Lemon Cream Cheese Cake
This Lemon Cream Cheese Cake is a delightful combination of moist lemon cake, creamy cream cheese frosting, and bursts of tangy lemon curd. It’s a bright and refreshing dessert perfect for spring and summer gatherings.
Ingredients:
Cake:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| White Cake Mix | 1 (14.25 oz) box |
| Buttermilk (room temperature) | 1 cup |
| Eggs | 3 |
| Unsalted Butter (melted) | ½ cup |
| Lemon Zest | 3 tablespoons |
Frosting:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Unsalted Butter (room temperature) | ¾ cup |
| Cream Cheese | 12 oz |
| Vanilla Extract | 1 teaspoon |
| Powdered Sugar | 3-3 ½ cups |
| Lemon Zest | 1 ½ tablespoons |
| Lemon Curd | 1 (12 oz) jar |
Instructions:
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
- Make the cake batter: In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, buttermilk, and eggs. Mix with an electric mixer until light and smooth.
- Add cake mix and lemon zest: Slowly add the white cake mix to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Fold in the lemon zest.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool the cake: Allow the cake to cool completely in the baking dish before frosting.
Make the Frosting:
- Cream butter and cream cheese: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the room temperature butter and cream cheese together until light and smooth.
- Add vanilla and powdered sugar: Stir in the vanilla extract. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until well combined.
- Add lemon zest: Mix in the lemon zest.
Assemble the Cake:
- Poke holes in cake: Once the cake is completely cooled, use the handle of a wooden spoon or another dowel to poke holes evenly across the surface of the cake.
- Fill with lemon curd: Spoon the lemon curd into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with a corner cut off. Fill each of the holes in the cake with lemon curd.
- Frost the cake: Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the cake.
- Marble with lemon curd: Spoon the remaining lemon curd over the cream cheese frosting. Use a knife or a toothpick to carefully swirl the frosting and lemon curd together, creating a marbled pattern.
- Chill and serve: Chill the Lemon Cream Cheese Cake in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. This allows the frosting and lemon curd to set. Enjoy!
