I don't have much to say about this lemon cream filled cake other than we're still eating it and I already want to make it again! The most interesting part is the lemon cream filling which I put between layers of plain white boxed cake mix cake.
Next time I'll make the cake base from scratch, but as it happened I had a box of white cake mix in the pantry and felt like putting it to good use. Before I set out baking this cake, I had a vision of what I wanted -- a light cake, split and filled with a layer of lemon cream and some sort of frosting all over.
First, I baked a cake in a 9 inch round, 3 inch high springform pan.
Next, I split the cake using a serrated knife and one of my favorite kitchen gadgets, the cake lifter. I've mentioned before what a handy tool this is, and even if you only bake cakes occasionally, a cake lifter is worth buying. You can use it to lift split halves, but you can also use it to transfer whole cakes from place to place (which is why it's called a cake lifter). While the cake was baking and cooling, I made the lemon cream filling. I split the cake, put the bottom back into the pan, then added the filling.
After filling the cake, I put the top half of the cake on top of the filling, arranged some plastic wrap over the top, then chilled it overnight. Four hours would probably be long enough to set the filling, but in this case I needed some time to think about what I wanted to use for frosting.
In the end I went with the whipped cream/sour cream frosting from Woman's Day -- the one I'd used on their chocolate cake. And then we had cake!
I thought about calling it "Lemon Boston Cream Pie" but it's not really that so I'm sticking with "Lemon Cream Filled Cake". It's very good, but next time I'm going to make it with a scratch sponge cake. The white cake mix worked perfectly well, though. Plus, it calls for egg whites which is handy since the filling uses yolks.
Recipe
Lemon Cream Filled Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix plus ingredients needed to make it 3 egg whites, water, oil
Filling:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- 2 egg yolks
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup heavy cream
Frosting:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 ⁄3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
- 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 inch round springform pan.
- Make cake mix as directed on package using ingredients called for on package. Pour into pan and bake for 43-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in pan for 20 minutes, then carefully invert from pan and invert again onto a rack. Let cake cool completely.
- While cake bakes and cools, prepare filling. In medium saucepan, mix together the sugar, cornstarch and water. Whisk in the lemon juice and egg yolks.
- Set the pan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Cook over a steady heat, whisking constantly, for an extra minute after mixture has begun to boil. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest and cream cheese. Stir until cheese melts. Set aside to cool.
- When lemon mixture is cool, whip the cream in a mixing bowl and fold in cooled lemon mixture.
- Split cake horizontally. Place bottom half of cake cut side up in pan. Spread lemon mixture over cut cake, then top with second half of cake. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours or until almost ready to serve.
- Make Frosting. Beat the heavy cream, sour cream and confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Remove side of springform pan from cake. You can keep the cake on it’s base. Spread whipped cream frosting all over the cake.
Ashley says
This sounds and looks delicious! I think I'm going to have to get myself a cake lifter. I end up just flipping my cakes from one thing to another to get them right side up to place the next layer on.
Anna says
Katherine, thanks so much for trying it! I hope you liked that particular sponge cake recipe. It's one of my favorites (though I haven't tried a lot of sponge cake recipes). Also, I wish they would make Lemon Twinkies. Yum.
Katherine says
My son and I made this today for my birthday. (His helping is eating the frosting).
I did not use a box cake, I made the sponge cake recipe you recommended. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. It was really good. It tasted like a lemon twinkie to me.
Amanda says
How awesome. I am totally a lemon fan when it comes to cookies, cakes and pies. Love! Thanks about the cake lifter, I may have to get me one of those! 🙂
Anj says
This reminds me of the lemon cake at Olive Garden. I love lemon anything so this looks like a great recipe!
Shelley says
I love lemon cream cake and have a recipe that I really like, however, my icing never turns out as well as your looks. I'm going to try your recipe next time I make the cake. Thanks for sharing!
Lynn says
That looks like a slice of heaven on a plate!
Sherry says
I love this! It does seem like a nice light cake and I bet the tangy lemon filling is divine.
Katrina says
Ooh, I like the frosting.
Pam Shank says
Wow, Anna, this is honestly the best looking cake. I am going to make it too. Thanks
Jess @ Bakericious says
sound so delicious!
Gloria says
Lemon, cream cheese, sour cream, cream, and cake! How can you go wrong??? Slick looking Breville mixer!
Cakelaw says
This looks devine!
Elizabeth says
QUE RICO!!! AMO LOS PASTELES DE LIMON
Tiffany says
That looks so delicious and a nice change from heavier chocolaty things.
Lisa Ernst says
There are a few flavors besides chocolate that tempt me, and lemon is one. This in particular looks and sounds great, I love the cream filling!
Fallon says
Nice and light. Lemon desserts can be so refreshing and a change from heavier desserts.
Steph@PlainChicken says
Looks great!!! I am going to try this.
Amanda says
Lemony cakes are my favorite. I'll have to try this one for sure! It looks absolutely delicious.
the blissful baker says
Lovely cake! I love anything lemony 🙂
Mackenzie@The Caramel Cookie says
Mmmm the cake looks so light and fluffy!