Week 29: Raspberry Limeade Cake

Greetings!  David and I spent this week in the beautiful NC mountains. We had a wonderful time of rest and refreshment in a beautiful setting.  After unpacking and settling in a bit I remembered I needed to make a cake for week 29.  David had left town for a few days so it was just Samuel and me.  He was asking me to make a peach cobbler.  Also, there were no meetings or celebrations, that I knew of, that needed a cake.
My friend, Robbin, called to catch up and hear about our week in the mountains.  She mentioned that it was her sweet daughter, Leah's 11th birthday on Friday.  After we hung up I wondered what kind of cake Robbin was making for Leah.  She is a wonderful baker and always decorates her six children's cakes so beautifully.
Her two sons are dear friends of Sam's so when he returned from their home last night and told me he had a piece of Leah's birthday cake and said it was delicious; I had the idea to feature her cake this week.
Robbin made Paula Deen's Raspberry Limeade Cake. I had seen it in one of her magazines and had planned to make it at some point so I was excited to feature it on my blog.
Leah was a baby when we moved here over 10 years ago.  It has been so fun to watch her grow up. I treasure the friendship Robbin and I share and I thank her for letting me feature her cake for week 29.

Robbin decorated the cake with cut out sugar cookies. So creative!

You can see the raspberry filling in this picture with Robbin cutting the cake.

Raspberry Limeade Cake

Source: Paula Deen

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c. butter softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tbs lime zest
• 3/4 c. limeade concentrate
• 5 large eggs
• 3 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 c. whole buttermilk
• raspberry filling (see below)
• cream cheese icing (see below)
• garnish of lime slices and whole raspberries

Instructions:

Preheat over to 350 degrees F, spray three 9 inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl beat butter, sugar and lime zest at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add limeade concentrate, beating until combined (mixture will look curdled). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a medium bowl combine flour and baking powder. Gradually add to butter mixture, alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just enough to combine after each addition.

Pour batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 17-20 minutes until wooden skewer comes out clean from center. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes once finished baking and then remove cakes from pans. Allow to cool completely on wire racks.

Once cooled, spread raspberry filling evenly between layers and ice with cream cheese frosting. Garnish as desired.

Raspberry Filling

Ingredients:

• 1 (10 oz.) package of frozen raspberries
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 tbs cornstarch
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 c. butter cut in pieces

Instructions:

Blend raspberries until smooth in a food processor. Strain mixture and discard solids.

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add raspberry puree, egg yolks, and lemon juice, whisking to combine.

Cook over medium heat whisking constantly, for 7 to 8 minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat, whisk in butter gradually until melted.

Cool mixture slightly then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

 

Cream Cheese Limeade Icing

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened

½ cup butter, softened

3 T. limeade concentrate

1 T. lime zest

5 cups powdered sugar

Instructions:

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until creamy.  Add limeade concentrate and lime zest, beating at low speed until combined.  Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth.

Happy Baking!

Julie