This Sun Drop bundt cake is a classic dessert, made with the iconic soda from the south.

Southern Sun Drop cake is a delicious citrus cake that’s easy to make, thanks to a cake mix!

close-up view of a slice of Sun Drop cake on a white plate, with a soda can in the background.

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I’ve spent all of my life living in the South, from West Virginia to South Carolina to Florida to Tennessee.

And while I’ve always sort of known about Sun Drop, the years I spent living in North Carolina were when I really received a proper introduction to the golden citrus soda.

That’s because the fine folks in my community absolutely adored the stuff. They drank it morning, noon, and night, and even used it in baked goods.

I’d never witnessed such a regional pull toward a specific drink before, but I discovered that the original bottling plant for Sun Drop was located in a neighboring county for more than 60 years.

So local devotion to the soda ran strong.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who was born in the county where I lived (as was his father), even drives a Sun Drop sponsored car!

I’ve now lived in Tennessee for over twenty years, which is where Sun Drop is currently bottled.

So I thought it fitting that I pay homage to the soda of the south and share this southern Sun Drop cake with you!

Glazed southern Sun Drop bundt cake on a white plate, with a can of Sundrop in the background.

Sun Drop Bundt Cake Recipe

Because I wanted to keep this recipe easy, and because I love a good cake mix hack, I’m making this bundt cake with a lemon cake mix.

There’s no shame in doctoring up a boxed cake mix to create a delicious dessert that feels homemade!

We add SunDrop right into the cake batter, then also use it in the glaze that’s added to the top of the cake.

The concept is similar to a 7-Up cake, if you’ve ever had one of those.

The result is a bright, citrus cake that can be enjoyed at family reunions, church potlucks, summer BBQs, and even special occasions.

More Cake Mix Creations You’ll Love:

close-up of a slice of glazed SunDrop cake on a white plate, with a bite taken out of it by a fork.

How to Make Sun Drop Cake

It’s really easy to make this delicious cake, using just a few ingredients!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Box lemon cake mix
Instant lemon pudding mix
Eggs
Vegetable oil
Sun Drop soda
Powdered sugar
Optional: lemon or vanilla extract

How to Make it:

(Full printable recipe card is available below)

Prepare the batter. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer), combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, and SunDrop soda.

Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and mix for about 2 more minutes.

two photos; one shows ingredients for sundrop cake in a mixing bowl, the other shows the ingredients mixed together to form a batter.

Bake. Pour batter into a well-greased bundt pan. Bake at 350F for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes, then run a knife along the edges to loosen the cake. Invert it onto a serving plate.

two photos; one shows cake batter in a bundt pan, the other shows baked cake turned out onto a white plate.

Prepare glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and a bit of Sundrop soda until no lumps remain.

If you want to give it a little bit more flavor, you can add some lemon extract or vanilla extract (or both!).

two photos; one shows powdered sugar and Sundrop soda in a bowl, the other shows them mixed together to create a glaze for the sundrop cake

Pour or brush the glaze over the surface of the warm cake. Let the glaze cool and harden to a satiny finish.

whole southern Sun Drop cake, made from a mix and topped with glaze

Cool. Let the SunDrop cake cool completely before slicing and serving.

side view of a slice of SunDrop bundt cake served on a white plate with a fork. A can of SunDrop is in the background.

Notes and Adaptations:

If you can’t find Sun Drop where you live, Mountain Dew would be the closest substitute. For a slightly different flavor, you can even try using Cherry Lemon Sun Drop if you can find it.
When making the glaze, you can use fresh lemon juice instead of Sun Drop if you want more of a zippy lemon flavor. Both options are delicious!
Feel free to use a yellow cake mix instead of a lemon cake mix, but be aware that the flavor will be different.
Leftover cake can be stored covered at room temperature.

Recommended Equipment:

Yield: 12 Servings

Easy Sun Drop Cake

Name: Easy Sun Drop Cake
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: For the Cake:; 15.25-oz lemon cake mix; 3.4-oz instant lemon pudding mix; 3 eggs; 3/4 cup vegetable oil; 3/4 cup Sun Drop soda; For the Glaze:; 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar; 3 Tablespoons Sun Drop soda; Optional: 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract or vanilla extract

This SunDrop cake is made with the soda of the south, creating a bright, citrusy bundt cake with minimal effort.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cake:
15.25-oz lemon cake mix
3.4-oz instant lemon pudding mix
3 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup Sun Drop soda
For the Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons Sun Drop soda
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract or vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a bundt pan well.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer), combine lemon cake mix, lemon pudding mix, eggs, oil, and SunDrop soda.
Mix ingredients together on low speed for 30 sesconds, then turn off mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Turn the mixer to medium-high and mix for about 2 minutes more.
Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and allow cake to cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes. Run a knife along the edges of the cake to loosen it from the pan, then invert cake onto a serving plate.
Prepare glaze by whisking together powdered sugar and Sun Drop soda until smooth. If using, add flavor extracts and whisk to combine.
Pour or brush glaze over the surface of the warm cake. Allow the glaze to cool and harden to a satiny finish.
Let cake cool completely before slicing and serving.

Notes

If you can't find Sun Drop where you live, Mountain Dew would be the closest substitute. For a slightly different flavor, you can even try using Cherry Lemon Sun Drop if you can find it.
When making the glaze, you can use fresh lemon juice instead of Sun Drop if you want more of a zippy lemon flavor. Both options are delicious!
Feel free to use a yellow cake mix instead of a lemon cake mix, but be aware that the flavor will be different.
Leftover cake can be stored covered at room temperature.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 345Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 302mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 0gSugar: 31gProtein: 3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.