Whenever I make any type of bundt cake, I always think of the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I just love that movie. “What do you mean he don’t eat meat?” “Oh, that’s okay, I make lamb.” There is a scene where Ian’s Mom brings Toula’s family a bundt cake. Toula’s family has never heard of a bundt cake before. “There’s a hole in this cake.” For the life of her, Toula’s Mom cannot figure out how to say it properly. “Boont? Bonk?” She finally decides just to put flowers in the middle where the hole is and leave it at that. So needless to say, ever since I’ve seen that movie, I can’t help but giggle when I pull out the bundt pan.
Recently I shared my recipe for Coca Cola Cake and then I realized, I couldn’t share the Coca Cola Cake without also sharing the 7Up Cake.
The 7Up Cake is similar to the Coke Cake in that you don’t really taste the soda as a separate ingredient. It adds flavor and makes it super moist. You could eat this bundt cake without any icing, it is just so incredibly flavorful and moist but I think the slightly tart icing gives the sweet cake a nice pop of flavor. I just love making desserts like this during these cold days of winter. This 7Up cake is so sunshine-y and the flavors remind you of a tall glass of cold lemonade.
Ingredients:1 box yellow cake mix
1 box (4 oz.) instant lemon pudding
3/4 cups 7 Up (or similar lemon lime soda)
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
icing:
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1-2 tbsp. milk
The bottled lemon juice will work just fine for this recipe too.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Spray your 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. I like to use the spray that has flour in it, it’s called Baker’s Joy and it works the best for Bundt cakes.
In a medium bowl, combine all the cake ingredients. Mix until thoroughly combined. Pour batter into bundt pan.
Bake for about 45-55 minutes (until inserted toothpick or fork comes out clean.)
Allow to cool completely, then remove from bundt pan.
Start preparing icing.
If you’re using a fresh lemon, you might like to zest a bit of the lemon for more flavor. That step is totally optional.
In a small bowl, combine sugar and lemon juice. Add milk in slowly until you’ve reached desired consistency. You may want your icing a bit thicker or more like a glaze. That part is completely up to you.
This icing is nice and tangy and brings a nice balance of flavor alongside the sweet cake.
Pour icing over cake. And serve. That is sunshine on a plate right there!
Enjoy!
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7Up Cake
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 400 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 4 oz small box instant lemon pudding
- 3/4 cups 7Up or similar lemon lime soda
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1-2 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
Spray 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine all the cake ingredients (cake mix, pudding, 7up, eggs and oil).
- Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Pour batter into bundt pan.
- Bake for about 45-55 minutes (until inserted toothpick or fork comes out clean).
- Allow to cool completely, then remove from bundt pan.
- Start preparing icing.
- If you're using a fresh lemon, you might like to zest a bit of the lemon for more flavor. (optional)
- In a small bowl, combine sugar and lemon juice.
- Add milk in slowly until you've reached desired consistency.
- Pour icing over cake and serve.
I'd love to try out this recipe but your ingredients are American, can you translate them into UK ones for us over here please.
Thanks Lovina
try googling to find similar ingrediants as i have done in australia
This looks so moist. I've never tried a cake recipe using soda before, but now I have to! Thanks for sharing.
I make this cake using Mountain Dew. It's super moist and people love it. I've never used a glaze, but may make one the next time. Thanks for posting.
HAHA I love Toula's mom in the movie, her expression of horror over the 'hole in the cake' is priceless!
Great recipe!
Toula's whole family is a hoot! And your boont cake looks fantastic! Come visit us soon.
This looks absolutely delicious! I love My Big Fat Greek Wedding, as well, so maybe I'll go make this and just sit myself down and watch that funny movie!:)
Just make sure you keep potted plants around to put in the middle! Go Rodney and Harry, watch out for ouzo
Brandie,
I love all of your cake creations with soda. They make the cake very moist. I also love My Big Fat Greek Wedding:)
Please stop by my blog. I have an award for you.
What a awesome recipe…Delicious dear..
Aarthi
http://yummytummy-aarthi.blogspot.com/
I've never cooked a cake with soda before but this looks so delicious I'm going to give it a try! I hope mine comes out half as beautiful as yours.
Remember when I was trying to eat healthier and then I saw this and obsessed over it and dreamt about it and ate the entire cake?
No?
Oh.
😉
Lol, I was laughing all through reading that dialog– we LOVE that movie!! I also think of it when I see one, too!
Both of these cakes look so moist and delish, but I enjoy all of the recipes you put up on here!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Blessings,
Leslie
"Oh…It's a caeke!!!"
I love 7 up cake but have never made a shortcut version. Love it!
Oh Brandie – you are always so entertaining. And such a cake queen too huh? :-} Thank you for sharing another wonderful easy dessert to try from your collection. Your photos are always sooo nice! And mouth-watering too!!!
That looks amazing. I wish I could try that cake.
Looks gorgeous! LOL Love the movie My Big Fat Greek wedding. I also always remember that episode with bundt cake:-)
Super moist and love the light citrus taste!
So happy to hear you liked this one Joan. That's why I love baking with soda, it adds a bit of flavor but it makes cakes so moist too!
Thank you so much! I'm so happy you liked it!!
I made this cake yesterday and it was wonderful…
I made this cake over the weekend and it is soooooo good. My family really enjoyed it. The recipe is so simple and quick. Thank you!
Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know!! I'm SO happy you liked it!!
I LOVE 7-UP-CAKE, but our old family recipe has a pineapple/coconut mixture for icing and I have a fairly new coconut allergy, so eating it makes me wheeze and short of breath (unless I just eat the insides, which takes the fun out of it).
The lemon/sugar mixture sounds better anyway, so I look forward to trying this (very) soon!
I made this today using Mt Dew instead of 7UP. Quite tasty! Hubby really liked it (all he drinks is Mt Dew). Thank you for a great recipe! 🙂
I love My Big Fat Greek Wedding. My kids and throw lines from the movie at each other all the time. When my sons and his wife go home I always say "why you want to leave meeeee?" too funny. I've been looking for this recipe for awhile. Thanks for posting.
"look whose back again"
Could you make this in a 9 x 13 pan? then, poke holes for the glaze?
Anonymous, I don't see why you couldn't make it in a 9×13 pan. Keep in mind, this cake is super moist, so just be careful when you slice it. I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I make almost the same cake.. I use Sun drop soda and use Lemon cake.. Everyone has me making this all the time.. Thank you giving some ideas on changing it up.. 🙂 Everyone needs to make this your friends will think you are the best baker in town.
Hi there! Do you think this recipe will work okay with lemon instant cake mix? Thanks!
You can definitely use lemon cake mix with this. 🙂
@ S.G.Robinson ~ could you share the Pineaplle/Coconut icing recipe? I love both and sounds so good!
Sounds yummy! Guess you could use Sierra Mist soda too (which my husband drinks) in the recipe.
I made this over the weekend and LOVE it! I can't wait to try more of your recipes!! I wrote a post on this and gave you all the credit as well as linked it to you for the recipe! I hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I did!!
Hi Heather! Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out for you! I'm so happy it was a success!
Hi Anna! Don't go by any directions of the back of the box. Just go by my ingredients & directions here. Hope that helps and that you love it! 😀
So do you use the amount of 7up to replace what the box cake mix is listing for water… Or do you replace the water and use 1 1/2 cups of 7up? Can't wait to try this cake!
Sounds yummy!! Can't wait to make it!!
I am so excited to try this! I have never heard of it, but it sounds absolutely delicious.
I found your recipe on Pinterest and have been wanting to try it. I made this for our Bosses Day party and it was a huge hit! Amazing! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
I used to make this cake when my family was young.
It always came out well, and we all loved it.
Brings back wonderful memories!
I made this cake with orange sunlit, and a tablespoon of grated orange zest. I made a vanilla glaze for the top. It was delightful! This ones a keeper, for sure!!
If using cake mix with "pudding in the mix" I still add the instant pudding. Correct?
I have had 7up cakes from stores but never bothered before this one. I had a taste for something with real lemon in it and the icing is just so fresh and bright. I am thinking to switch it up, I'll use vanilla pudding and use a little real vanilla bean in the cake and the icing. Have to say I LOVE your site and have made many of the recipes! Thanks so much, I can always depend on your site when I'm looking for something new/different and I KNOW it will be a hit. 🙂
Jen, your comment is so sweet! Thank you so very much! I can't tell, you how much that means to me to hear! Thank you for taking the time out of your day to let me know how much you enjoy this recipe!
What if I don't have a boont pan? 🙂 Can you make this with a regular 9*13?
Anonymous – oops, oh no! At least you tried! I know some folks have differing opinions on boxed cake mixes but there ain't now shame in my game & there is no getting around how moist and yummy they are. You make this using my exact ingredients. Don't go by the back of the box on this one. 🙂
I tried to make 7-up cake for the first time a month and the recipe was from scratch. I totally ruined it. It was for a friend, so i hid it and never told him about it, Lol. I would like to try your recipe tonight. Usually u add water to box cake mix but water is not listed in your recipe. Am i mixing cake according to directions on box? Or am i only putting in what's on your list, eliminating water i guess because using soda? Hope to hear from u so i can get started.
Thank you, thank you! This was my favorite cake growing up that my grandma would make from scratch…and I have been craving it so bad for the past 10 years or so! I keep begging my mom for the recipe but she keeps telling me it will not work at high altitude…we live at 8000ft. I'm going to try with this shortened recipe and see if it will work. Wish me luck and the cola cake looks good too.
Have you tried this with any other flavour? There isn't much I don't like, but lemon I can't stand lol
Made this for dessert tonight and it was absolutely yummy! I love lemon cake and this hit the spot, for sure. The only issue I had was with the icing. The recipe calls for 2 cups of powdered sugar and just 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice and 1Tbsp. of milk. 2 cups of the sugar is A LOT, so I'm wondering if that's a typo. Regardless, I will definitely be making this again!
Hi Sandra! I'm so glad you liked it! Nope, that isn't a typo! Powdered sugar isn't like regular sugar. Powdered sugar is mostly corn starch so it absorbs liquid very easily and becomes liquidy-y very easily by just a little amount of milk or lemon juice. So a little liquid goes a long way with powdered sugar. Hope that helps! ~Brandie
Heidi – 7 up cake is a southern tradition that is always made with lemon so I haven't tried it with another flavor but I don't see why you couldn't? But I guess if you just can't stand it you could always do vanilla?
Yummmmmmmmmmmmm
Does anyone know how long I'd need to bake this if I used silicone? The one and only time I used a silicone bundt pan it didn't cook properly.
I am not much of a baker, but I saw the picture and it looked so good I had to try. I made it and it was so moist and tasty. My parents and my children loved it so much there wasn't any left when I came home from work the next day, so i'm making another one tonight!
I made this cake today and it was much enjoyed by my in-laws, my husband, and my kids! My hubby can be picky about sweets, but he said his grandmother used to make one that looked exactly the same so he had to try it. He loved it. Guess I will be making this one more in the future 🙂
I make this using a cherry cake mix and cherry flavored 7UP. YUM! 🙂
I just discovered your site recently and I'm a fan already. The 7 Up Cake was REALLY lemon-y, but my hubby grabbed the cook and serve lemon pudding instead of the instant, so I think that had an impact on that. Everything else I've tried has been perfect!!
This turned out so well! I used a 9 x 13 pan instead of a bundt pan (mine seems to have gone missing) and it worked out perfectly. Brilliant! 🙂
I hope it ok, I posted your link on my facebook page. First time cooking it and my house smells devine! Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us!
Just made this cake for a bake sale at work…have a question though…could I do a chocolate cake with chocolate pudding and coke? Just use same idea for glaze…just curious 🙂
I made the 7 Up cake and it did not turn out very well. The cake FELL. I went by the recipe exactly. I have never had a cake to do this. What did I do wrong? HELP!!
I LOVE 7-Up cake!!! The women in my family usually add a little of the soda to the icing/glaze recipe to help give it a little lemon-lime "kick".
We use Mountain Dew with this recipe. We never use icing and this cake is gobbled up very quickly.
Could I sub oil for butter??
The picture of the cake mix shows it's 18.25oz. They aren't that big any more what should we do? I'm afraid there is to much liquid for the smaller amount of cake mix in the boxes now. Same with the coca cola cake. Thanks, Gaile
Here in the South we make a similar cake with Sun Drop. Duncan Hines Lemon Cake mix, Lemon pudding mix, 12 oz Sun Drop, 3 eggs and 3/4 cup oil.
Could you use ginger ale instead of the 7-up?
Made this today for my husband's bday. Soooo good…I added crushed pinapples to the icing(that's how my grandmother made hers) My family absolutely loved it. Thanks again for the recipe.
Thank-You for this recipe! I have been looking for this one for awhile & the ones I have tried were not as good as this one. It is oh so moist & delicious! Thanks for making me look like a "rock star"!!
do i make the pudding then add it to the cake or do i just add it to the dry box cake mix and follow box cake directions help pleases
First, thank you Brandie for your family's service to our country.
Second, I appreciate you posting this recipe because a childhood friend's late mother made this cake for us, oh, about 45 to 50 years ago. It is one of only two cakes she claimed to know how to bake. She had given me her recipe ("obviously" I started baking very young), but I didn't have, for example, the size of the pudding box, which I now have from your post.
Mrs. T. made this cake in 13x9x2-inch pan and she slathered a cream cheese and butter icing full of chopped pecans on the cake as soon as it came out of the oven. Then we would sit at her kitchen table staring at the cake with great expectation until she cut a slice for each of us. You definitely sparked some memories I cherish, and I plan to bake this cake soon.
I am grateful.
Made this cake – brought it to work and it was devoured within 30 minutes. Delicious! The frosting made the cake taste great and look beautiful.
Thank you,
Vicki D
So glad it was a winner for you and your co-workers vickid.
Had to laugh this recipe always reminds me of this woman – if you have never heard her you have to check it out on youtube. One of the funniest women around in my opinion. Talks about sending her hubby to the store for ingredients for her cake.
Jeanne Robertson "Don't send a man to the grocery store!"
Made this, my husband and my kids loves it😊
Are the measurements correct for the icing? I had to add at least 1/4 cup of milk for the sugar to even get wet.