Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

This doctored-up lemon bundt cake recipe is moist, easy to make, bursting with lemon flavor and studded with blueberries!

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The calendar may not say so, but this weekend felt like SUMMER!! After the longest winter ever followed by weeks of rain, this weekend was just what the doctor ordered!

I still can't believe it's June. Zach's family just finished up planting their crops this weekend. For those of you unfamiliar with farming, corn and soybeans are typically in the ground by mid to late May. However, with all the rain this spring, it's been extremely difficult to get the crops in.

Zach's family wasn't alone. Farmers all around the midwest have faced a tough spring. In fact, there are hundreds of farmers that haven't even been able to get into the field yet.

My family in southeast Iowa had their crops in weeks ago, but the heavy rain caused them to have to replant. I know the last thing a farmer wants is sympathy, but gosh, I feel for them.

Anyway, back to this weekend.....it was beautiful! After a few weekends away helping his family get the crops in the field, it was nice to have Zach home! We listened to live music at the tiki bar, got the baby pool out, took a couple bike rides, went to the park, and gave McKinley her first Popsicle, which she thoroughly enjoyed!

Add a quick run to Target, a few temper tantrums, and a couple loads of laundry to the mix, and that was our weekend in a nutshell!!

The cake I'm sharing with you today is like a ray of sunshine!! It's got an intense lemon flavor and blueberries speckled throughout, making it a perfect summer treat. This recipe would be perfect for an outdoor party, too because it doesn't need to be kept in a fridge or cooler (and we all know you'd rather have a your cooler packed with "refreshments" anyway :))!

Can I use white or yellow cake mix if I don't have lemon?

You certainly can!! I'd recommend using the yellow cake mix (as most have a richer flavor) over the white, but either will work. However, if you use either white or yellow cake mix, I'd recommend using fresh lemon juice instead of the water in the recipe and adding 1 tablespoon lemon zest into the batter before baking.

How do I prevent this cake from sticking to the pan?

Isn't that the most nerve-wracking part of making any cake?? Flipping a cake over and having it fall out in pieces is such a downer. I have never had an issue with this cake sticking. I use my nonstick bundt cake pan and grease it well with cooking spray.

Once the cake has come out of the oven, I let it sit for 10 minutes (no longer) before flipping. When I'm ready to remove the cake from the pan, I carefully run a butter knife around the edge of the cake (inner circle and outer circle). Then I place a cooling rack on top of the cake, hold on tight, quickly flip it over and remove the pan. (And then do a little happy dance when the cake looks like perfection!) 😉

How do I make a moist bundt cake?

I believe that the biggest factor in making a super delicious cake is the texture!! I mean, yes, the flavor is extremely important too, but a dry cake is just no good. So, how is this cake so moist?

Most box mixes are a pretty darn good start to a moist cake. However, this cake gets added moisture from a packet of pudding mix, an extra egg, vegetable oil AND butter and sour cream. (I never said this was a healthy cake ;))

Another important aspect in making sure the cake is moist is how you mix it. You want to make sure the ingredients are well mixed, but you don't need to beat it on high for 2 minutes (or whatever the box says). When you beat it too much, the gluten will begin to develop and can make a less tender cake. Mixing for 1 minute should make sure the cake is well mixed, but not overdone.

And speaking of "overdone," you certainly don't want to leave the cake in the oven too long. If you leave it in longer than it needs to be, the hot air from the oven will begin to dry the cake out.

How do I know when my bundt cake is done?

I'd recommend testing the cake around 45 minutes with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out gooey, give it a few more minutes and retest. When it comes out clean (or with just a couple cake crumbs) it's done.

What other lemon cake recipes should I try?

If you're a big fan of lemon, give this Triple Lemon Poke Cake a try! It's got the easiest (microwave) lemon curd filling and whipped cream on top. Once again, a perfect summertime treat!! (Who am I kidding....I'd eat this any time of the year!)

Recipe added to the Weekend Potluck and Meal Plan Monday