Lemon Bundtinis are miniature moist Bundt cakes with the perfect blend of sweet and tart. They’re finished with a swirl of amazing cream cheese frosting. These tasty little cakes are a perfect finish to any meal from elegant to everyday.
These little bites of heaven were inspired by the lemon bundtinis from Nothing Bundt Cakes.
However, they’re so much better with a super moist cake that is more like a pound cake topped with a cream cheese frosting flavored with fresh lemon juice.
You be the judge!
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These are the Ingredients that I used
These tasty little cakes are made from scratch with ingredients that one would normally find in a luscious cake.
- The So-Called Wet Ingredients: The “wet” part of the batter included unsalted butter, eggs, milk, and granulated sugar.
- The Flavoring: Fresh lemon zest from one lemon provided the perfect amount of the characteristic flavor.
- The Rest of the Ingredients: Bringing up the rear were Kosher salt, baking powder, and all-purpose flour.
This is How I Made These Yummy Little Cakes
This recipe is actually quite easy to make.
- The first thing that I did was to infuse the lemon flavor in the sugar by rubbing the sugar and zest together with my fingertips until the sugar was moist and fragrant.
This really makes a huge difference in the taste as opposed to just adding the zest to the rest of the ingredients.
- Next, I added the butter and beat the mixture until it was light and fluffy.
- After that, I added the eggs, one at a time, and beat the mixture until it was light and fluffy after each addition.
- Once the eggs were fully incorporated into the mixture, I added the salt and baking powder. Then, I beat the mixture until the salt and baking powder were incorporated.
- Finally, I added the flour to the batter in three parts alternating with the milk, starting and ending with the flour. Then, I beat the mixture until everything was well combined.
- I used a 1 ¾-inch ice cream scoop to add the batter to a mini-bundt cake pan that I had sprayed with non-stick spray.
I baked the Lemon Bundtinis in a preheated 350°F oven for 17 or 18 minutes, or until the center sprung back when I pressed on it.
How I Made the Lemony-Flavored Syrup
The Lemon Bundtinis are moist all by themselves. However, to achieve the ultimate moistness, I dipped them in a lemony syrup shortly after they came out of the oven.
The syrup is quite simple to make. It’s nothing more than a combination of granulated sugar and fresh lemon juice that has been heated in the microwave.
While the bundtinis were baking in the oven, I made the syrup and then set it aside.
Putting the Finishing Touches on the Recipe
After 17 to 18 minutes, the Lemon Bundtinis were perfectly cooked. I removed them from the oven and placed the pan on a wire rack.
I let the bundtinis cool slightly in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack.
I removed the bundtinis from the pan. While they were still hot, I dipped each one into the lemon syrup.
The syrup not only adds sweet/tart flavor to the little cakes but also moisture.
While the bundtinis were cooling completely, I made the lemon cream cheese frosting.
I used cream cheese, fresh lemon juice, heavy cream, salt, and confectioners’ sugar.
I started by beating together the cream cheese, lemon juice, cream and salt until the mixture was smooth.
Then, I added the confectioners’ sugar in stages and beat the mixture until it was of the proper consistency for piping.
I placed the bundtinis into fluted baking cups that were like the ones that Nothing Bundt Cake uses.
Then, I used a #4B open star tip to pipe swirls of the frosting on the tops of the bundtinis.
The Lemon Bundtinis were amazing. They were moist with the perfect balance between sweetness and tartness. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use either a Nordic Ware Nonstick Cast Aluminum Bundt Mini Bundt Pan from Williams Sonoma or a Nordic Ware Brownie Bundt Pan from Amazon.com
I used brioche paper cups that I purchased from Amazon.com.
If you’re using brioche paper cups for the bundtinis, you don’t want the bundtinis to fill the wells of the bundt pan. The reason is that the diameter of the bundtinis will be a bit more than the diameter of the brioche paper cups.
You can store the bundtinis covered in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Other Nothing Bundt Cake Imitations
If you’re interested in other awesome recipes that imitate the appearance Nothing Bundt Cake Bundtinis, you should try one of these:
Watch my Story on Making Lemon Bundtinis
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Recipe
Lemon Bundtinis
Ingredients
Lemon Bundtinis
- 1 cup (7-ounces) granulated sugar
- Zest of one lemon (about 1 Tablespoon)
- ½ cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ¼ cups (6.25-ounces) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup milk, room temperature
Lemon Syrup
- ½ cup (3.5-ounces) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (2-ounces) fresh lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons, depending on size)
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (See Tip 1)
- 1 ½ Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 4 cups (16-ounces) confectioners' sugar
Instructions
Lemon Bundtinis
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray wells of the mini-bundt pan with non-stick spray. (See Tip 2)
- Working in a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add butter. Beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat briefly to re-combine any residue.
- Add salt and baking powder; beat until combined.
- Add the flour to the batter in three parts, alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the flour. Mix until everything is well combined.
- Using a 1 ¾-inch ice cream, drop batter into wells of prepared pan. (See Tip 3)
- Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 17 to 18 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the bundtinis cool in the pan for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove from the pan to a wire rack.
- While the bundtinis are still hot, dip each one in lemon syrup. Let cool completely.
- When the bundtinis are completely cooled, transfer to brioche paper cups. Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a #4B open star tip. Swirl the frosting from the outside to the center top of each of the bundtinis.
Lemon Syrup
- Combine sugar and lemon juice. Microwave on high for about a minute, or heat over a burner briefly, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside. (See Tip 4)
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat together cream cheese, lemon juice, cream, and salt until smooth.
- Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing until it's smooth and creamy before adding the next addition. Adjust the amount of confectioners' sugar or lemon juice if needed for desired consistency.
Chula’s Expert Tips
- I used reduced-fat cream cheese, but you could use full-fat cream cheese instead.
- It’s important to well grease the cups of the pan. I use a non-stick flour-based baking spray such as Baker’s Joy.
- You don’t want to over-fill the cups of the pan. With the 1 ¾-inch ice cream scoop, the cups are half filled.
- The purpose of heating the sugar and lemon juice is to dissolve the sugar, not cook the lemon juice. You only need about a minute in the microwave to dissolve the sugar.
Learned so many new things from this recipe: infusing sugar with zest, how to make lemon syrup, brioche liners. Your posts are a treasure! I have the Nordic cupcake size bundt pans mainly for making rum cakes – so will be pulling them out again. Built-in portion control size 🙂 Happy holidays to you and your’s.
Thanks so much Eileen! Happy holidays to you as well.
Chula
Look sooooo YUMMY Can’t wait to make.
I used paper cute baking ?
They were much dryer than my usual aluminum
Or metal loaf pans?
Why is that? Paper pans were ADORABLE red/wht stripe or polka dots
Thanks cindy
I will love I know cindy
Cindy,
I made the Lemon Bundtinis directly in the mini-bundt pan and only used the baking cups after the lemon bundtinis were baked. I think that the combination of the basic batter and the brushing of the lemon syrup made these super moist.
Hope they turn out for you!
Chula
Would a cupcake pan work if you didn’t have a bundtini pan?
Yes, a cupcake pan would work fine. I would fill the cups 3/4-full.
Thank you!!! Can’t wait to make them
Can you use a normal sized bundt pan?
Can you use a regular Sized Bundt pan?
Amber,
I’ve only used the mini bundt pan for making this recipe, so I’d be hesitant to say whether or not this would work in a normal sized bundt pan.
Sorry!
Chula
I made the lemon bundtinis exactly as the recipe states with no changes. They look and taste terrific. I was hesitant to make the investment in the Nordic pan, brioche cups and piping tip, but glad I did. I even purchased cupcake boxes and liners when I need to bring dessert to an event. I will be trying the chocolate chip bundtinis next.
Karen,
I’m so pleased that the recipe worked out for you. It’s one of my favorites. I think you’ll really like the chocolate chip bundtinis as well!
Chula