Jenn came to visit us last week (our very first overnight guest!), and she and I decided to do some baking while she was here. I’d seen a yummy cake on the cover of a magazine a few weeks ago, and I’d been waiting for the perfect excuse to make it ever since then. So…we decided to make it to take to the lake house for Memorial Day.
It turned out really good! We didn’t follow the recipe exactly because we used 8 inch pans instead of 9 inch, but it still worked out…just with a few extra minutes in the oven. We also had a good bit of frosting leftover, so I froze it and am thinking about making some lemon cupcakes to use that frosting up. Be forewarned….this recipe has A TON of butter and other fattening ingredients. It’s definitely a cake for a special occasion! But, it’s oh-so-good!! :)
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| YUMMMMMM :) |
Pink Lemonade Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
Red food coloring
1 1/3 cups milk
1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrated, thawed
1 tsp. pure lemon extract
1 recipe Lemonade Buttercream
Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease two 9×2 inch round pans. Line bottoms with parchment; grease paper. Flour pans, tapping to remove excess; set aside. In medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In extra-large mixing bowl beat butter with mixer on medium to high for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat 2 minutes more. Add 1/8 tsp. red food coloring; beat to combine. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In bowl stir together milk, lemonade concentrate, and extract (mixture will look curdled). Alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined. Remove half (3 1/2 cups) of tinted batter; spread in one pan. In remaining batter in bowl, stir in 1/4 tsp red food coloring. Spread in second pan.
Bake about 35 minutes, until tops spring back when lightly touched. Meanwhile prepare Lemonade Buttercream.
Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove layers from pans; discard paper. Cool completely on wire rack. Trim off domed tops of layers so cake is flat. Cut each layer horizontally in half to create four layers. Brush crumbs from layers.
Place one dark pink layer, cut-side down, on a plate. Spread 1 cup frosting just to edges. Top with a light pink layer followed by another dark pink layer, spreading frosting on each just to edges. Stack final light pink layer, cut-side down; spread frosting on top and sides as desired. Makes 18 servings.
Lemonade Buttercream
3 cups (6 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 16 oz jars marshmallow creme
1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp pure lemon extract
In very large bowl, beat butter with mixer on medium until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add marshmallow creme and lemonade concentrate. Beat until smooth, scraping bowl sides. Add powdered sugar and extract; beat until light and fluffy. Use to frost Pink Lemonade Cake. Or store, refrigerated, up to 3 days, or freeze up to a month. Bring to room temperature before frosting cake. Makes 6 cups.
Recipe from: Better Homes and Gardens, May 2012
