Lemon Bundt Cake in Jars

This lemon cake bakes up in Mason jars for adorable, giftable single-serve desserts. The base uses a lemon cake mix boosted with instant lemon pudding mix, which gives the crumb extra moisture and an intense lemon punch that plain cake mix alone can’t deliver.

Warm orange juice goes into the batter instead of water, adding a subtle citrus depth that rounds out the lemon flavor. Once baked, the cakes get poked with a fork and drenched in a runny lemon glaze made from powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and grated lemon rind. That glaze soaks into every little hole and keeps the cake incredibly moist for days.

You can also bake this as a traditional bundt cake if jars aren’t your thing. Same batter, same glaze, same great results.

Chef Tips

• Fill jars only halfway. The batter rises significantly and you don’t want overflow in your oven.
• Test with a thin skewer at 35 minutes for jars, 45 for a full bundt. Every oven runs differently, and the jars cook faster than you’d expect.
• The glaze should drip easily from a spoon. If it’s too thick, add lemon juice a teaspoon at a time until it flows.
• Screw lids on after glazing for easy transport and storage. They’ll keep well for several days.

Variations

• Use lime cake mix and lime juice for a key lime version.
• Fold in poppy seeds for a classic lemon poppy seed twist.
• Top each jar with fresh whipped cream and a lemon curl right before serving.