Apricot Nectar Cake
Mar 18, 2019, Updated Apr 29, 2025
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This old fashioned apricot nectar cake is one of my favorite desserts. Lemon cake is given a twist with apricot nectar and topped with an apricot nectar icing to make this vintage dessert. A delicious cake perfect for any occasion.
Apricot nectar cake is one of those special recipes that brings back sweet memories. It’s a cake my mom would make for special family gatherings. Now, its a recipe I like making for my own family, in fact my daughter requests it for her birthday every year.
I have been making this cake recipe for years. It’s so simple to make with the help of a cake mix and apricot nectar juice. The only thing that has ever given me trouble is if I don’t grease my bundt pan well enough. I have found that using shortening to grease the pan is the best way to ensure it will release from the pan.
This is great old fashioned cake that has amazing flavor and is always a with family and friends. A definite must make!
Have an extra box of lemon cake mix? Be sure to try this lemon blossoms recipe, lemon cake mix cookies, and lemon pound cake with cake mix.
Ingredients
- Lemon cake mix – Lemon cake mix adds great, bright flavor to this cake. You can substitute with yellow cake mix.
- Apricot nectar juice – This gives the cake its signature flavor. I can usually find apricot nectar juice in a can in the juice aisle. If you can’t find apricot you can use mango juice. This is used for both the cake and icing.
- Vegetable oil – This helps to make the cake perfectly moist.
- Sugar – Adds a little extra sweetness to the cake.
- Eggs – Four large eggs are used to make the cake.
- Powdered sugar – Used to make the cake icing.
How to make apricot nectar cake
This apricot bundt cake needs just a few ingredients. You will need a boxed lemon cake mix, apricot nectar, eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, and powdered sugar.
***If you can’t find apricot nectar in the juice aisle, you can substitute with mango juice.
- Prepare: Make sure your bundt pan is properly greased. You can either rub it with shortening and then dust with all-purpose flour or you can spray with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Mix together lemon cake mix, sugar, apricot nectar, eggs, and vegetable oil in a mixing bowl.
- Pour the batter into a greased bundt pan and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let cook in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Carefully turn out on a cake plate or cooling rack.
How to make the apricot icing
You can adjust the icing to your liking. Some people prefer this to me more of a thin glaze that soaks into the cake. My mom always made it with the icing being a little thicker.
Adjust the amount of nectar or powered sugar to achieve your preferred thickness.
- Mix together apricot nectar and powdered sugar. Once the cake has cooled, drizzle the icing over the cake.
Heather’s recipe tips
- You can usually find apricot nectar juice in the juice aisle of the grocery store or sometimes in the health food section. I have seen it packaged in a can or glass bottle.
- Don’t overmix the batter. I like using an electric mixer to insure all the ingredients are combined. Just be sure not to overmix.
- Grease the pan. This is important to make sure the bundt cake will release from the pan. I like greasing the pan with shortening.
- Make sure the cake is done baking. Test to make sure the cake has finished baking by lightly pressing to see if it springs back. You may also insert a toothpick to see if it comes out clean.
- Cool the cake. Make sure the cake is cooled before adding the icing.
Variations
Cake – You can substitute the lemon cake mix with yellow cake mix.
Juice – If you have trouble finding apricot nectar, you can substitute with peach nectar, pineapple juice, or mango nectar.
More easy cake recipes
If you make this apricot nectar cake recipe, let me know in the comments and be sure to leave a star rating.
Apricot Nectar Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box lemon cake mix
- 1 cup apricot nectar
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons apricot nectar for glaze
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Grease bundt pan with shortening.
- Mix together cake mix, 1 cup apricot nectar, 3/4 cup oil, eggs, and sugar in mixer at medium speed for 3 minutes.
- Pour mixture into greased bundt pan.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes.
- Let cake cool and then place on plate to release cake from pan.
- Mix together powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of apricot nectar.
- Drizzle glaze on cooled cake and serve.
Notes
- You can usually find apricot nectar juice in the juice aisle of the grocery store or sometimes in the health food section. I have seen it packaged in a can or glass bottle.
- Don’t overmix the batter. I like using an electric mixer to insure all the ingredients are combined. Just be sure not to overmix.
- Grease the pan. This is important to make sure the bundt cake will release from the pan. I like greasing the pan with shortening.
- Make sure the cake is done baking. Test to make sure the cake has finished baking by lightly pressing to see if it springs back. You may also insert a toothpick to see if it comes out clean.
- Cool the cake. Make sure the cake is cooled before adding the icing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this it turned out perfect! Can u make this with real black cherry juice substitute
I haven’t tried it with the cherry juice.
Not able to find apricot nectar. Any substitutes suggested?
I have substituted with mango nectar and it tastes almost identical. Hope that helps!
Have done these for years and today have done 3 sink the middle be for they come out what’s up
I’m sorry this happened. My mother and I have been making this recipe for years and years. There could be a few possible reasons for it sinking. Sometimes if you over beat the batter it can cause the batter to have too much air which might bake it collapse. It might also be an oven temperature thing. You could try baking 15 degrees higher. Hope this helps.
Mine did too. Hope it tastes good. Maybe 3 minutes is too long to mix? Any professional bakers out there know why this happens?
I have my mother’s recipe, which is the same as this one (except this one has more glaze and I’m all for that). Her recipe called for Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme cake mix. I read on a posting that Duncan Hines cake mix now causes the cake to fall for some reason. I used it and sure enough, it did. The last time I made it, I used Betty Crocker Vanilla cake mix and added a teaspoon of lemon extract and it turned out perfectly. Don’t know what it is about Duncan Hines now!
Every time I make this cake in sinks in the middle
Hi Debby, are you making it in a bundt pan? Couple things that could be causing it to sink: – Sometimes opening oven door too early could cause it to sink. Over beating the batter can also sometimes cause a cake to sink in the middle. Hope this helps. Have a great night!
Was given this recipe many years ago and lost it. Thank you for posting it! It was a hit as usual. Flavorful, moist and just a beautiful cake!
Yay! It’s one of my favorite cakes.
This was delicious! My daughter has already asked me to make it again! Thank you!
Fantastic recipe! We love apricots and this is so good!