Rasberry Lemonade Cake

 Most shortcuts I don't mind. One shortcut I don't usually take is baking with a cake mix; sometimes I make exceptions. Pink lemonade is pretty but because I have always considered pink a color and not a flavor, I was so excited to see raspberry lemonade concentrate at the store. I love to drink it and now I can bake with the flavor, shortcut style.

 

 I baked the cake in the Wilton 7 inch angel food cake pan. I like the small size for family dinners.  I covered the cake in a glaze.

 I made a buttercream for the cupcakes.

 The recipe that follows is how I bake at home, throwing in sugar and butter as I go. I hope  you don't find the recipe to difficult to follow. I like the option of a glaze and a buttercream, a cake and a cupcake. If you don't, you can bake the cake in a full size pan, and just ice it the way you want.

 The remaining concentrate was mixed up into a small pitcher of raspberry lemonade.

You can never have too much glaze! 

Raspberry Lemonade Cake

1 (16.25 ounce) box lemon cake mix                                        

1 (3 ounce) package instant lemon pudding mix                      

4 large eggs, room temperature                                                

1 teaspoon lemon juice                                                             

3/4 cup milk, warmed

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup raspberry lemonade concentrate, thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with 8 cupcake liners. Spray 7 inch angel food pan with no-stick baking spray with flour and set aside.

In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat all of the ingredients on low speed until combined. Mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.

Pour batter into angel food pan and fill just over halfway. Bake for about 40 minutes.  A toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean and the top should be browned. Scoop the remaining batter into the cupcake liners. Bake for 16 - 18 minutes. The tops should spring back when lightly pressed. Allow cake and cupcake to cool before frosting.

The cake does not need to be cooled upside down because it is not an angel food cake :) but slide a spatula around the edges to loosen before removing. If the top (which will be the bottom once it is flipped over) is uneven; slice it off with a serrated knife.

Raspberry Lemonade Glaze

1/2 cup raspberry lemonade concentrate, thawed                           

1 teaspoon lemon juice                                                                    

1 teaspoon corn syrup
4 cups powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, stir all ingredients until smooth and glossy. When cake is completely cool, pour about one cup of glaze around the top of the cake, easing it down the sides. Keep the rest of the glaze in the bowl to make the buttercream.

Raspberry Lemonade Buttercream



1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar

Additional raspberry lemonade concentrate,

optional

To the bowl of reserved glaze add the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed. Add remaining raspberry lemonade concentrate a tablespoon at a time if desired for flavor and consistency.

When stiff enough to pipe, place in pastry bag with a large star tip and decorate cupcakes with a swirl. Pink and yellow jimmies may be added.