These Spring Mini Bundt Cakes are made from scratch and are perfect for snacks or a Sunday brunch dessert. They are the perfect three bite treat, with fun pastel colors, and they are oh so moist.
My inspiration for these treats is the longer evenings, the birds singing in the morning, and the sun shining on my face as I take my walks. But mostly it’s all the beautiful colors we have to celebrate in the flowers, trees, and sky.
You can make these little lemon cakes year round, too. Just top them with the lemon glaze and skip the candy melts and coconut. Find more ideas in my easy dessert recipes.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🔥 Bake Time: 18 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 43 minutes with cooling and decorating
- 🍽️ Makes: 12 mini bundt cakes
- ⚡ Calories: about 346kcal each
- 🍋 Flavor Profile: Moist, tender lemon cake with a sweet lemon glaze
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, made from scratch
Quick Answer
To make mini bundt cakes, cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs, lemon extract, and lemon zest, then add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt alternately with sour cream. Fill a greased mini bundt pan two thirds full and bake at 350 degrees F for 18 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, remove from the pan, and drizzle with a lemon glaze made from powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice. For spring, add candy melt drizzle, green coconut, and candy eggs.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique
- Sour cream. It keeps these small cakes moist and tender.
- Alternate dry and wet. Adding the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream gives a smooth batter without overmixing.
- Two thirds full. Leaves room for the cakes to rise without overflowing.
- A short bake. Mini cakes bake in just 18 minutes, so they stay soft.
- Unmold within 10 minutes. Removing the cakes while still warm keeps them from sticking.
Why You’ll Love These Mini Bundt Cakes
- Ready in about 30 minutes, plus a 10 minute cool before decorating. You can speed that up in the refrigerator.
- Bright lemon flavor, or change it to almond, orange, or vanilla.
- Made from scratch with basic pantry ingredients, or start with a box mix.
- Year round treat. Lemon glaze only for everyday, decorated nests for spring.
- Make ahead and freeze, then decorate right before serving.
Key Ingredients
- Butter and sugar: Creamed together for a light, tender cake.
- Eggs: Added one at a time.
- Lemon zest and lemon extract: For bright lemon flavor. Here is how to zest a lemon, or see these lemon zest substitutes.
- Flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt: Sifted together.
- Sour cream: For a moist crumb.
- Powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice: For the glaze. Use the lemon you zested.
- For decorating: Unsweetened coconut, green gel coloring, candy melts, and Robins Eggs or jelly beans.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full instructions.
Variations & Substitutions
- Other flavors: Use vanilla, almond, or orange extract instead of lemon. Make your own vanilla extract.
- Orange cakes: Add orange zest or juice instead of lemon.
- Lemon lavender: Add a few culinary lavender buds. More in my lavender tea guide.
- Cake mix shortcut: Use a box mix instead of making it from scratch; you may need to test the timing.
- Chocolate glaze: Swap the lemon glaze for chocolate.
- No coconut? Skip the coconut and candy eggs, or tint the glaze with any food coloring.
How to Make Mini Bundt Cakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray your Mini Bundt Pan with cooking spray.
- Cream 1 stick of softened butter and 1 cup of sugar in a stand mixer.
- Add the eggs one at a time, then the lemon extract and lemon zest.
- Beat until light and creamy. In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the batter alternately with the sour cream, mixing until smooth.
- Fill each cavity of the mini bundt pan two thirds of the way full.
- Bake for 18 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then remove the cakes from the pan and cool on a rack. Mix the powdered sugar with lemon juice and drizzle over the tops.
- Optional: tint the coconut with a few drops of green gel coloring and a drop of water. You can do this ahead of time.
- Melt the candy melts in a Wilton Piping Bags , 30 seconds at a time, and drizzle over the glaze. While still wet, add a little coconut and a few candy eggs or jelly beans.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Unmold on time. Remove the cakes within 10 minutes to prevent them from sticking.
- Glaze consistency. Add powdered sugar or lemon juice a little at a time until it drizzles.
- Candy melt colors: I used Pink Candy Melts, Yellow Candy Melts, and Blue Candy Melts, drizzled back and forth.
- Storage: Keep them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Freezing: Freeze un-iced cakes in a sealed freezer container for up to 2 months, then decorate after thawing.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
These are lovely for Easter brunch, a Mother’s Day tea party, a baby shower tea party, or a garden tea party. Add strawberry scones, lemon poppy seed scones, and a little lemon curd for a pretty spring table.
More lemon treats: lemon cream cheese bundt cake, the best lemon bars, lavender lemon cookies, and lemon poppy seed cookies. For spring baking, see my Easter cupcake recipes and tea party desserts, and for fall, my mini pumpkin cheesecakes.
Mini Bundt Cakes FAQs
Yes, you can use a cake mix instead of making it from scratch. You may have to test the timing.
No. You can use vanilla, almond, or orange extract instead.
Make them without the coconut and candy eggs, or skip the candy melts and just use the glaze with any food coloring.
About 18 minutes at 350 degrees F in a mini bundt pan filled two thirds full.
Spray the pan well with cooking spray and remove the cakes within 10 minutes of baking.
Yes. Freeze the un-iced cakes in a sealed container for up to 2 months, then thaw and decorate just before serving.
Spring Nest Bundt Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 stick softened butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract or few drops lemon oil
- 1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup sour cream
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar More if Needed
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice use the lemon you zested from
- 1 Cup Coconut flakes Unsweetened
- Candy Melts Your favorite colors
- Robins Eggs Or Jelly Beans
- Green gel coloring For coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray your mini pan with cooking spray
- Cream 1 stick of unsalted butter and 1 cup of sugar in a stand mixer.
- Add the 2 eggs one at a time and the lemon extract.
- Add the lemon zest.
- In small bowl, sift the next 4 dry ingredients, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixing bowl alternately with the sour cream.
- Fill the bundt pan 2/3 of the way full.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes Let cool and decorate.
- Mix powdered sugar with lemon juice to desired consistency and drizzle over the top of each bundt cake.
- Optional: If using the coconut, place it in a bowl and add a few drops of green food color and a drop of water, mix it around incorporating the coconut. You can do this ahead of time.
- Melt your preferred color candy melts into a piping bag or baggie for 30 seconds at a time, and drizzle over the lemon glaze. Use as many colors as you desire. While still wet, add some coconut and a few Robins Eggs or Jelly Beans.
Tina Marie (Sawyer Roberge) says
These look so amazing and delicious! I love the decorations on the top.
Candi Elm says
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your sweet comment.
Elizabeth says
Such adorable little cakes! I bet they taste amazing too 🙂
Candi Elm says
They are a lot of fun and they do taste pretty good, plus the kids love them. They do take off the coconut and then eat the rest.
Jen says
How cute are these?! I love that they are small so you get the perfect portion every time.
Candi Elm says
They are just the right size. Thanks for stopping by.
Kirsten says
Can I just tell you that lemon bundt cake is my favorite? After I saw that in your recipe I was hooked, and now I am definitely making these for Easter. The question is, will I eat them all myself or share them? Pinning!
Candi Elm says
Lemon is my favorite too. Thanks for pinning.
Ashley ~ 3 Little Greenwoods says
YUM! Thanks so much for the recipe. These would be perfect for Easter!
Candi Elm says
You are welcome, they are so cute for Easter, I hope you get to try them.
Liisi says
These look so colorful and delicious 🙂
Candi Elm says
Thank you for stopping by, they are really colorful arent they?
Shelly says
These look so good. I LOVE lemon! and coconut! I am going to try it with gluten free flour and see if it turns out. Also, love the little bunny. Super cute!
Candi Elm says
I bet they would be great gluten free. Thanks for stopping by.
Candi Elm says
Thanks for stopping by and leaving me a comment. One is not enough.
Mary Beth|Cupcakes and Crinoline says
These look so pretty and tasty! Thank you so much for sharing at this week’s Project Inspire{d} ~ pinning 🙂
Ashley says
Hi there! Visiting from Wine’d Down Wednesday. These are so adorable! Thanks so much for sharing!
Amanda says
This recipe looks absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to try it and see if it is a hit with my boys. Stopping by from the Create Link Inspire Party!
Amanda
http://www.queenofthelandoftwigsnberries.com
Lou Lou Girls says
This looks amazing! You are so talented. Pinned and tweeted. Thanks for being a part of our party. I hope to see you on Monday at 7 pm. Happy Easter! Lou Lou Girls
Teresa says
They look so pretty!
If you have time, I would love for you to come and share this post over at the Really Crafty link party that is live right now! http://keepingitrreal.blogspot.com.es/2016/03/welcome-to-the-really-crafty-link-party-11.html).
Amanda @ The Kolb Corner says
These are so cute and look delicious! Pinned. Thank you for sharing at Merry Monday!
Cynthia Rusincovitch says
I love the multiple colors of frosting you use on top of the cakes. Made it look more unique and springy! Thanks for linking up with Delicious Dishes Recipe Party!
Jamie says
Those are adorable!! What a fun twist on what you can do with a pan, I love it! Thank you for sharing with us at the #HomeMattersParty