These Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes are the perfect fresh, zingy small cake for Springtime. A tender, light sponge fragranced with lemon zest and studded with juicy blueberries for a fruity pop. Each cake is decorated with a tangy lemon glaze for an added citrus pop.
Little cakes such as these mini bundts, or cupcakes like my Strawberry Almond Cupcakes and White Chocolate Cupcakes, make perfect individual-sized treats. Easy to transport and share, they are perfect for all occasions, from a Mother's Day Brunch to an Office Potluck.
These individual little bundt cakes are an absolute delight. Made with Greek yogurt, the sponge is super fluffy and soft. With lemon zest and lemon juice, in the sponge, each bite is filled with a tangy citrus hit that is accentuated by the lemon glaze.
Fresh blueberries are dotted throughout for a surprise burst of juicy fruitiness. This really is the best mini bundt cake as it truly embodies the Spring and Summertime. I hope you love them as much as we do - they're a favourite at home! If you love blueberry desserts then be sure to check out my Blueberry Nut Crumble as a fabulous summer dessert.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Uses basic ingredients. All the ingredients are basic pantry or fridge staples. If you don't have blueberries- check out my variations for great alternatives.
- Can be made as cupcakes if you don't have a bundt pan. Don't worry if you don't have a special mini bundt cake pan! These make the best cupcakes ever!
- Simple to make. These use a very simple method of making cake batter. No fancy tricks, no fancy equipment necessary.
Ingredients needed
Head to your pantry and fridge, open it up and you'll find the majority of ingredients for this recipe in there. Lemon and blueberries are the two fresh ingredients that you might have to pop out for but it's totally worth it! Where I can, I provide substitutions too.
Lemon bundt cakes
- Lemon - Both lemon zest (and lots of it) and lemon juice is added to the sponge to max out on that citrus flavour. When we go through the process of making these bundt cakes, I share with you my top tip in getting the most out of your zest.
- Blueberries - Fresh and juicy blueberries bursting with flavour when baked. If you don't have fresh, then frozen blueberries will work just as well. Also raspberries will work great too!
- Greek yogurt - Adding yogurt to the sponge creates added moisture but also compliments the citrus tang. Sub with sour cream, creme fraiche, natural yogurt or buttermilk.
- Butter - Unsalted is specified as fine salt is also added to the batter. If you prefer salted butter then omit this additional salt.
- Sugar - Granulated or caster sugar is used in this recipe. Caster sugar will dissolve that bit quicker when creamed with the butter, but as a standard regular white sugar is perfect.
- Eggs - Two large eggs at room temperature will help bind the ingredients, provide structure to the batter and also a rich flavour.
- Flour & baking powder- Plain flour is used with the addition of baking powder to provide lift to the batter creating a ligth sponge.
- Salt - Fine salt combats an overly sweet sponge and balances it.
Lemon glaze
- Powdered icing sugar - Make sure to suft this before making the glaze so that there aren't any lumps in there.
- Lemon juice - The perfect amount of juice to give a tart tang to the glaze.
- Greek yogurt - Carrying on with the yogurt from the sponge batter, I've added it in the glaze to give the glaze a thicker, creamier finish.
Step-by-step instructions
I can't wait for you to dive in to make these mini bundt cakes. I've got a couple of little tips regarding how to prepare your bundt pan, stop your blueberries from sinking and how to get the most out of your lemon zest. Read on for these invaluable pro-tips.
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*
1. Prepare the bundt pan and pre-heat the oven. There is always a little moment when bundt cakes have been baked and you take them out of the oven, flip the pan over onto a wire rack and hold your breath. Do the cakes pop right out, or have they stuck and only half sadly flops onto the cooling wrap. Preparation of your bundt pan is key! It's the same method that I use for all my madeleines recipes.
TIP: Prepare your bundt pan
Here's what you do, with a pastry brush and very soft butter, brush the insides of each bundt mould. Make sure to get into all the ridges and coat the inside ring too. Then lightly dust the moulds with flour and tip out any excess. And there you have it - guaranteed perfection at the end of baking! (Image 1)
2. Coat your blueberries. When a batter is super light and airy, when you add in a smooth-surfaced ingredient when the batter bakes, it can have a hard time 'sticking to the outside of the fruit which means the fruit can sink to the bottom of the pan. to prevent this from happening, the blueberries are lightly dusted in flour.
TIP: Flour your blueberries!
Sounds weird, I know. Just grab a spoonful of the plain flour from the premeasured amount that you'll use later on, sprinkle it over the blueberries and toss them through it. The flour then helps the batter to 'stick' to the blueberries suspending them in the sponge. A simple but effective trick when making any cake. (Image 2)
3. Rub the sugar and lemon zest together. Add the lemon zest into the bowl of sugar and then using your fingers, rub the two together for a minute or so, or until the sugar is moistened and colours (Image 3 & 4).
TIP: Get the most out of your citrus zest
This is a trick to do with any zest that you add to a cake. All citrus like orange, limes, lemons, mandarins and grapefruit will benefit from this technique.
By rubbing the zest into the sugar, you are releasing all the natural oils from the zest and flavouring the sugar. Your fingers will smell divine! Use the sugar as you normally would in the recipe but with a heightened citrus flavour.
4. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the butter and sugar rubbed with lemon zest, into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium-high, beat them together for a good four minutes unto pale and creamy. This aerates the butter and dissolves the sugar crystals which all help in creating a tender sponge (Image 5 & 6).
5. Add in the eggs. Crack in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between each addition. Make sure to scrape down the base and sides of the bowl too. Note, it may look a little curdled which is normal. if you are worried about this, then add a tablespoon of your pre-measured flour into the bowl whilst mixing and it will help bring it together (Image 7 & 8).
6. Add the dry and wet ingredients. Now add the dry ingredients and wet. Firstly, sift right into the bowl half of the flour, the baking powder and salt. Then mix until just combined (Image 9). Then add in the Greek yogurt and mix again (Image 10). Lastly, add the remaining flour and the blueberries and fold through with a rubber spatula (Image 11 & 12). Stop mixing when you still see a few flour streaks. This prevents you from overmixing!
7. Fill mini bundt pans and bake! Now's the time to fill those prepared bundt pans. You can do this by scooping the batter into the bundt moulds and making sure to fill two-thirds of the way up. I prefer to pipe the filling it. Why? Less messy! Spoon the batter into a piping bag and cut a large hole at the end. Pipe the batter right into the moulds (Image 13).
You'll have enough batter for 8 mini bundt cakes, but this depends on the size of the bundt pan that you use. If the moulds are extra small then you may get more mini cakes out of this batch.
TIP: Create more moisture in your oven!
Add a pan filled with boiling water to the base of your oven. This creates steam and aids in making super tender sponge. The extra moisture also helps the bundt cakes release from the pan once baked.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the sponge is lightly golden brown and springs back when pressed (Image 14).
TIP: Releasing the bundt cakes
Once fully baked, remove the bundt pan from the oven and set it aside for ten minutes. After this time, turn it over onto a wire rack and give it a quick tap. If the bundt cakes don't release straight away, then run a sharp knife around the outer and inner edge of the sponge. Then try again. You should have total success to release the cakes. Let them cool completely before decorating.
8. Decorate them! Now the fun part! Adding the lemon glaze! Add the powdered icing sugar, lemon juice and Greek yogurt and whisk together until thick and smooth. If it's too runny then add a quarter cup of icing sugar at a time until at the right consistency.
Then spoon the icing onto each individual bunt cake. Leave the icing to set before decorating with lemon zest, lemon and blueberries. You can go to town on the decoration or keep it simple like me. Your pick! These are definitely best eaten fresh. How cute are they? I just love them!
Variations
I can't wait to start testing out more mini bundt cake flavours. Here are some ideas that I know would taste fabulous!
- Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes: Remove the lemon zest and juice and sub some flour for cocoa powder. I would add some milk chocolate chips into the batter and decorate with a chocolate ganache.
- Pumpkin Bundt Cakes: Ooh, this has my mind whizzing. Remove the lemon juice and zest from the recipe and substitute the Greek yogurt with pumpkin purree. Add a teaspoon of pumpkin spice and hello Fall bundt cakes- you have arrived!
- Cinnamon Bundt Cakes: I would substitute the lemon for orange juice, (or leave out the citrus all together). Then once baked, brush melted butter all over the sponge and roll them in cinnamon sugar. Kind of like a cinnamon bundt donut! I reakon that would taste fantastic! So many options!
And I just want to put it out there. If you don't have the time to pull together the batter, then pick your favourite cake box mix and make the mini bundt cakes with that. Totally acceptable when you are time-poor!
Pro tips recap
Alright, let's just run over my top 5 useful little tips and tricks that will help you along with this recipe.
- Prepare your bundtcake pan correctly for ultimate success in unmoulding your cakes. Greasing with softened butter into every nook of the mould, and then coating in flour will ensure this is the case.
- Stop your blueberries from sinking. By simply tossing your blueberries in flour will ensire they stay evenly distributed in your batter.
- Rub the zest into the sugar. Maximise the flavour of your ingredients. By doing this quick and easy tip, you'll release more flavour into your batter than ever.
- Pipe the batter into the moulds. The bundt cake moulds are small and can be a little fiddly to spoon the batter evenly into them. Piping the batter into the moulds is quick, easy and mess free. Just make sure to snip a big enough hole for the blueberries to pop through!
- Add a pan of water into the oven whilst the cakes bake. This helps create added moistire which allows the sponge to release easily once baked.
- Release the bundt cakes with ease. Allowing the cakes to sit in the bundt pan for ten minutes, means they have a chance to cool down slightly so that when you turn over the pan you dont run the risk of them breaking apart.
Frequently asked questions
I recommend filling the bundt pan moulds up to two-thirds full. This gives room for the batter to expand and rise without spilling over.
Yes, they are more or less the same size as a cupcake.
If you don't use a digital scale to weigh your ingredients, in particular flour, you run the risk of overfilling your cup and adding too much to the recipe. This will dry out the cupcakes.
How to store and freeze
- To store: Store in an air-tight container for up to 2 days. Mini bundt cakes can be refrigerated for up to 4 days but I do find they dry out a little. They can be heated in the microwaved for 10 seconds to soften the sponge again if you find they dry out too much.
- To freeze: Unfrosted mini bundts can be frozen in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and decorate according to your recipe.
Equipment you’ll need
- Electric Stand Mixer or Hand-Held Electric Beaters- whichever machine you have on hand will work perfectly for this recipe. My Stand Mixer is always easily accessible on my benchtop so I always gravitate towards that. It does have more power than Electric Hand-Held Beaters, so add a little more time to creaming the butter and sugar if using the latter piece of equipment.
- Mini Bundt Pan - arguably the most important part of the recipe...the bundt pan! I bought my bundt pan over ten years ago when we lived in Australia. I can't find the make online anymore. But if I were to buy from new, I would definitely go for the Nordic Ware Heritage Bundt Pan, or any of their designs. Just note that each pan holds a slightly different amount of batter, so you may need to adjust your bake time.
There you have it, all you need to know to make these delectable Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes - the perfect Spring or Summer dessert.
More Lemon flavoured recipes you may like
If you tried these Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how you go in the comments below. I love hearing from you. Also, please leave a star rating whilst you're there!
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This post was originally published in August 2019 but has been updated with new photos, new content and a revised recipe.
📖 Recipe
Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes Recipe
Ingredients
Mini lemon bundt cakes
- 100 g blueberries, cut them in half if they are particularly large
- 130 g granulated sugar
- 2 lemons, zest
- 115 g unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- 220 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 120 g Greek yogurt
- 60 ml fresh lemon juice
Lemon glaze
- 240 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar), sifted
- 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Lemon bundt cakes
- Prepare the bundt pan and pre-heat the oven. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (350°F). With room temperature butter, brush the moulds of your mini bundt tin. Dust moulds with flour and knock any excess out. This will help prevent sticking.
- Coat your blueberries. Add 1 tablespoon of flour to your blueberries and toss them until coated. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of your pan whilst baking.
- Rub the sugar and lemon zest together. Add the lemon zest into the bowl of sugar and rub it between your finger tips for one minute until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
- Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, add the butter and sugar with lemon zest, cream them together with an electric hand-held mixer fitted with the beaters on medium-high speed, for 5 minutes until pale.
- Add in the eggs. Reduce the speed to low and add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until well incorporated. Scrape down the base and sides of the bowl.
- Add the dry and wet ingredients. Sift into the mixing bowl half of the flour, baking powder and salt and mix on low speed until just combined.Add into the bowl the Greek yogurt and lemon juice and mix again. Lastly, sift in the remaining flour and blueberries and using a rubber spatula, fold through until a few flour streaks remain.
- Fill mini bundt pans and bake! Either scoop the batter into the prepared bundt moulds or fill a piping bag with the batter and pipe into the moulds until they are two-thirds full. Add a tray filled halfway with boiling water to the bottom shelf in the oven. This generates steam whilst the cakes bake and keeps them moist but also helps to prevent the mini bundts from sticking in their moulds. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for ten minutes before turning out the bundt pan onto the wire rack. Give the pan a slight tap and the bundt cakes should drop out. If they don't then run a sharp knife around the inner and outer edge of the mould. Let the cakes cool completely.
Lemon glaze
- Make glaze and decorate. Add powdered icing sugar, Greek yogurt and lemon juice to a medium bowl and whisk until combined. If the glaze is too thin then add ¼ cup powdered icing sugar until you reach the desired consistency. Drizzle the lemon glaze over the bundt cakes and set them aside until the glaze has set. Decorate with lemon zest and fresh blueberries. Serve immediately.
All recipes are developed and tested in Metric grams. I strongly recommend that you bake using digital scales for a more accurate result. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.
Andrea
I made these mini lemon bundt cakes over the weekend and they were an absolute hit at my family gathering. Easy to make in the morning and easy to transport. My fam were well impressed. Beautiful lemony taste too. Thanks for the recipe!
Emma
Thanks so much, Andrea- they make the perfect treat for entertaining don't they- so glad everyone loved them. Thanks. Emma
Ngoc
Can I bake these as cupcakes? What adjustments would be necessary?
Emma
Sure you can - just divide the batter between the cupcake cases - each one being 3/4 full. Bake time would be 12-15 minutes.