Pink Lemonade Layer Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of three greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper., In a small bowl, whisk the first 5 ingredients until blended. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beating well after each addition., Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20-24 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter, cream cheese and lemon zest until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and 1/3 cup lemonade concentrate. If necessary, refrigerate until spreadable, up to 1 hour., Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Brush 1 tablespoon lemonade concentrate over cake; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer; brush remaining lemonade concentrate over top., Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake., Decorate with sprinkles. Refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• For the cake: Position racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Brush the bottom and sides of four 9-inch round cake pans with vegetable oil. Dust with flour and tap out the excess; set aside. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. Stir the milk and vanilla together in a large liquid measuring cup. Set both aside.
• Beat the butter, lemon zest and juice, vegetable oil and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally using a rubber spatula. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time until combined and then continue to beat on medium-high speed until mixture is thick, smooth and shiny, about 3 minutes more. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add one-third of the flour mixture until just combined. Beat in half the milk mixture until combined. Repeat these additions, ending with the final one-third of the flour mixture, and beating just until smooth. Stir a few times with the spatula to make sure the batter is well blended.
• Evenly divide the cake batter among 4 medium bowls. Tint one bowl with 1 drop of pink food coloring, tint another with 2 drops of food coloring, the third with 1 teaspoon food coloring, and the last with 1/4 teaspoon food coloring. Stir each bowl until no streaks remain; the frostings should have gradually lighter shades of pink.
• Transfer each bowl of frosting to one of the prepared pans. Bake until the tops are lightly browned, the edges of the cake are beginning to pull away from the side of the pan and the center lightly springs back to the touch, about 30 minutes. Cool in the pans 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
• For the frosting: Fill a medium saucepan about one-third full of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk the egg whites, sugar, 1/4 cup water, the corn syrup, vanilla, cream of tartar and salt in a large (preferably glass or metal; see Cook's Note) heatproof bowl that will sit over the pot without having the bottom of the bowl touch the water.
• Set the bowl over the pot and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the sugar dissolves and the mixture starts to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes. If the mixtures starts to crystallize on the side of the bowl, brush down the bowl using a wet pastry brush.
• Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the mixture is glossy and holds firm peaks, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and continue to beat until the mixture cools slightly, about 30 seconds more. Beat in the lemon juice and 2 drops of pink gel food coloring. The frosting will start to firm up even more as it cools.
• While the frosting is still slightly warm, start to assemble the cake. Place the most vibrant pink cake layer (tinted with 1 teaspoon food coloring) on a cake stand or serving platter. Spread a heaping 1/2 cup frosting on top of the cake into an even layer using a small offset spatula. Stack the third most vibrant pink cake layer (1/4 teaspoon food coloring) on next, followed by another heaping 1/2 cup of frosting. Repeat with the second most vibrant pink cake layer (2 drops food coloring) and another heaping 1/2 cup frosting. Then top with the lightest pink cake layer (1 drop food coloring). Spread the remaining frosting on the sides and top of the cake, using the offset spatula to create a swirled design. Do not refrigerate; the frosting will set once completely cooled, about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add the lemonade concentrate, lemon zest and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs and egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. , Coat two 9-in. round baking pans with cooking spray and dust with flour. Pour batter into prepared pans. , Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to a wire rack to cool completely. , For frosting, in a small bowl, combine cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the lemon zest, lemonade concentrate and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• Reserve 1 Tbsp. dry drink mix. Place remaining drink mix in large bowl. Add water measure listed on cake mix package; stir until mix is dissolved. Add cake mix with oil and eggs (listed on cake mix package); beat with mixer until blended. Stir in food coloring. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.
• Bake 28 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cakes 10 min.; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
• Beat reserved drink mix and remaining ingredients with mixer until blended. Stack cake layers on plate, filling and frosting with cream cheese frosting.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Butter two 8 inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper or waxed paper and set aside.
• For the cake, in a large bowl, stir together the package directions, using the eggs and oil and water. Stir in the zest . Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted in the centers 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 frosting ingredients until combined. I added a few drops of pink food coloring.
• Transfer one cake to a cake stand or large plate. Using an offset spatula, spread the top of the cake mix 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.
• I put mine in the refrigerator to stay chilled.