I’ve been on a bit of a bundt kick lately, and honestly I don’t see it ending anytime soon. These little lemon raspberry mini bundt cakes came out of nowhere – one minute I was staring at a punnet of raspberries, the next I was elbow deep in flour and zest.
Spring is finally showing up around here and I wanted something that felt bright without being fussy. These hit the spot perfectly. They’re tangy, sweet, and those little bursts of raspberry catch you off guard in the best way.
Ingredients I Used for the Recipe
- 65g plain flour (½ cup) – The backbone of our cake, gives it structure without being heavy
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch) – This is my little trick for keeping things tender, works like cake flour would
- ½ teaspoon baking powder + ¼ teaspoon baking soda – The dynamic duo for lift and spread
- 57g unsalted butter (½ stick), softened – Brings richness and that creamy texture we want
- ½ cup white granulated sugar – Sweetness plus it helps with browning on those pretty bundt ridges
- 1 large egg, room temperature – Binds everything and adds moisture
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract – Just a whisper of warmth behind all that lemon
- 1 ½ tablespoons buttermilk, room temp – Makes the crumb so soft and reacts with the baking soda
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice + 2 teaspoons lemon zest – The whole lemon goes in here, nothing wasted
- 1 punnet fresh raspberries (120g) – The star player, those juicy pops of tartness
- ½ tablespoon plain flour for coating berries – Keeps them from sinking and bleeding everywhere
- For the icing: ½ cup powdered sugar + 1 tablespoon lemon juice – Two ingredients, that’s it, and it’s perfect
How to Make Lemon Raspberry Mini Bundt Cakes
Step 1 – Prep Those Pans Like Your Life Depends On It
First thing – get your oven heating to 180C (350F). Now here’s where I learned a hard lesson my first time making bundt cakes. You cannot half-butt the greasing. Just can’t.
Take melted butter and a pastry brush and get into every single ridge and curve of those mini bundt tins. Then dust with flour, tap out the excess, and set the tins on a baking tray. I forgot a spot once and ended up with a cake that came out in three pieces. Never again.
Step 2 – Mix Your Dry Stuff Together
Whisk your flour, cornflour, baking powder, and baking soda in a small bowl. Set it aside. Nothing fancy here, just make sure it’s evenly combined so you don’t get a bitter pocket of baking soda later.
Step 3 – Cream the Butter and Sugar Until It’s Fluffy
Beat that softened butter and sugar together until it looks light and creamy. I use my stand mixer because honestly my arms are weak – my husband jokes I have “noodle arms” and he’s not wrong. Add the egg and beat well, then the vanilla.
You want it to look almost like frosting at this point. If it’s still gritty, keep going another minute.
Step 4 – The Folding Dance (Go Slow)
This part matters more than you’d think. Add one third of your flour mixture and fold gently with a spatula. Then half the buttermilk, fold again. Another third of flour, fold. Now the rest of the buttermilk plus your lemon juice and zest, fold. Finally the last of the flour.
The key here is gentle. Don’t beat the air out of it. I used to just stir like crazy and wondered why my cakes were dense. Patience pays off.
Step 5 – The Raspberry Trick That Changes Everything
Take your raspberries and toss them with that half tablespoon of flour. This was a game changer when I figured it out. The flour gives the berries something to grip onto so they don’t all sink to the bottom. Plus it stops them from bleeding red streaks through your pretty yellow batter.
Fold the raspberries in for just one or two turns. Any more and you’ll smash them up. You want whole berries scattered through each cake.
Step 6 – Fill and Bake
Divide the batter between your four mini bundt tins. Don’t overfill – about three quarters full is right. Bake for 22 minutes, maybe a little less if your oven runs hot.
Test with a toothpick. You want a few moist crumbs stuck to it, not wet batter. The first time I made these I pulled them at 18 minutes because they looked done. They weren’t. Middle was still raw. Trust the toothpick.
Step 7 – Cooling Is Not Optional
Let them rest in the pans for 5 minutes. Not 2 minutes, not 10. Five. Then gently turn them out onto a wire rack. If they stick a little, tap the pan gently on the counter. Don’t yank or pry or you’ll lose those beautiful edges.
Let them cool completely before icing. I know it’s hard to wait but warm cake will make the icing melt into a sad puddle.
Tips
- Use fresh raspberries if possible—they hold shape better. If using frozen, don’t thaw and bake a bit longer.
- Keep buttermilk and eggs at room temperature to avoid curdling—plan ahead.
- Adding cornflour softens the texture (great substitute for cake flour).
- No mini bundt pan? Use a regular one, double the recipe, and bake ~35–40 minutes.
- Drizzle lemon icing right away—it sets fast. Adjust with more juice (thinner) or sugar (thicker).
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days (though they disappear quickly!).
- Don’t skip lemon zest—it’s key for real lemon flavor.
Lemon Raspberry Mini Bundt Cakes Recipe
Description
These Lemon Raspberry Mini Bundt Cakes are a simple lemon cake recipe, studded with fresh raspberries and topped with a tangy lemon icing, all baked in adorable mini bundt pans. Perfect for spring celebrations, afternoon tea, or whenever you need a bright, fresh dessert that's individually portioned and absolutely delightful.
ingredients
FOR THE CAKES
FOR THE LEMON ICING
Instructions
-
Preheat & Prepare Pans
Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F / 160°C fan forced. Use a pastry brush to grease 4 mini bundt cake tins with melted butter. Coat with flour, shaking away the excess, then place on a baking tray.Proper greasing ensures easy release -
Mix Dry Ingredients
In a small bowl, whisk together the 65g plain flour, cornflour/cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. -
Cream Butter & Sugar
Beat the softened butter and sugar together in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until very light, pale, and creamy (about 3-4 minutes). Add the egg and beat well until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and beat through.Room temperature ingredients mix more easily -
Fold in Wet & Dry Alternately
Add one-third of the flour mixture and fold through gently with a spatula until just combined. Add half the buttermilk and fold through. Add another third of the flour mixture and fold. Now add the remaining buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest; fold through. Finish with the last of the flour mixture, folding just until no streaks remain.Don't overmix to keep cakes tender -
Coat & Fold in Raspberries
Toss the fresh raspberries with the ½ tablespoon of plain flour until lightly coated. Gently fold the floured raspberries into the batter for just 1-2 turns—no more, to prevent bleeding and sinking.Flour coating prevents raspberries from sinking -
Bake
Divide the batter evenly among your prepared mini bundt tins. Bake for around 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a crumb or two attached (not wet batter).Ovens vary—start checking at 20 minutes -
Cool
Allow cakes to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before gently turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.Cooling too long in pan may cause sticking -
Make Lemon Icing
Whisk together the icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Adjust consistency with a few more drops of lemon juice if needed for a drizzle-able texture. Pour or drizzle over the completely cooled cakes. Sprinkle with extra lemon zest if desired. Let icing set for 10-15 minutes before serving.Icing will thicken as it sets
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
Serving Size 1 mini bundt cake
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 374kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 14gg22%
- Saturated Fat 8gg40%
- Trans Fat 0gg
- Cholesterol 75mgmg25%
- Sodium 145mgmg7%
- Potassium 95mgmg3%
- Total Carbohydrate 58gg20%
- Dietary Fiber 2gg8%
- Sugars 38gg
- Protein 4gg8%
- Calcium 45mg mg
- Iron 0.8mg mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Australian tablespoon note: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (= 4 teaspoons worldwide).
- Weigh your ingredients: For best results, always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar using kitchen scales. If you can't weigh, use the spoon-and-level method (don't scoop directly from the bag).
- Cornstarch substitute: Cake flour is a combination of all-purpose flour and cornstarch. If you have cake flour, you can replace both the plain flour AND cornstarch with cake flour (use 80g total cake flour).
- Buttermilk substitute: No buttermilk? Add ½ teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk, let sit 5 minutes to curdle, then measure.
- Make ahead: These cakes freeze beautifully (un-iced) for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then ice before serving.
- Scaling up: Double the recipe to make 8 mini bundts or convert to one standard 10-cup bundt pan (bake 35-45 minutes).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen raspberries instead of fresh?
You can, but fresh is strongly recommended. Frozen raspberries release more liquid and can bleed into the batter, affecting both appearance and texture. If you must use frozen, keep them frozen until coating with flour and fold in at the very last second.
What if I don't have mini bundt pans?
No problem! You can bake these in a standard muffin tin (makes about 6 regular muffins) or double the recipe for one full-size 10-cup bundt pan. Adjust baking time accordingly: muffins ~18-20 minutes, large bundt ~35-45 minutes.
Can I make these gluten-free or dairy-free?
For gluten-free: substitute the plain flour and cornstarch with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. For dairy-free: use plant-based butter and substitute buttermilk with dairy-free milk + ½ tsp lemon juice. Results may vary slightly in texture.
How do I prevent the cakes from sticking to the bundt pans?
Grease thoroughly with melted butter (not cooking spray), then dust with flour, tapping out excess. Ensure every nook and cranny is coated. Let cakes cool exactly 5 minutes before inverting—too soon and they break, too long and they stick.
Can I add lemon curd or cream cheese filling?
Absolutely! For a filled version, spoon half the batter into each tin, add a teaspoon of lemon curd or sweetened cream cheese, then top with remaining batter. Bake as directed. The filling may sink slightly but will create a delicious surprise center.