clean.
JM says
I have been making this cake for almost a year. It is the best lemon cake I have ever baked. The cake was perfect every time. The last two sank just like others have committed. My husband and I mixed the cake together today to make sure I was doing everything correctly. The cake sank! So strange???
Lauren says
I didn’t have a Bundt or ring pan but used to loaf pans instead since I wanted something with a higher edge and thought using two smaller pans would help it cook more evenly. I started with 25 min at 350 like I would for a pound cake. At this point it appears done outside but still not baked in the middle. I covered the pans with tinfoil, dropped down 25 degrees and back to the over for the last 20 min and they came out fully cooked, and not overdone on the outside. I let them sit for a minute then dumped on the cooling racks like you would bread (I had buttered and floured the pans before adding the butter so they rolled right out), and let stand for 30 min – 1hr (didn’t really track how long). It was nice but I’m a ‘it’s better the next day’ person with baked goods and agree with this as well, moist and fluffy cake, not dry and not to dense. I served the buttercream icing on the side just because it is sweet and rich and this way everyone could serve how much, little or none they wanted with their cake (made it for my dad’s bday, he isn’t a big icing person where hubby scooped it on)
Great recipe, not sure about the deflating cakes but the tinfoil should help anyone with baking through without overcooking
Megg says
I had a similar issue to posts below – collapsed after baking despite cooking for 65 mins and ended up super dense and quite oily. That being said, the flavour is really good and it’s certainly moist. Unfortunately, I had baked it for a birthday and will now have to move on to plan B.
Pam says
This cake is amazing! So easy to make!
Dorothy Daves says
I am looking for the lemon pudding cake that makes the pudding in the bottom of the cake. Also want a recipe for stewing tomatoes. Please send soon need before the 8th of March.
Debbie Brewer says
I made this cake yesterday for Easter dinner. Following the recipe to a “T”, it came out perfect! i did not frost it, choosing to use a lemon glaze instead. It was devoured! A keeper recipe!
Arlene Scott says
I haven’t made this cake yet but by the reviews I’m holding off I think the amounts of butter and oil or baking powder need to be corrected . I want to make sure those measurements are correct before I bake this cake . Just saying
Pamela W. says
I don’t understand the measurement/amount (grams) for the lemon pie pudding. How many ounces or boxes? Thank you.
Rehanna says
I had the same issue as Jacquline and Peg.
The cake looked beautiful when it came out the oven, but fell drastically after 5 minutes.
I wish I knew what went wrong. I have a feeling the amount of baking powder is an issue.
Cathleen McKay says
This is my 4th time making the Lemon Pudding Cake and it has truly become my favorite summer dessert to share!! The only things I’ve modified are the addition of 1tsp of lemon extract after adding half the eggs, adding about 4 tablespoons of zest and some of it is sprinkled into my Bundt pan so there’s a very pretty layer of zest right on top? I haven’t put any frosting on this cake yet because it really holds its own without it! We have a friend who “isn’t a fan of cake” and he was expecting this to be as overpowering as his father’s lemon cake. He proclaimed this was the best cake he’s ever had and promptly asked for more. And our church absolutely loves it as well❤️?
Karlynn says
Thanks for the great feedback! I’m so glad that everyone loves it!!! ?
Cj says
Hi karlynn I want to make this cake because it looks so delicious but I’m seeing a lot of people have made it and said they had issues with the cake falling after just a few minutes when they removed it from the oven. Some have said that maybe there is too much butter/oil in the batter or something needs to be modified in the ingredients to keep this from happening. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you.
Jacqueline says
I did the same as Peg. This recipe did not turn out at all. I am a baker and my friend suggested this one. The cake did rise but fell once out of the oven it was the wrong texture and very doughy and although it was cooked was not good . Too much oil with the butter and also too much raising agent it my thought
Peg says
I followed the recipe using small 96 gram of lemon pudding, etc. Came out of oven nice and high. After it sat 5 minutes, it sunk to half it’s size. We ate it anyway, but what went wrong? It was too moist inside. Maybe too much butter or oil? Help.
Marianne says
Need the recipe for the frosting. Thank you.
Paulina says
Just made this cake am waiting with bated breath as it has to pass 10 of my besties (having a Markle moment here) for morning tea! I am so sure it will be a hit!
Koko says
Will it work with a 9″ cake pan(s)? I don’t have a bundt.
Peg says
I followed the recipe using small 96 gram of lemon pudding, etc. Came out of oven nice and high. After it sat 5 minutes, it sunk to half it’s size. We ate it anyway, but what went wrong? It was too moist inside. Maybe too much butter or oil? Help.