Mother's Day Cake (Pink Lemonade Cake)

   For the last couple of Mother's Day (while my husband watches the kid's) I make myself a mother's day cake.  A cake that I alone want to try and don't care if the rest of my family, like or do not like.  
  
A couple of weeks before mothers day I had come across a tasty looking vanilla and caramel cake.  As Mother's Day approached and I started to look over the recipe, I started to get a little nervous.  The cake that I had chosen to make required a lot of ingredients and steps.  This normally does not bother me, but I did not feel like spending all of my day in the kitchen just some of it.  The next evening my husband and I were watching an episode of Paula Deen that we had taped, and I found my cake.  It was a nice and easy Pink Lemonade cake.  I went off to the store the next morning and bought my cake mix and pink lemonade, the rest of the ingredients I had at home already.

   The only hiccup I had with this cake, was me not really thinking things through when I bought the lemonade powder.  I bought the sugar free brand.  Don't buy the sugar free brand unless you want a really tart cake.  Thank goodness the icing was sweet enough to balance the tart.

Here it is,

PAULA DEEN"S PINK LEMONADE CAKE

Ingredients

Cake:
butter for coating pan
1 white cake mix, plus any additional ingredients the package directions call for
3 tablespoon pink lemonade drink powder
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Frosting:
1 lb confectioners sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoon frozen pink lemonade concentrate
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper or use a baking spray.
For the cake, in a large bowl, stir together the cake mix and lemonade powder (I added a little bit of water to help dissolve)  Prepare the cake batter according to the package directions, using any additional ingredients called for (eggs, milk, water, oil, etc…). Stir the lemon zest into the batter. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Carefully turn cakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting, beat together the confectioners’ sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in the remaining ingredients until combined. I added a little bit of pink food gel, just to make it a bit more pink.
Transfer one cake to a cake stand or large platter. Using an offset spatula spread the top of the cake with a layer of frosting. Place the second cake on top of the first. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of both layers. 

MSCC: Orange Vanilla Bean Cupcake

Ok so I cheated a little bit. I did not make the candied orange topper.  They looked beautiful, but there just does not seem to be enough time in the day anymore. The rest of the cupcake though was nice and easy to make.  I really enjoyed this cupcake, but then I am a fan of vanilla and orange flavours.  I think when I make this cupcake again I will use a cake and pastry flour.  I found this cupcake a little dense especially the next day. I think cake and pastry flour would make it a little more on the soft and fluffy side.  That being said my family had no problem gobbling these up.  I will make them again and I will try the candies orange.  Thank you to cookin' with moxie for this months fabulous pick.  Please vist Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Club to see how the other bakers did.