A Lemonade Birthday...

Every year, Big Daddy gets to choose what type of birthday cake he'd like and this year was no different.  He'd already decided that lemon was the flavor and then I showed him this.

It's like Shelly over at cookies and cups lives with me, or at least hears our cravings while I'm showing BD EVERY delicious thing she makes. 

I only made a few changes to her original recipe, nothing major, just played around a little to make sure I'd be able to feed all the hungry, salivating mouths that were waiting for it!

BD's parents were here for the week and we also had one of their cousins join us, so rather than just the 2 grown-up and 2 teeny mouths we normally feed, I had a whole lot more!  The general concensus is that it's the best cake I've ever made.  Thanks Shelly!

Lemonade Cake
(Recipe slightly adapted from cookies and cups)
(Printable Recipe)

Cake:
1 Boxed Lemon Cake Mix (Like Shelly, I used Duncan Hines)
4 Eggs
1 1/4 C Milk
1/3 C Vegetable Oil
2 T Frozen Lemonade Concentrate (Keep remaining in freezer, you'll use it again!)

Blend all ingredients together in your mixer for 30 seconds on low and after scraping down the bowl, beat on medium for 2 minutes. 

Pour into greased and floured cake pans and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until cake is set and toothpick comes out clean. 

Cool completely in the pans.  Once cool, level the cakes so that they're all flat on top.

~Instead of using the glaze the recipe called for for the cake layers, BD wanted it to be like a "poke" cake. 

1 Pkg. Lemon Jello
1 C Boiling Water
1 C Cold Water

Mix according to directions on box and once cake is cool, poke it all over with a fork and pour lemon jello all over. 

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. 

When cake is ready, make your icing.

Lemonade Cream Cheese Icing
1 8 oz. Pkg. Cream Cheese (I used Philadelphia)
3/4 C Butter
3 T Frozen Lemonade
1 t. Vanilla Bean Paste (I used this rather than liquid vanilla because I just got it and am OBSESSED!)
5-6 C Icing Sugar (Until your desired consistency is achieved)

Beat cream cheese and room temperature butter and blended and fluffy.  Add lemonade and vanilla and mix until combined. 

Slowly add your powdered sugar until well blended and spreadable. 

I spilt my layers in half to make a four layer cake but you don't have to, two is fine.  When you're all set, remove your cakes from the fridge and frost as desired. 

Enjoy!!