Lemonade Layer Cake Recipe

When Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on February 2nd, we prepared to hunker down, adorn ourselves in fleece clothing, and blow on the embers in our fireplace for the next six weeks. Mother Nature, however, had other ideas. With the tender, loving care provided by 50 degree (F) temperatures, flower shoots strained to break through the dense winter soil and birds began collecting the loose hairs we brushed from our dog to fashion their nests. As we were lulled into a sense that long summer nights were just around the corner, my husband and kids started pulling out their t-shirts and shorts (it doesn't take much for my California-blooded husband to don his summer garb) and I started thinking of flavors that epitomize the warm weather seasons.

Lemons. Their bright, tangy flavor and fresh scent evoke memories of roadside lemonade stands and summer games of Kick the Can and Capture the Flag. Apparently I was craving this freshness back in January when I made Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce with Chicken, Green Beans & Red Peppers. Wishful thinking. This cake from Cooking Light Magazine has been an enduring member of my dessert repertoire for years, and for good reason. The dense cake is made moist with the addition of buttermilk and the flavor of lemon is infused throughout, with the help of lemonade concentrate and grated lemon zest. The only change I made to the original recipe was to increase the icing by half. Call me picky, but I like the icing to fully cover the cake. It is ironic, perhaps, that the day after I made this cake, we received the biggest snowfall of the year. Even as the t-shirts were folded and put back into the drawers for several more weeks, we were grateful to have the taste of spring waiting for us in the fridge.

The cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer, combine 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons softened butter, 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind, 3 tablespoons thawed lemonade concentrate, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until well combined and fluffy.

Add 2 large eggs and 2 large egg whites, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon baking soda.

Beat flour mixture and 1 ¼ cup fat-free buttermilk into the butter mixture, a little bit at a time, alternating between the two. Begin and end with the flour mixture.

Spray two (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Divide the batter between the two pans and sharply tap each pan on the counter. This will help to remove air bubbles.

Bake the cakes for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes on a wire rack, in the pans, for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan by inverting the pans onto the wire rack. Cool completely on rack.

The icing:

In the bowl of a mixer, beat together 3 tablespoons softened butter, 3 teaspoons grated lemon rind, 3 teaspoons thawed lemonade concentrate, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 12 ounces ⅓-less-fat cream cheese on high speed until fluffy. Add 5 ¼ cups powdered sugar and beat on low speed just until combined. Chill for 1 hour.

Putting it together:

Place 1 layer of cake on a serving plate or cardboard cake round. Spread ¾ cup icing on top of the cake layer.

Place the second cake layer on top. Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of icing on the sides and top of the cake. This is a crumb coat and will help to keep the crumbs in place when spreading on the rest of the icing.

Place in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

Remove the cake from the fridge and, using an offset spatula, spread the rest of the icing over the sides and top of cake. Loosely cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Lemonade Layer Cake
From Cooking Light Magazine

Cake:
1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoon butter, softened
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
3 tablespoon thawed lemonade concentrate
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ¼ cup fat-free buttermilk

Icing:
3 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
3 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3 teaspoon thawed lemonade concentrate
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
12 oz. ⅓-less-fat cream cheese
5 ¼ cup powdered sugar

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer, combine granulated sugar, butter, lemon rind, lemonade concentrate, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until well combined and fluffy. Add eggs and egg whites, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Beat flour mixture and buttermilk into the butter mixture, a little bit at a time, alternating between the two. Begin and end with the flour mixture.

Spray two (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Divide the batter between the two pans and sharply tap each pan on the counter. This will help to remove air bubbles.

Bake the cakes for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes on a wire rack, in the pans, for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan by inverting the pans onto the wire rack. Cool completely on rack.

Icing:
In the bowl of a mixer, beat together butter, lemon rind, lemonade concentrate, vanilla extract, and cream cheese on high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed just until combined. Chill for 1 hour.

Putting it together:
Place 1 layer of cake on a serving plate or cardboard cake round. Spread ¾ cup icing on top of the cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top. Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of icing on the sides and top of the cake. This is a crumb coat and will help to keep the crumbs in place when spreading on the rest of the icing.

Remove the cake from the fridge and, using an offset spatula, spread the rest of the icing over the sides and top of cake. Loosely cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 12.

Printable recipe