The Mama Baked a Lemon Cake!

Hi everyone!!!! This is my (Mama) first entry on the blog. I hope you have enjoyed everything the daughter has posted so far. I plan to be a regular contributor as well.

This cake is called "Marsha's Lively Lemon Cake." The recipe came from The Cake Mix Doctor Returns by Ann Byrn (p 165-166.) I prepared this yummy cake to take to a little family gathering in Oklahoma City. Our main purpose for this visit was to tour and spend lots of money at "Affair of the Heart," which is the mother of all craft shows. We enjoyed the cake when we came home for snacks.

Ingredients that I used:

Baking spray mist for the pan (such as "Baker's Joy")

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain lemon cake mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) lemon instant pudding mix
3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup lemon yogurt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)

1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar

Serves: 12-16

Prep: 15 minutes

Bake: 43-47 minutes

Cool: 35-45 minutes

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly mist a 12-cup Bundt pan with no-stick spray. Directions say to dust the pan with flour and shake out excess but I never do and have no trouble getting the cake out easily.

2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, orange juice, yogurt, oil, eggs, and lemon zest, if using, in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter until it is smooth, 2 minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, smoothing the top with the rubber spatula, and place the pan in the oven.

3. Bake the cake until it is golden brown and the top springs back when lightly pressed with a finger, 43-47 minutes. Transfer the Bundt pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edges of the cake, shake the pan gently, and invert the cake onto a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely, 25-30 minutes longer. Sift the confectioner's sugar over the top, then slice and serve the cake. (I didn't put the sugar on top for this cake. I thought it looked pretty the way it was).

This really is an easy cake to bake and one for lemon lovers for sure!