This Greek Yogurt Lemon Bundt Cake is so moist and packed with lemon flavor! It’s made healthier with greek yogurt and is perfect topped with whipped cream and fresh berries.
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My love for lemon is big, friends. BIG.
I love it in EV-ery-thing. Am I alone here?
I love citrus, well, let’s be honest, year round. But it is so fresh and perfect for bringing me out of those winter blues!
I also happen to love cake (surprise!), and I love using Greek yogurt to make super light and moist cake, so here we are.
Can’t get enough lemon? Try this Lemon Bread Recipe next!
Here are a few tips and tricks for making the perfect Lemon Bundt Cake:
- I use a combination of oil and Greek yogurt to make this cake incredibly moist. I know sometimes people get weird about using oil in baking, but oil is really the (not-so) secret ingredient here. Oil makes for a moist-er (it’s a word, right?) cake than any other fat, so don’t swap it.
- Measure your lemon juice, and be sure not to just juice your lemons right into the bowl. You really want the perfect amount so that the cake is moist but not soggy (I’ve been there).
- Weigh your flour if at all possible: it is just too difficult to ensure the perfect amount of flour when using measuring cups, and a little extra flour means a dry cake. Since bundt cakes are already on the denser side as far as cakes go, you really don’t want it dense and dry.
- Let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing: I know this one is hard, but cutting into baked goods before they’ve had a chance to cool can lead to stale and dry cake. Not what we’re going for!
Variations on this Lemon Bundt Cake:
- For extra lemon flavor, create a lemon simple syrup and brush it all over the cooled cake. You can see my lemon simple syrup recipe here as an ingredient in this easy Lemonade recipe.
- Add some blueberries! We all love lemon and blueberries together, so it’s a natural fit. The most important thing to note when adding in fruit, is that it will increase our batter. For this reason, you need to scoop out some batter and bake a couple of muffins or a mini loaf so that the cake does not run over.
- For extra lemon flavor without the work, you can always add a bit of lemon extract (don’t go crazy — that stuff is powerful!)
- This cake is denser than most cakes, as most bundt cakes are (they are more “pound cake” in texture.) For this reason, I prefer not to use it for layer cakes or in a 9×13″ pan unless I am cutting it up to use in a trifle or something similar.
This cake is perfect with frosting, or whipped cream, a cream cheese glaze, or just a dusting of powdered sugar and some fresh berries. Pile them up on top for a showstopping dessert! You won’t regret it — I promise 😉
Greek Yogurt Lemon Bundt Cake
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 cup canola oil
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 500g
- zest of 3 lemons
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt (312 grams)
- 1/2 cup freshly squeeze lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 3 cups all purpose flour (fluffed!) (390 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Glaze (optional)
- 1/4 cup cream cheese (2 oz) room temperature
- 1/4-1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeeze lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 12 cup bundt pan. I like to flour the very bottom as well (sprinkle a little bit in the bottom and tap it around, then dump and tap out the excess) for extra insurance.
- Zest lemons — it's important to do this before juicing!
- In a large bowl, whisk together oil and sugar until smooth. Add in eggs, yogurt, lemon juice and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
- Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and zest and stir just until combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. When top of cake is golden brown, cover with lightly greased tin foil and bake another 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. (My total bake time is usually around 60 minutes)
- Cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before removing onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries if desired.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Whisk or beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in powdered sugar.
- Add just enough lemon juice to form a glaze (a drizzling consistency) and drizzle over cake.
Nutrition Information
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Tried this recipe?
Tag @thereciperebel or hashtag #thereciperebel — I love to see what you’re making!
Tag @thereciperebelRecipe adapted from Martha Stewart’s Lemon Bundt Cake.
Katherine Evans says
Can you replace the flour for Gluten free flour ? Thanks
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Katherine, I haven’t tried it myself but you could try using 1:1 gluten free all-purpose flour. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Nancy says
Is ‘fluffed’ flour the same as sifted.
Sorry if this is a silly question but the cake sounds delicious and I don’t want to mess up the process.
Thank you
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Nancy! Not a silly question. No fluffed is not the same as sifted. When you buy flour it is typically compacted in the bag. You want to fluffy it a little with a fork to add some air to it before you measure it. Hope this helps!
June says
For the cream cheese glaze, can I use regular granulated sugar rather than powdered sugar?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi June, you probably could but it won’t turn out as the same glaze as I have here. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Ha Patel says
Hello! Can I substitute canola oil for olive oil?
Ehowell says
Why is there 500g sugar and only390g flour are these correct weight
Ashley Fehr says
They are correct. Sugar weighs more than flour.
Violet says
Hi Ashley. Can you use 1/2 sugar and 1/2 artificial sugar , my husband is diabetic? We are both lovers of anything lemon. Thank you.
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Violet! I’m sure it would work just fine but unfortunately I haven’t tried
Laura says
Hello,
On the ingredients list I don’t see the apple sauce
Ashley Fehr says
There is no apple sauce in this recipe
VN says
I don’t see the applesauce listed in the recipe but I saw it on your video. What’s the recipe that uses the applesauce? I would like to try it that way…
Ashley Fehr says
That is a different recipe. This recipe is correct.
Deborah Howrie Horvath says
If you don’t have a 12 cup bundt pan, can this be made in a 9 by 13 baking pan? And what cook time would you suggest?
Ashley Fehr says
It can be done but I don’t recommend it because the texture is more like a pound cake. It is not as light and fluffy.
Kathleen West says
Interested in making Lemmon Bundt cake only problem is we’re remodeling kitchen, only have air fryer (bake) or instant pot. Which method would you recommend?
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Kathleen! I can’t comment on either as I’ve never tried.
KJ says
Have you ever put blueberries in the cake? How do you think it would turn out?
Ashley Fehr says
I think it would turn out great!
Melissa says
Hi Ashley, what can I use instead of applesauce?
Ashley Fehr says
You could try substituting with more Greek yogurt but I’ve never done that before.
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
What a perfect spring cake! Love that you used greek yogurt! I need to add this to our Easter menu!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Jessica!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I’m not a huge lemon dessert lover, but I do like it in cakes and muffins for some reason. This bundt cake looks gorgeous! I love the greek yogurt in here too…my secret weapon in baked goods! What a perfect dessert for spring, and Easter, too!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Gayle!
marcie says
This cake is just beautiful Ashley! I love how moist it looks and lemon is always a good idea!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Marcie!
Karla says
I also share your love of all things lemon – I will be making this for Easter, thanks so much for sharing! Do you have a recipe for the icing you have on this cake? It looks much thicker than whipping cream or a glaze.
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Karla! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! It is actually just whipped cream, I will whip about 2 cups of cream and to stiff peaks and add about 1/2 cup of powdered icing sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. I think the trick is just to whip it to super stiff peaks (but not butter!). I hope that helps!
patty says
ingredients list is incomplete — please correct amount of yogurt!
Ashley Fehr says
All fixed
Elaine Richards says
I’m on my second try for this cake. First one dripped over the bundt pan. Thought I did something wrong. Cooked it until done.
Started over, it’s doing it again!!!
Already made the whipped cream, need this for a birthday tomorrow!!
Ashley Fehr says
Sorry, I’ve never had that happen with this recipe! I would maybe double check the size of your pan
Annie says
This is so perfect for spring time! Colorful and the perfect warm weather flavor!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Annie!