Desserts are a must when planning a summer get-together or dinner, but when your party falls on a hot day like the ones we’ve been having, it’s nice to serve something cool and refreshing.
And what better way is there to make a tasty, summertime dessert than starting with fresh lemons, like this recipe for Heavenly Lemon Cake. You’ll find this refrigerated, lemon-flavored cake with lemon-cream cheese icing isn’t too heavy after a meal, but it’s also a great “pick-me-up” if you just feel like a cool, sweet snack in the afternoon.
If you like lemons, you’ll love this cake!
HEAVENLY LEMON CAKE
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 cup sour cream
Topping:
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or pan.
Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix in lemon juice, vanilla, sour cream and lemon zest.
Gradually add flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
Transfer to baking dish or pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
To make the topping, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and 1/4 cup lemon juice until smooth. Using a handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes about 1-inch apart over entire surface of warm cake, making sure not to go all the way to the bottom of the cake. Pour mixture over cake.
Note: Not all the mixture will be absorbed into the cake.
Allow cake to cool completely. Refrigerate cake at least 1-2 hours to allow topping to set and soak into cake.
To make frosting, beat softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until smooth.
Spread evenly over top of cooled cake. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Note: Refrigerate any leftover cake.
Brotherton offers website readers one stellar recipe a week in the “My Leader Yummy” feature. Looking for a recipe you can’t find? Email me at kbrotherton42@gmail.com and I’ll see if I have it.
