Strawberry-Lemonade Cake

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
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 8 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
    • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
    • 1/2 cup seedless strawberry jam
      • -Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
      • -Place butter, sugar, grated lemon rind, thawed lemonade concentrate and vanilla into the bowl of
      • your mixer.
      • -Beat at medium speed until well blended, about 5 minutes.
      • -Add eggs and egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
      • -In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Whisk to combine.
      • -Alternating, add flour mixture and buttermilk to sugar/egg mixture, beginning and ending with
      • flour mixture. Beat well after each addition.
      • -Pour batter into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray. Sharply tap pans once on
      • counter to remove air bubbles.
      • -Bake in your 350-degree oven for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out
      • clean (for the record, it took 25 minutes to bake the cakes in my oven). Cool in pans 10 minutes
      • on a wire rack; remove cakes from pans, and cool completely on wire rack.
      • -To make frosting: Place butter, grated lemon rind, thawed lemonade concentrate, vanilla extract
      • and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy.
      • -Add powdered sugar. Beat at low speed just until blended (do not over beat). If you feel that
      • the frosting is too thin to spread, chill for one hour in your refrigerator.
      • -To frost the cake: Spread 1/2 cup of jam right onto the bottom layer of your cake. Place the
      • second layer of cake on top. Frost the top and sides with the cream cheese frosting.
      • -Cake may be served immediately, or placed in the refrigerator and chilled until ready to serve.