Butterscotch Bundt Cake is a moist and flavorful bundt cake made with the help of a cake mix and JELL-O pudding. Perfect for the holiday table!
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If you like butterscotch candies, you’re going to love this Butterscotch Bundt Cake. Bundt cakes are pretty and impressive looking, easy to serve, and simple to make.
I love baking with JELL-O. One of my most requested cakes, Pistachio Cake, is made with pistachio JELL-O, so I wanted to make another cake that was similar, but made me think of the holidays.
Right away, I thought about butterscotch. It’s a great flavor that I haven’t worked with nearly enough, so I picked up some butterscotch instant JELL-O.
CAN YOU ADD JELLO TO A CAKE MIX?
You can! Combining JELL-O with a doctored cake mix makes for a super moist cake. The powdered sugar glaze on top is just the right amount of sweet without being overly sweet.
I’ve also made cookies with JELL-O and it makes for a really soft and chewy cookie. I’m telling you, if you haven’t baked with it, you need to give it a try.
Butterscotch Bundt Cake Ingredients
- Yellow Cake Mix – I’m partial to Duncan Hines, but use your favorite.
- JELL-O Butterscotch Pudding Mix – Make sure you get INSTANT pudding and not stovetop.
- Milk – I use 2%
- Butter – You’ll melt the butter before adding it.
- Eggs
I made this Butterscotch Bundt Cake over the weekend and I’ve already had two requests to make it again. Julia loved it, my mom loved it, and Bob’s co-workers loved it.
I already have plans to make another one later this week to send with my mom to her small group. Luckily, it’s really easy to make.
I used my hand mixer to bring it together but you could also use a whisk if that’s what you have on hand. Just give it some elbow grease.
I also think it’d look great (and be well received!) on a Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert table. Butterscotch isn’t a flavor you see very often but I think it’s underrated!
Other pudding/JELL-O recipes that have been really popular at holidays and family gatherings are the No Bake Chocolate Lush, “Sand” Pudding, and Strawberry Poke Cupcakes. So many ways to use JELL-O products in desserts!
Equipment you’ll need
- A pretty bundt pan – I want another one.
- A good hand mixer will make your life easier. I didn’t know I needed a light on mine until I got one.
- A cake knife/server. I literally just ordered this one because as you can see, mine is pink.
Need more bundt cake ideas? Try these:
- Sour Cream Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Lemon Bundt Cake
- Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Yogurt Cake
- Orange Banana Bundt Cake
- Butter Pecan Bundt Cake
Butterscotch Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For the Butterscotch Bundt Cake
- 15.25 ounce yellow cake mix
- 3.4 ounce butterscotch instant pudding mix
- 1 cup milk I used 2%
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 3 large eggs
For the Powdered Sugar Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon butter melted
- ¼ cup water
- 1 splash vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Butterscotch Bundt Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and generously spray your bundt pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the cake mix, dry pudding mix, milk, melted butter, and eggs. Beat on low for 30 seconds then medium for 2 minutes. The batter will be thick & fluffy (thanks to the pudding!)
- Spoon evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for about an hour. Flip over onto a plate.
For the Powdered Sugar Glaze:
- While the cake is cooling, to a medium bowl, add the powdered sugar, melted butter, water, and vanilla. Whisk together until smooth.
- Once the cake has cooled, pour the glaze over the cake.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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What’s your favorite recipe using JELL-O?
Do you have to use a bunch pan or can you use another square or rectangle pan?
Sure, you could use a 9×13 pan. I would bake at the same temp but check it after 30 minutes. 30-35 should be enough for that size.
Once it’s done, you could poke holes in it and pour the glaze over so it soaks in – that would be good =)
This is so delicious. I made it using Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow Cake. Best Yellow cakemix and the caramel
instead of butterscotch pudding – because i had the latter and both butterscotch and caramel have similar taste. Cake is so good glaze is not required. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing! That’s the cake mix I used as well. I don’t think I’ve seen caramel pudding – I’ll have to look for it!
Can I use pumpkin instant pudding instead of butterscotch with a yellow cake mix?
Sure, I don’t see why not 🙂
Can sugar free pudding mix be used with good results in this cake?
I haven’t tried it, so I can’t say for sure.
I would say the check ingredient list on sugar free items first. A number of sugar free/low cal sweeteners lose their sweetness when baked. A few retain their sweetness.
Can you use chocolate cake and chocolate pudding mix……
I suppose…but then it wouldn’t be a Butterscotch Bundt Cake, which is the recipe I created…so I can’t say for sure 😉
I made this cake exactly how the recipe says to. The cake is so good! It is very moist. My glaze turned out very runny and when I poured it over my cake I couldn’t see the glaze at all. I used a different glaze recipe. I will definitely be making this cake recipe again.
It’s an intentionally thin glaze – you can taste it even though it soaks in. 🙂 I’m glad you liked it!
Cake was very good! I used salted carmel sauce over it. I oiled pan but it still stuck and I needed to bake a bit longer. Probably my oven! Thanks
Mmm salted caramel – good call!
Can you use regular pudding mix to make cake instead of instant???
No
I have made this cake several times this holiday season, always to rave reviews! In my oven it needs 35-40 min, but I forgot it in the oven too long once and it was still awesome. It’s a very forgiving recipe. I’m not crazy about the glaze. The taste is good, but it got all lumpy and unappetizing looking when I mixed it up, I think from the melted butter mixing with cold water? Since the first time I made it, I have just been dusting the cake with powdered sugar instead. It doesn’t really need anything, it’s so tasty on its own, but the sugar looks like snow so it feels festive. My kids think the cake it great for dessert, but to me it pairs just perfectly with my morning coffee!
???? I’m glad you like it. Happy New Year!
I made this cake it is the best ever. I would like to try strawberry cake with instant vanilla pudding. Or chocolate cake with instant chocolate pudding. The cake is so good I think you could just about make any cake mix and instant pudding it would be delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks, Linda! I have a triple chocolate bundt cake that I’ve made & photographed, I just haven’t gotten around to posing it yet. It’s REALLY good & similar method 🙂
I will look forward to your post on the triple chocolate bundt cake.
My cake is cooling- smells yummy!
I added a small sprinkle of butterscotch chips in the middle- I don’t think it will hurt it??
Will see on the tasting. 😋
I think that’ll be an excellent addition! Merry Christmas ♥️
Moist, tasty cake. It’s a hit every time!
Happy to hear that!
The texture, moistness and sweetness is spot on. The flavor, however while the right taste, is weak, and I would like it at least 3 times as strong. Not sure how to do that, since the addition of butterscotch elements – butter and brown sugar would make it much denser and perhaps not even a cake.
You can buy a butterscotch extract… I haven’t tried but I wonder if that would give you the stronger flavor you’re after
I just made this cake for 35 minutes and the skewer came out clean in two places. But after it cooled and I turned it over on a plate it was just mush and pudding on the inside. Not sure why since I followed the directions to the tee. Any ideas?
Hi Roberta – I’m sorry, that’s disappointing. I have a couple ideas – first, have you checked your oven temp recently with a thermometer? Sometimes they can be off. Second, did you use a 9″ bundt pan? Sometimes size can affect bake time. Next time make sure you poke deep into the cake when you’re testing.
I was having friends over – didn’t have time to run to the store so had to make a dessert from ingredients I already had – Bingo everything I needed! It’s Autumn here so I wanted something a little spicy. This had a rich texture with a warm caramel color. It made my house smell delicious and was inviting before we ever sliced it So yummy. A cake you could curl up with in front or your fireplace! I’ll make this again 😊
Thanks, Cathie! Happy to hear that 🙂
can i use a regular frosting instead of the glaze
Sure 🙂