Lemon Cream Cake

Today is my daughter's birthday and we celebrated with a dinner party for her last night. Her menu requests haven't changed much in the last few years and she always asks for the same birthday cake. Tradition is a good thing :) I hope you are not adverse to using a boxed cake mix because that is what is called for here. I try to look for a brand that contains as many 'natural' ingredients as possible.

This recipe is baked in a tube or fluted bundt pan and I like to stick a tiny vase in the center and add some spring color. It would be pretty with daisies too!

The lemon zest and lemon juice give it light and refreshing taste.

It's a perfect cake for a spring celebration :)




Lemon-Cream Dessert Cake
Printable Recipe

Makes 12 servings

Cake Ingredients

• 1 package (2-layer-size) regular lemon cake mix
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup cooking oil
• 3 egg whites
• 2 tablespoons finely shredded lemon peel
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Creamy Lemon Frosting Ingredients (see recipe below)

• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 8-oz package cream cheese (I use "light"), softened
• 8-oz package frozen, whipped dessert topping (I use "light"), thawed. I would think real whipping cream whipped into stiff peaks would also work fine.
• 3.4 oz package instant lemon pudding
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon zest

Directions:

1. Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan; set aside. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, water, cooking oil, and egg whites with an electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat the mixture for 2 minutes on high speed. Stir in the lemon peel. Reserve 2 cups of the batter.

2. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed for 2 minutes. Add reserved batter and lemon juice; beat until mixture is combined.

3. Layer batters alternately in prepared pan, beginning and ending with yolkless batter. Swirl lightly to marble. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

4. To assemble cake, cut cake horizontally into three layers. Spread Creamy Lemon Frosting between layers. Frost entire cake with remaining frosting.

Creamy Lemon Frosting:

In a large bowl, beat 1 cup sifted powdered sugar and 1 softened 8-ounce package cream cheese until smooth. Fold in 1 thawed 8-ounce container of frozen whipped dessert topping. In a small bowl, beat 1 package (4-serving -size) instant lemon pudding mix and 1 cup milk for 2 minutes with an electric mixer on low speed; stir in 1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon peel. Fold the pudding into the cream cheese mixture.