My 7 Up cake is a classic cake recipe that’s made with the help of a lemon cake mix, pudding mix, and 7 Up. This delicious cake is topped with a 7 Up glaze and is perfect for any occasion.

This lemon lime 7 Up cake recipe is perfect for summer, but I actually find myself making it all year round. It’s incredibly moist with a light, citrus flavor. It might seem surprising but soda really makes a great ingredient in cakes.

Growing up, my mom would typically make this cake in a rectangle brownie pan. Over the years of making this cake, I started experimenting with different pans and baking methods. I found that baking it in a bundt pan gave it a more classic look, but also helps the cake to stay extra moist.

After testing a few variations, I’ve also made small adjustments to the ingredients to make sure the cake is flavorful, soft, and tender. Such a delicious, nostalgic treat that is a family favorite.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Seven Up adds light citrus flavor and helps to create a tender cake.
• Simple ingredients. Using a lemon cake mix and lemon pudding mix helps to make this easy to assemble.
• Great for any occasion. I love bringing this cake to potlucks, holidays, parties, and more.

Ingredients

Make this 7Up cake with just a handful of ingredients.

• Lemon cake mix: Use your favorite lemon cake mix for this recipe. You can substitute with yellow cake mix but I love the extra lemon flavor with the lemon cake mix.
• Lemon pudding mix: A small box of instant lemon pudding mix makes the cake extra moist.
• Eggs: 4 large eggs are used. Try to let them come to room temperature for the best results.
• Vegetable oil: This helps to keep the cake soft.
• 7 Up: The secret ingredient to make the cake light and fluffy.
• Powdered sugar: Used for the cake glaze.
• Milk: Milk helps to give the glaze a creamy texture.

How to make 7 Up cake

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 10 inch bundt pan.
2. Mix together cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and 7 Up until combined.

3. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cake on a cake plate or wire rack.
5. Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and 7 Up. Pour over the cake.

Heather’s recipe tips

This 7 Up cake really is simple to put together. Here are a few tips to help it turn out perfect every time.

• Try not to over mix the cake batter. This will prevent the cake from becoming tough.
• Make sure to grease the cake pan. I like using a spray like Baker’s Joy or PAM Baking Spray. You could also coat the pan with shortening and dust with flour.
• Give the pan a tap on the counter before placing in the oven. This will help the batter settle.
• Test that the cake is done baking with a toothpick.
• Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing it.
• Make sure the cake completely cools before adding the icing.

Variations

• Soda: Don’t have 7Up, you can substitute with Sprite or even Mountain Dew.
• Cake mix: Substitute the lemon cake mix with yellow cake mix or white cake mix.
• Baking pan: You can bake this cake in a 9 x 13 baking pan.
• Zest: Try topping the icing with lemon and lime zest for extra citrus flavor.

Storage instructions

Store: Keep the cake at room temperature in an airtight container or covered for up to 3 days.

Refrigerator: You can also keep this cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freeze: This 7Up cake can be frozen for up to 2 months. I recommend wrapping sliced of cake in plastic wrap and then in a freezer safe bag.

Frequently asked questions

More easy cake recipes

• Apricot nectar cake
• Hot chocolate poke cake
• Honeybun cake
• Do nothing cake
• Punch bowl cake
• Lemon pound cake

Note: I originally published this post July 2018 and has been updated April 2026.