Mini Lemon Blueberry Bundt

There's something magical about the moment when you crack open a freshly baked mini bundt cake and see those pockets of blueberry scattered throughout the tender crumb. I discovered this recipe during a particularly hectic Tuesday morning when I had company coming for brunch and my sourdough starter was begging to be used for something other than bread. The tangy depth it brings to these delicate lemon cakes turned what could have been a standard muffin into something that felt genuinely special, and now I make them whenever I want to impress without spending all day in the kitchen.

I'll never forget my sister's expression when she bit into one of these at a Sunday brunch last spring, the glaze catching the light as she lifted her fork. She immediately asked if I'd bought them from a bakery, and when I said no, she made me promise to bring them to every family gathering moving forward. That's the kind of dessert these are—the ones that make people linger over their coffee cups asking for the recipe.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (2 cups): The foundation of structure; measuring by weight ensures you don't pack too much flour, which would make the cake dense and dry.
• Baking powder and baking soda (1 tsp and 1/2 tsp): This combination gives you a tender crumb with a slight tang that complements the sourdough beautifully.
• Salt (1/4 tsp): A pinch brightens all the flavors and prevents the cake from tasting one-dimensional.
• Unsalted butter and granulated sugar (1/2 cup each): Room temperature butter creams better, and the sugar dissolves into a silky batter that rises properly.
• Eggs (2 large, room temperature): Cold eggs won't emulsify well; leaving them on the counter for 20 minutes makes a real difference in your final texture.
• Sourdough starter (1/2 cup): Active or discard starter both work; this is where the magic happens, providing acidity and depth without overpowering the lemon.
• Whole milk (1/2 cup, room temperature): The fat and proteins in whole milk create a more tender, moist crumb than skim would.
• Fresh lemon juice and zest (2 tbsp juice, 1 tbsp zest): Fresh lemons are non-negotiable here; bottled juice lacks the brightness that makes these cakes sing.
• Vanilla extract (1 tsp): Pure vanilla, not imitation, rounds out the flavor profile without announcing itself.
• Fresh blueberries (1 cup): Frozen blueberries work perfectly and actually help prevent sinking; just don't thaw them.
• Powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice for glaze: A 2-minute glaze transforms the presentation and adds a gentle sweetness that balances the cake's tang.

Instructions

Dispense soap hands-free for quick handwashing and easier cleanup while cooking and handling ingredients.

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Prepare your pans:

Preheat to 350°F and grease those mini bundt pans like your life depends on it—every crevice matters. A light dusting of flour on top of the butter helps the cakes release without sticking to the decorative edges.

Build your dry foundation:

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; this distributes the leavening evenly so you get consistent rise across all eight cakes.

Cream butter and sugar:

Beat for a full three minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy; you're incorporating air bubbles that will expand in the oven and create that tender crumb. Listen for the mixer to sound lighter and less dense as it works.

Incorporate eggs one at a time:

Add each egg and beat until fully combined before adding the next; this prevents the batter from breaking and ensures even mixing. Scrape down the bowl between each addition so nothing hides at the bottom.

Mix in the sourdough and wet ingredients:

Pour in the sourdough starter, milk, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla, stirring until you see no streaks of white. This is where the batter transforms into something with real character and tang.

Fold in the dry mixture gently:

Add the flour mixture gradually and stir only until combined; overmixing here creates tunnels and a tough crumb that's the enemy of what we're building. Stop as soon as you see no flour streaks.

Toss and fold the blueberries:

Coat the blueberries with a tablespoon of flour (this is the trick that keeps them suspended throughout), then fold them in gently with a rubber spatula. The flour coating prevents them from sinking to the bottom.

Divide and fill:

Distribute batter evenly among the eight mini bundt pans, filling each about two-thirds full. Fill any gaps by pouring a little extra batter into any pans that look light.

Bake until golden:

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes; you're looking for a light golden color and a toothpick that comes out clean with perhaps one or two crumbs clinging to it. If it's wet, give it another minute or two.

Cool with patience:

Let the cakes sit in their pans for exactly 10 minutes before inverting; this allows them to set just enough to release cleanly without breaking. Invert gently onto a wire rack and let them cool completely before glazing.

Glaze and finish:

Whisk powdered sugar with fresh lemon juice until smooth and pourable (not too thick, not too thin), then drizzle generously over each cooled cake. The glaze will set slightly as it sits, creating a beautiful matte finish.

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My mom now keeps mini bundt pans in her cabinet specifically because of these cakes, and she's become obsessed with trying different variations. There's something about a dessert that's beautiful enough to photograph, accessible enough to make on a weeknight, and delicious enough to make people ask for seconds that just feels like you've done something right in the kitchen.

Why Sourdough Works Here

The sourdough starter doesn't just use up discard starter; it fundamentally changes how the cake tastes and behaves. The fermentation introduces lactic acid that brightens the lemon flavor and adds a subtle complexity that makes people pause and ask what they're tasting. It also keeps the cake moist longer because the acids actually help retain moisture in the crumb structure, meaning these cakes stay tender even a day or two later if you wrap them properly.

Storage and Make-Ahead Genius

These cakes are remarkably forgiving once baked and glazed. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or in the refrigerator for up to five days if you want them to last longer. You can actually bake these the day before you serve them, skip the glaze, and add it fresh in the morning; the cakes themselves taste even better after a night of flavors settling together.

Variations Worth Trying

Once you master the base recipe, these cakes become a canvas for creativity. Swap the blueberries for raspberries, add a handful of chopped pistachios to the batter, or dust the cooled cakes with edible flowers and crystallized lemon peel before glazing. The flavor combination is so well-balanced that you can play around quite a bit without throwing things off, which is honestly half the fun of having a recipe you trust enough to experiment with.

• Pair them with Earl Grey tea: The tannins in the tea complement the tartness perfectly, and it feels like a proper English tea service moment.
• Crème fraîche beats whipped cream here: The slight tang in crème fraîche echoes the sourdough and lemon, creating a cohesive flavor story.
• Make them for gifting: These look impressive in a small box with parchment paper, tied with twine, and they're sturdy enough to travel safely.

Mix doughs, batters, and whipped cream easily for baking cakes, cookies, and everyday treats.

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These little cakes have a way of turning an ordinary afternoon into something that feels intentional and thoughtful. Make them once and you'll understand why they keep appearing on my table whenever I want to feel like I've done something kind for the people sitting around it.

Questions & Answers

→ How do I keep blueberries from sinking in the batter?

Toss the blueberries with a tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter to help suspend them evenly during baking.

→ Can I use a substitute for the sourdough starter?

Yes, plain Greek yogurt can be used as a substitute to maintain moisture and slight tang in the cakes.

→ What’s the best way to achieve a smooth lemon glaze?

Whisk powdered sugar gradually with fresh lemon juice until the glaze is smooth and pourable, then drizzle over cooled cakes.

→ How should the mini bundt pans be prepared?

Grease the pans generously with butter or nonstick spray and lightly dust with flour to ensure the cakes release easily after baking.

→ What flavors pair well with these bundt cakes?

Fresh whipped cream, crème fraîche, sparkling Moscato, or Earl Grey tea complement the bright lemon and blueberry flavors beautifully.