Pink Lemonade Stand Cake

Name: Pink Lemonade Stand Cake
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 12 servings.
Ingredients: 1 cup buttermilk; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 2 tablespoons seedless strawberry jam, warmed; 2 tablespoons thawed pink lemonade concentrate; 2 tablespoons grenadine syrup; 1 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1-1/4 cups sugar; 3 tablespoons grated lemon zest; 4 large eggs, room temperature; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; FROSTING:; 1 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened; 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest; 4 cups confectioners' sugar; 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons thawed pink lemonade concentrate, divided; Pink sprinkles

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 50 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling YIELD: 12 servings.

If you love a moist and creamy cake, this one’s for you. The lemon juice and lemonade give the layers a tangy, citrusy touch, and the cream cheese frosting with sprinkles makes it extra pretty. —Lauren Knoelke, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Ingredients

1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons seedless strawberry jam, warmed
2 tablespoons thawed pink lemonade concentrate
2 tablespoons grenadine syrup
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
FROSTING:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons thawed pink lemonade concentrate, divided
Pink sprinkles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease parchment.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the first 5 ingredients until blended. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beating well after each addition.
3. Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20-24 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove parchment. Cool completely.
4. For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter, cream cheese and lemon zest until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar and 1/3 cup lemonade concentrate. If necessary, refrigerate until spreadable, up to 1 hour.
5. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Brush 1 tablespoon lemonade concentrate over cake; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer; brush remaining lemonade concentrate over top. Spread remaining frosting over top and side of cake.
6. Decorate with sprinkles. Refrigerate until serving.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 732 calories, 39g fat (24g saturated fat), 172mg cholesterol, 291mg sodium, 91g carbohydrate (68g sugars, 1g fiber), 7g protein.