Pink Lemonade Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup pink lemonade drink mix
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp lemon extract
4 cups cake flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups milk
Lemonade Buttercream (recipe follows)


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray 3 - 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray with flour. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and the lemonade drink mix at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition. Beat in the lemon extract. In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder, and the salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternately with the milk. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Spoon the batter into the prepared pans. Divide evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for 24 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and let completely on wire racks.

Lemonade Buttercream (makes about 4 1/2 cups)

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
6 tbsp frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 tsp lemon zest
6 cups confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, beat the butter, lemonade concentrate and lemon zest at medium speed with an electric mixer until combined. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar. Beat until smooth.

from Southern Lady magazine March/April 2010