Lemonade Cake with Lemonade Cream Cheese Frosting
This cake isnt hard plus you can make it ahead until youre ready to frost it AND it all starts with a boxed cake mix and Frozen Lemonade from concentrate Good stuff
This cake isnt hard plus you can make it ahead until youre ready to frost it AND it all starts with a boxed cake mix and Frozen Lemonade from concentrate Good stuff
- 4 eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- frosting:
- glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tbsp lemonade from concentrate
- 2 tbsp lemonade from concentrate
- 8 oz block 1/3 less fat cream cheese
- 1/2 cup room temp butter (1 stick)
- 3 tbsp lemonade from concentrate
- 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 lemon boxed cake mix (i used duncan hines)
- Carbohydrate 13.0875531411835 g
- Cholesterol 48.405000001585 mg
- Fat 5.12128784862088 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 1.98762875051038 g
- Saturated Fat 0.943898187248058 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (61g)
- Sodium 23.0707187564954 mg
- Sugar 13.0875531411835 g
- Trans Fat 0.295502521158361 g
- Calories 105 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Spray 2 8? round cake pans generously with cooking/baking spray.
- In mixer beat all your ingredients on low for 30 seconds and then on medium for 2 minutes.
- Keep the remaining frozen lemonade concentrate in the freezer?you will need it again.
- Bake according to package directions (I baked for approx 30 minutes) until cake is set and toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in pan?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 cake pans.
- Cover and let sit for at least an hour, but overnight is best in refrigerator.
- When ready, 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 refrigerator.
- Loosen cake around the edges with a butter knife so they will release easily.
- Frost as desired.
When baking a multi-layer cake that relies on frozen concentrate for citrus flavor, moisture management is the primary challenge. Standard boxed mixes produce reliable crumb structures, but adding liquid concentrate directly to the batter alters the moisture ratio, making visual and textural monitoring essential during the bake. Calibrate your oven using an independent oven thermometer rather than relying solely on the dial, ensuring the environment reaches a stable 350 degrees Fahrenheit before the pans go inside.
Testing doneness without a probe thermometer requires evaluating physical elasticity and crumb resistance. Press a fingertip lightly against the center of the cake layer; if the indentation springs back immediately and leaves no visible impression, the internal structure has set. Alternatively, insert a wooden toothpick into the deepest section of the pan, withdrawing it to check for clinging moist crumbs rather than wet batter. Over-baking will dry out the crumb quickly, so remove the pans the moment the edges pull away slightly from the metal.
Standard dairy fat swaps change the final density of the cream cheese frosting significantly. Replacing the 8-ounce block of one-third less fat cream cheese with full-fat block cream cheese provides more structural stability due to higher milk solids, while whipping cream or milk should never be substituted directly for the butter or the fat content will break. Keep the butter at room temperature before beating, ensuring it reaches approximately 68 degrees Fahrenheit to properly incorporate five and one-half cups of powdered sugar without graininess.
Allowing the baked layers to rest overnight in the refrigerator after soaking up the glaze maximizes internal moisture distribution. Chilling the layers thoroughly also firms up the crumb, which prevents tearing when you slide a thin spatula around the perimeter of the 8-inch round pans to release the cakes before final assembly.
