Easy Copycat Nothing Bundt Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe

This easy Copycat Nothing Bundt Lemon Bundt Cake recipe uses a simple lemon cake mix and tangy cream cheese icing! Even though it’s my favorite…

There’s no real need to buy a dessert from Nothing Bundt Cakes now with this copycat cake recipe. It’s an easy dessert to make and tastes just like the original!

lemon bundt cake recipe pin

PIN this for later!

I live pretty near a Nothing Bundt Cakes location which can be a dangerous thing when all you want to do is order one of every bundt cake on the menu.

Thank goodness the nothing bundt cake lemon recipe from scratch is easy to make at home, especially if you use a lemon cake mix to keep things simple!

This blog post contains affiliate links. The opinions are wholly my own from my own experience. I may earn a small commission from clicks through to the websites that end in a purchase.

Nothing Bundt Cakes is a bakery chain that makes the most delicious, dense, and moist cakes in a variety of flavors. They are always decorated with a thick, elegant layer of frosting. The lemon version is crisp with a decadent cream cheese frosting and my favorite, by far.

Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe with Cake Mix

Gather the ingredients below and start baking using this Nothing Bundt Cake’s secret recipe!

Ingredients for a Lemon Bundt Cake

  • 1 lemon cake mix (I like Duncan Hines)
  • 1 – 3.4 oz instant lemon pudding mix
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • ¼ cup water

How to Make a Lemon Bundt Cake: Step-by-Step Directions

Step 1 – Prepare Bundt Pan

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch round bundt pan with baking spray.

Step 2 – Combine Ingredients

Using a stand mixer; beat the cake mix, pudding, sour cream, eggs, oil, lemon juice, and water until well combined. This will take about two minutes.

Step 3 – Pour in Bundt Pan

Pour the batter evenly into the bundt pan.

Step 4 – Bake

Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 5 – Cool Completely

Allow the cake to cool completely in the bundt pan. Once the cake is cooled, carefully run a knife around the edges to separate the cake from the pan.

Step 6 – Removing the Cake

Now place a plate on the top of the bundt pan, and holding the plate slowly flip both the bundt pan and plate over. If the cake doesn’t completely release from the pan, gently tap the bottom.

Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge overnight.

Decorating a Bundt Cake

The cream cheese icing looks elegant, but it’s not hard to decorate this lemon bundt cake.

Easy cream cheese frosting ingredients

Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

1 – 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

¼ cup unsalted butter softened

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 disposable piping bag or ziplock bag

whipped creamy center for whoopie pies

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting

The cream cheese frosting is as easy to make as the cake itself. Just toss all the ingredients into a stand mixer, and you’re ready to frost!

Step 1 – Combine Ingredients

Using a standing mixer, beat all ingredients until combined and smooth.

Step 2 -Prepare Piping Bag

Scoop cream cheese frosting into a piping bag. Cut the tip off the piping bag.

Step 3 – Pipe Frosting

Pipe frosting onto the lemon bundt cake using a back-and-forth motion.

Cut into slices and enjoy!

lemon bundt cake on saucer

If you want smaller portions like the famous nothing bundt cakes lemon bundtlet, use this same recipe but try baking it in a cupcake pan instead.

You may also like to try my version of the Copycat Nothing Bundt Cake Red Velvet Cake below. It’s just as amazing and delicious!

Can You Freeze Bundt Cake?

Dense bundt cakes can be made ahead of time and frozen before without frosting. Let the cake completely cool, wrap it in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil before putting it in the freezer.

Using the Saran Wrap layer will keep the lemon cake moist until you are ready to use it. To defrost the cake, set it on the counter in the morning to serve your lemon bundt cake that evening.

Lemon Bundt Cake final styled

How to Make Lemon Bundt Cake with Pudding

This copycat nothing bundt cake lemon bundt cake is made with lemon-flavored pudding. It’s a fabulous idea to add a box of your favorite complimentary pudding mix to any cake you want to give a richer, more moist texture and flavor. My favorites are lemon (of course), vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, and butterscotch!

Using a Bundt Cake Pan

Cakes baked in a bundt pan look fancy but don’t let them intimidate you. A bundt pan works like any other cake pan – it just has a hole in the center. You pour the cake batter in and bake just as you would with any cake recipe.

The only difference is that the bundt pan is flipped onto a plate or cake stand after baking. It must cook completely before frosting, like any other cake.

Can You Use Regular Cake Mix in a Bundt Pan?

Absolutely! Any cake can be made in a bundt pan. They are also great for baking monkey bread and creating fun jello molds. Your friends and family will think you are skilled in the kitchen when they see what you can create using a bundt pan. 

Bundt pans make recipes look complicated when they couldn’t be easier to use. Let the pan do all the work for you.

Choosing a Bundt Pan

A bundt pan can take your cake level up a notch with very little effort. Here are some of the best bundt pans, including my personal favorites below.

Bundt pans can produce a smooth or intricately designed cake. You can use them for any cake recipe. The trick is to spray the inside of the pan thoroughly with baking spray before pouring in the cake batter.

Southern Crush Bundt pan collection

Other Cake Recipes You May Love

Copycat Nothing Bundt Cake Lemon Cake PIN
lemon bundt cake on saucer

Best Lemon Bundt Cake (Nothing Bundt Cakes Copycat Recipe)

Even though it's my favorite… there's no need to buy a dessert from Nothing Bundt Cakes with this Lemon Bundt Cake copycat recipe. It’s an easy dessert to make using a lemon cake mix and it has the best tangy cream cheese icing!
4.92 from 12 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
cooling 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 16 slices
Calories 238 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lemon cake mix
  • 1 – 3.4 oz instant lemon pudding mix
  • 1 C sour cream
  • 4 Lg eggs
  • ½ C canola oil
  • ¼ C fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • ¼ C water

Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • ¼ C unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 ½ C powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 disposable piping bag

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9inch round bundt pan with pam baking spray
  • Using a standing mixer, beat the cake mix, pudding, sour cream, eggs, oil, lemon juice and water until combined
  • Pour the batter into the bundt pan
  • Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
  • Allow to cool completely
  • Place into the fridge overnight

Cream cheese frosting directions

  • Using a standing mixer, beat all ingredients until combined and smooth
  • Scoop into the piping bag
  • Pipe onto the frosting onto the bundt cake

Nutrition

Calories: 238kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 279mgPotassium: 34mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 90IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 83mgIron: 1mg
Keyword bundt cake, copycat nothing bundt cake, lemon cake
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

88 Comments

  1. I love this recipe! It is amazing. Do you think it would work well as cupcakes?

    1. southerncrush says:

      I don’t see why not! Sounds yummy!

      1. Can I make the bundtettes with the same recipe and how long should I bake them?

        1. southerncrush says:

          I would think that would be just fine! I would definitely not bake them as long; however, I do not know exactly how long it would take them… I would keep an eye on them

  2. I made this cake and it shrunk. What would cause it to shrink?

    1. southerncrush says:

      It could be any number of things. Your oven, your altitude or even the temperature of your ingredients. There is no way of knowing. I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you.

  3. Mickey Esmond says:

    Has anyone made this with a gluten free cake mix?

    1. southerncrush says:

      I don’t know. I would follow the directions for that cake mix, though instead.

  4. Can you simply frost the cake when it is cool or do I have to refrigerate the cake overnight before frosting?

    1. southerncrush says:

      That is completely up to you. I don’t see why not.

  5. Has anyone tried using lemon extract in place of the vanilla to give the frosting a lemon taste as well?

  6. Hi! The pudding doesn’t have to be prepared, it’s just the mix being added in right?

    Thanks!

    1. southerncrush says:

      That is correct! Just the powder! Thank you!

  7. Do you think I can add fresh blueberries to this recipe? Or blueberry jam?

    1. southerncrush says:

      That sounds yummy! Try it and let me know how it turns out please.

  8. Mary Pinkston says:

    I always add the zest of the lemons to both the cake mix and the the frosting. Just that extra brightness!

  9. I made this for my son’s birthday this weekend. It was delicious! He loved it!

    1. southerncrush says:

      Happy Birthday to your son! I’m so glad he loved it!

  10. What size cake mix do you use? They are making the ounces smaller and smaller!

    1. southerncrush says:

      Whatever is on sale… usually Duncan Hines.

  11. 5 stars
    Made this for a party last night! Everyone thought it was better than Nothing Bundt!! So lemony!! Thank you for the delicious recipe!!

    1. southerncrush says:

      Yay! I’m so glad! You’re so welcome!

  12. 5 stars
    My son bet me (he’s 12) that I couldn’t make a better lemon cake than NBC. He ate two pieces of this right after dinner, licked the fork clean and said we never have to buy NBC again. My daughter is already deciding what other flavors we can make. Mission accomplished! For the icing, I left out the butter & vanilla, and added some lemon juice to give it a little extra lemon flavor. I think it worked out amazing!

    1. southerncrush says:

      WOW! That’s awesome! I’m so glad he loved it! I appreciate you!

  13. I tried making a nbc red velvet cake. It came out dense not moist. I cooked it the minimum time. I didn’t use a stand mixer . I want to make this lemon cake should I just not cook as long. Can’t wait to make it

    1. southerncrush says:

      There are so many variables when it comes to baking. Most who tried this recipe and went exactly by the recipe said it turned out perfectly.

  14. Sheila Cross says:

    I made this cake last night and took to a luncheon at my church this morning. It was a huge hit and I, regrettably, didn’t have a smidgen leftover!!! I will definitely make again!

    1. southerncrush says:

      That’s so awesome to hear! I’m so glad!

  15. My cake shrunk too, I think it’s from using water and fresh lemon juice. Re-making it with lemon extract… either way my husband loved it.

    1. Did that work? I had the same problem with mine.

    2. Did your cake mix of pudding already in the mix? I bought one with pudding already in the mix and I eliminated the box of pudding completely because I think that putting in the cake mix plus the sour cream and other ingredients it’s just going to be too much weight for the cake. Just my opinion I’m not sure, mine is baking now, and I eliminated the extra box of pudding because my mix had putting in it.

      1. southerncrush says:

        I bet your cake turns out fabulous! What a sweet idea to do for your friend!

    3. Frances Wallens says:

      My family loves this cake. Will it work to bake it in a 9×12 pan instead of Bundt pan?

      1. southerncrush says:

        I’m sure it will work!

  16. Oh boy was this super easy delicious! So moist and yummy and the frosting was to die for! I didn’t put it in the fridge overnight, we weren’t will to wait to eat it 😜. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe, it’s definitely a keeper!

    1. southerncrush says:

      Awe I’m so glad! Thank you for sharing! I appreciate you!

  17. I have made this twice now and it is very dense and not like a cake at all. Maybe the pudding is the problem. I could not find a store bought lemon cake mix that did not have pudding already in it. So I added a half package of the pudding mix the second time instead of the full box. Both times it fell to be half its baked height in about a minute after removing it from the oven. i had to throw it out. Does anyone have any thoughts on this. I will not make it again as i can’t figure out what the problem is.

    1. southerncrush says:

      oh no! I’m sorry you’re having this special issue. I’m not sure what the actual trouble is only that so many have made this by the recipe with great results. Could it be your elevation?

      1. I think a cake mix with a pudding already in it. One should eliminate the extra box of pudding and just stick with the sour cream and other ingredients, I think, putting in the cake mix plus a box of pudding plus the sour cream is going to make the cake mixes too heavy and fall and shrink as I read in comments before I remember when they started putting pudding and the cake mix I made the mistake of adding a box of pudding, and it was not edible, and I had to throw it out.

  18. Carolyn Patrick says:

    I am gluten free, do you think I could make this with gf flour mix?

    1. southerncrush says:

      I would think so, you might want to just try it! Let me know how it comes out!

  19. Made this recipe and it was fantastic! Wondering if I could swap the lemon stuff with strawberry to make it the strawberry Bundt? What could I swap the lemon juice for?

    1. southerncrush says:

      Thanks for trying it out! I’m not sure exactly how the strawberry would turn out… but you can always use frozen strawberries, let them melt, add sugar and use it as strawberry juice….

  20. 5 stars
    This bundt cake is delicious. I add lemon zest and lemon chips to it and it takes it to the next level!!

  21. Hello
    I was very excited about this recipe but my cake was a total fail. I followed everything to the T and it just sunk and did not bake correctly. I baked it until 55 minutes probably even longer and would just not rise. Is there any advice or tips you can give me. I really want to try and make it again.
    Thank you.

    1. southerncrush says:

      It could be a number of things including your oven, your altitude, or something else. I hope you’re able to get it to work for you!

    2. I’m getting ready to make this I accidentally bought a box cake with the pudding in it, and I’m wondering if you also bought a cake with pudding in it, I think, adding another box of pudding, will make it so heavy that it will fall and I’m wondering if this is what happened to you. I think I’m going to just illuminate the extra lemon pudding and just make the cake with everything else in it since it already has putting in the mix, I have to make this this weekend for a friend with cancer and I really want it to turn out good and refreshing and not real heavy and chewy and robbery. I’m afraid the extra pudding is going to do that.

  22. 5 stars
    I used lemon jello, substituted peach nectar juice ( instead of water), added zest of a lemon.
    Came out perfect.

    1. southerncrush says:

      Excellent!! I’m so glad!

  23. My family loves the NBC’s, after seeing this receipt I would love to try in the mini pans. Would I have to make any adjustments to the temp & time?

    1. southerncrush says:

      Most likely as smaller pans tend to bake faster.

  24. 5 stars
    My cake turned out fantastic! It was better than I expected, based on some of the previous comments. I opted for a basic lemon glaze rather than the cream cheese frosting. I’m in love and it was a great hit with my family, as well! Thanks for sharing this great recipe!

    1. southerncrush says:

      You’re so welcome and I’m so glad to hear! Thanks for trying it out!

  25. 4 stars
    I made this cake just as directed and everyone loved it, but no way is it anywhere near as good or has the same soft airy texture of the lemon Nothing Bundt Cake. There’s no way I can afford to spend $35.00 on a genuine Nothing Bundt Cake, so I am thankful that I have this recipe.

    1. southerncrush says:

      I’m glad you like it!

  26. Heidi Harding says:

    For sure going to pull out my bunt cake pan so I can try the Lemon bunt cake.

  27. Have you tried it with a lemon glaze intead of frosting?

    1. southerncrush says:

      I have not, but it sounds yummy!

  28. 5 stars
    Haven’t baked a Bundt in 20+ years. Specifically sought out a Nothing BundtCakes copycat recipe and so happy to have found yours. An absolute hit at a Spring neighborhood mixer. I’m a bit of a lemon head so amped up the flavor with a bit of lemon zest in the cake and frosting. Will definitely be making this one again. Thank You!!!

    1. southerncrush says:

      Excellent! I’m so glad to hear this!

  29. I saw this recipe on Pinterest and knew I had to try it . My husband said “ this may be the best cake I’ve ever eaten !”

    1. southerncrush says:

      WOW! What a compliment! Thank you!

  30. Meredith Sayre says:

    Do you mean “it must COOL completely before icing” instead of “COOK”?

    1. southerncrush says:

      Yes. Thank you

  31. Hi! I just baked this cake and OMG it is absolutely delicious. I followed the recipe step by step, using all the ingredients listed. I will definitely be using this recipe again. Thanks

    1. southerncrush says:

      Yay!!! I’m so glad!

  32. 5 stars
    This cake turned out exceptionally well and was a definite hit! I will be using this recipe again. Thank you!

    1. southerncrush says:

      I’m so glad!!!!! You’re welcome

  33. Mary Rondeau says:

    I was excited to make this. I am an experienced baker. I love Nothing Bundt Cakes. This recipe was a fail. NBC are so moist. This recipe wasn’t. Won’t make again.

    1. southerncrush says:

      I’m sorry to hear that. So many others have made it and loved it.

  34. Has anyone substituted plain greek yogurt for the sour cream?

  35. Hi Melanie,
    So I made the cake last night and iced it this morning. I just had a slice and let me tell you, it taste soooo amazing! The lemon flavor really comes thru and it’s nice and moist, the buttercream has just the right amount of sweetness and tang. Mine came out good can’t wait for everybody else in my family to taste it. Thank you so much! You did good!

    1. Melanie Ferguson says:

      Hooray! I’m so glad you love it! Thank you for letting me know!

  36. I recently tried the Copycat Nothing Bundt Lemon Bundt Cake recipe from Southern Crush at Home, and it was a hit! The recipe was straightforward and the cake turned out moist and flavorful, very similar to the bakery version I love. The cream cheese frosting was the perfect complement to the lemony cake. It’s great to have a recipe that brings a bit of bakery-style indulgence right into my kitchen!

  37. 5 stars
    This is soooo good!!
    I had about a Tbsp of lemon juice left after squeezing the lemon for the cake batter. I saved it and added it to the frosting…. amaaaazing!!

  38. 5 stars
    This recipe has been a hit every Easter at my family’s get together. Asked for by everyone! We have a nearby NBC and we prefer this one, less sweet. I came to get ready to make my annual lemon Bundt cake and figured I’d leave a comment this year! Thank you for sharing. Happy Easter : )

  39. 5 stars
    For the people who have had cake fall…were you accidentally using the cook and serve pudding? Instant us the only one that will work.

  40. 5 stars
    I use lemon zest from 1 lemon and add blueberries. it needs a few extra minutes to bake but turns out beautiful and delicious every time! thank you so much for your recipe.

  41. I absolutely love hearing about successful kitchen experiments, especially when they result in such delightful treats! The Copycat Nothing Bundt Lemon Bundt Cake recipe sounds like a winner, delivering all the moistness and flavor one could hope for in a bakery-style indulgence.

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