Luscious Lemonade Layer Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon rind, grated
• 3 tablespoons lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 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
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh lemon rind
• 2 teaspoons lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 2 to prepare cake: place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes).
• 3 add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 4 combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; stir will with a whisk.
• 5 add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with four mixture; beat well after each addition.
• 6 cut a circle of parchment paper for bottom of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans and spray sides with cooking spray.
• 7 divide batter between pans.
• 8 sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles.
• 9 bake at 350°f for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• 10 cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans.
• 11 cool completely on wire rack.
• 12 to prepare frosting: place 2 tablespoons butter and the next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy.
• 13 add powdered sugar and beat at low speed just until blended (do not over beat).
• 14 chill 1 hour.
• 15 place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting.
• 16 top with remaining cake layer.
• 17 spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.
• 18 store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator.