Lemonade Cake

I found this cake the week before Mother's Day. I immediately needed a reason to make this cake and since Mother's Day was that weekend, what better reason do I need. After an anniversary dinner with my husband on Saturday I came home and made this to take to my mom's on Sunday. The boys wanted me to pack it up and take it home and not share it with their grandparents, they loved it that much.

I am making it again today to take to a retirement party for 3 of the ladies on our team. I also created an adorable recipe card with this recipe to go in their new recipe books. However, while I was at the store picking up the cake mix, I see an "orange cake mix" sitting on the shelf next to the lemon. Ummmm, can you say inspiration by design??? I will be experimenting with the orange cake replacing the lemon cake mix and instead of lemon concentrate, I will use orange juice concentrate. The icing on this cake is to die for! My husband and kids made themselves sick eating the icing straight out of the bowl. It makes a ton of icing so be very generous on the middle layer of icing - I wish I had put more the first time I made this cake. Enjoy!

Lemonade Cake (Inspired by Cookies and Cupcakes)

CAKE:
1 lemon boxed cake mix
4 eggs
1 ¼ cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil2 Tbsp Lemonade from concentrate

GLAZE:
2 Tbsp Lemonade from concentrate
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp water

FROSTING:
8oz block cream cheese
½ cup room temp butter (1 stick)
3 Tbsp Lemonade from concentrate
½ tsp vanilla
5 ½ cups powdered sugar

· Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
· Spray 2 8” round cake pans generously with cooking/baking spray.
· In a mixer, beat all your ingredients on low for 30 seconds and then on medium for 2 minutes.
· Keep remaining frozen lemonade concentrate in the freezer…you will need it again.
· Bake according to package directions or until cake is set and toothpick comes out clean.
· Let the cakes cool in the pans…about an hour. DO NOT REMOVE!
· When the cakes are cooled level them off so they are flat on top.
· Poke holes in cake that wasn’t cut using a fork.

Make your glaze - In a medium bowl combine powdered sugar, lemonade and water. Stir until smooth.
Pour equally over the top of the cakes…still in the pans.
Cover and let sit for at least and hour, but overnight in the fridge is best.

Make your frosting – Cream butter and cream cheese together until combined.
With mixer on low, add your lemonade and vanilla.
Slowly add in your powdered sugar and then beat on medium for 1-2 minutes until smooth.

· When ready to frost remove your cakes from the fridge. Loosen cake around the edges with a butter knife so they will release easily.

· Frost as desired. There is plenty of frosting so put plenty in the middle, too!