The Best 7-Up Cake (+Video)
This 7-Up Cake is a moist lemon cake that is made with a jazzed up boxed cake mix and topped with a delicious homemade lemon icing drizzle!
A DELICIOUS LEMON-LIME CAKE!
Recently I shared my recipe for Double Fudge Coca-Cola Cake and then I realized, I couldn’t share the Coca-Cola Cake without also sharing the 7-Up Cake. The 7-Up 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.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Yes. I would just use the recommended baking times for a 9×13-inch baking dish that is shown on the back of the cake mix box.
Bundt pans need to be greased really well. A lot of people recommend greasing the pan the coating it in flour. While that works well, I find it easiest to use a nonstick baking spray that has flour in it (like Baker’s Joy – see my image below from another recipe.) I just make sure to spray it really well into all the nooks and crannies and it works beautifully. Pam also makes a similar version. 
You can store it in a covered container on the counter for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Yes! Just make sure you wrap it very well to protect against freezer burn and it will freeze for up to 3 months.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- yellow cake mix – you could also use a lemon cake mix, butter cake mix or even a French vanilla cake mix if you prefer.
- instant lemon pudding – you want to look for the instant pudding – you do not need to use the Jell-O brand, it can be a store brand instant pudding.
- 7 Up – you can use diet soda (although that would not be my top choice) or maybe even try Sprite or Mountain Dew with this – I don’t think Ginger Ale would be a good flavor for this.
- eggs – try to make sure your eggs are at room temperature for baked goods – it helps to produce a lighter, fluffier cake.
- vegetable oil – you can substitute for the same amount of melted butter but this will produce a more dense and heavier cake.
- lemon juice – I always prefer fresh lemon juice – the bottled stuff just tastes fake and I personally don’t like it but if you love it then go for it.
HOW TO MAKE 7UP CAKE:
Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick baking spray that has flour in it. In a medium bowl, combine all the cake ingredients (cake mix, instant lemon pudding, eggs, oil and 7up). Mix until thoroughly combined.
Pour batter into bundt pan.
Bake for about 35-45 minutes (until inserted toothpick or fork comes out clean). Allow to cool completely, then remove from bundt pan and place on a cake plate.
Start preparing icing. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest (if using). Add milk in slowly until you’ve reached desired consistency. I personally like it a bit on the thicker side.
Pour icing over cake. Allow it to sit for a bit to set up (it won’t harden up fully like a frosting).
Then slice and serve.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Originally published: January 2012
Updated & republished: May 2023
The Best 7-Up Cake (+Video)
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 15.25 ounce box yellow cake mix
- 4 ounce small box instant lemon pudding
- ¾ cup 7-Up soda (or similar lemon lime soda)
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
For the frosting:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- lemon zest from one lemon (optional)
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Spray 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray (that has flour in it) or grease and flour bundt pan.
- 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 35-45 minutes (until inserted toothpick or fork comes out clean). Allow to cool completely, then remove from bundt pan and place on a cake plate.
- Start preparing icing. In a small bowl, combine sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest (if using).
- Add milk in slowly until you've reached desired consistency. I personally like it a bit on the thicker side.
- Allow it to sit for a bit to set up (it won't harden up fully like a frosting) then slice and serve.
Video
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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!"
So glad it was a winner for you and your co-workers vickid.
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
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.
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
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"!!
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.
Could you use ginger ale instead of the 7-up?
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.
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
Could I sub oil for butter??
We use Mountain Dew with this recipe. We never use icing and this cake is gobbled up very quickly.
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".
This was so tasty and moist!
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 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!
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 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!!
I make this using a cherry cake mix and cherry flavored 7UP. YUM! 🙂
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 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!
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.
Yummmmmmmmmmmmm
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?
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