Time to Bake

Lemonade Layer Cake

The Perfect Spring Cake

Recently my grandma had us over for an impromptu family dinner and I jumped at the opportunity as I had been waiting for an excuse to make an oogey gooey chocolaty goodness type dessert. Just as soon as my mouth began to water my mom reminded me that she had given up chocolate for Lent and it would be much appreciated if I made something she could enjoy as well. After searching through my go to dessert recipes and seeing chocolate after chocolate I stumbled upon a hidden gem; Lemonade Cake. This cake was fabulous as it was light and airy while the frosting added a bit more density to it. Aside from being scrumptious it went perfectly with the new spring weather!

Ingredients

Ingredients 

Cake:

• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
• 3 tablespoons thawed lemonade concentrate
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 cups fat-free buttermilk
• Cooking spray

Frosting:

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened 
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind 
• 2 teaspoons thawed lemonade concentrate*
• 2 tablespoons of heavy cream (whole milk can be used as well)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese 
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

*I used Minute Maid Frozen Lemonade as it always and forever reminds me of setting up shop on my stoop and selling lemonade. You can use pink lemonade too to add a little flare!

Preparation

  Lemon Zest

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. For the cake, place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until all ingredients are well blended (a few minutes). Combine the eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Measure the flour and combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; stir until mixed. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beating the mixture well after each addition.

   

   Add flour mixture and buttermilk to batter

3. Pour batter into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray; carefully tap pans on the counter to remove air bubbles.
4. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.
5. To prepare frosting, place 2 tablespoons butter and the next 4 ingredients (butter through cream cheese) in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time and beating at low speed until blended (do not overbeat). Chill 1 hour.



Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

6. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread top of cake with frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. (If frosting is too soft refrigerate cake for half an hour)
7. Eat and enjoy!

Adapted from Cooking Light

My First Post!

Hello! I am so excited for my first blog post! This blog has been a long time coming (and is not my first attempt) however this time I vow to not become lazy. First I will tell you a bit about myself. I am a 23-year-old recent graduate from Northeastern University and I am currently living in Boston since graduation. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and spent two years living in London with my family.
 

The transition to real life from college life has not been an easy one, but it was inevitable that one day I would have to face responsibility (sort of). I am now working as an event planner for a financial services company, which has been an exciting, and eye opening experience.

From an early age there have been two areas that have always sparked my interest: fashion and food. Although these two worlds did not always collide the foodie fashion culture has certainly taken off in the last few years. Watching my mother and my grandmother’s cook throughout my childhood influenced my love of food and shaped the way I perceived food. Cake was never from a box, veggies were never frozen and pasta sauce was never from a jar. 

Growing up in New York City, and having lived in London, I was lucky being surrounded by fresh foods and incredible restaurants. Making things from scratch and using fresh ingredients adds a whole lot of love to the food you are consuming and I just didn’t know any other way. 

When I started college at a small school in the South I realized how naïve I truly was when it came to the way people ate. My once vast culinary world shrunk to a scary degree. I was surrounded by fast food and chain restaurants. Its not that I don’t enjoy fatty, greasy foods, really, serve me anything fried, covered in salt or chocolate (or both) and I will eat it up. With a lack of appealing restaurants (and to cure a bit of homesickness) I began cooking and baking as much as I could.

Fast forward a few years, I ended up transferring to Northeastern University in Boston where I once again had the luxury of great restaurants, but I continued my culinary ambitions. I loved being able to whip up meals for my hungry friends. Now, out of college and with a full time job I am cooking my way through the real world. With a need to have project outside of work I have decided to combine my love of a home cooked meal with the other interests that drive and inspire me. Cakes to Closets will take you from my kitchen to my closet, with some other fun things in between. I hope you enjoy my blog and this inspires you to add a little love into your next meal!