Because she had a day off from school yesterday, Fuzz and I decided to make another cooking video. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. The doorbell rang twice, Lizzie kept chasing the cat across the kitchen, and then the camera battery ran out halfway through. So we didn't finish our video, but luckily we did finish the recipe!
This recipe is from a Junior League book, but after I made it I found out that (like the Rocky Mountain Bars from yestesrday) Mardi Gras Lemon Squares is an old Bake-Off recipe from 1952. The original version has pecans in the batter, but we left out the pecans and topped the bars colored sprinkles.
These bars remind me of lemon flavored blondies, and like blondies, they’re better after they’ve set for a few hours. The frosting recipe only yields a thin coat, but that seemed to be just fine. Also, I resisted the temptation to add a little lemon juice to the frosting and am glad I did. The bars themselves are so lemony that the vanilla frosting was a nice contrast. Overall, I thought these were great and since they were better on Day 2, they'd make a good pot-luck dish or party contribution.
Mardi Gras Lemon Squares
Bars
11/2 cups all-purpose flour (6.7 oz)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1cup powdered sugar
1cup granulated sugar
½ cup salted butter, softened
3 large eggs
⅓ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoons heavy cream
Colored Sprinkles or more toasted pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9 inch pan with foil and spray foil with baking spray.
In small bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking powder; set aside.
In large bowl, beat powdered sugar, granulated sugar and butter with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until blended. Beat in the eggs, one by one, beating for 30 seconds after each egg. On low speed (we did this by hand), beat in flour mixture alternately with lemon juice, beginning and ending with flour mixture, until well blended. Stir in lemon peel. Pour into pan and bake 30 minutes or until golden brown (Note: The original is baked at 400 for 20-27 minutes)
Meanwhile, in small bowl, beat frosting ingredients on low speed until smooth and spreadable.
Spread frosting over cooled bars (in the original, they spread the frosting over warm bars). Sprinkle with colored sprinkles. Lift from pan using foil to grasp, set on a cookie shut, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Makes 24.
Liz says
I just wanted to say I made these Lemon Bars and they are amazing! I love frosting but trusted you when you said that a thin layer was enough and you were right, I think any more would have killed the taste of the bar. Thank you for the great recipe!
C L says
This lemon bar looks so appealing and delicious! Thankfully, my lemon tree is producing so your timing is perfect. If this is as wonderful as the lemon bar you posted a while back, this is going to be fantastic. Off-topic, would you believe the students in my town have the entire WEEK off for Presidents Day? Sigh..."back in the Dark Ages, when I was going to school..." LOL 😉 I hope Fuzz has a wonderful day off and I look forward to another video soon. I have a feeling we are seeing a great chef of the future.
Louise says
I'm glad the cookies were completed, but disappointed there's no video. Schools here are observing Presidents' Day tomorrow, so hopefully Fuzz is off too and we'll get a video tomorrow. 🙂
Katrina says
They kind of look like those sugar cookie bars that are going around, but the recipe is quite different. I like the idea of nuts in the cookie.
vanillasugarblog says
i bet this would be good with those meyer lemons. you know?
i need to get a new oven, a convection. any rec's? right now we want a gaggenau but can't afford it so we will probably have to stay with american. any advice you can lend. thanks anna!
J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says
I think I've had lemon bars once and I really liked them. Hope to have them again sometime!
Helena says
They look like summer 🙂
Gloria says
Yummy looking bars...please tell Fuzz we are all anxiously awaiting another video!!!
Sue says
I like nuts, especially pecans but I think I would prefer these the way you made them, without the nuts.
Too bad there were mishaps with the video attempt. Fuzz was so cute last week with the red velvet cupcakes!
When I read the comment by anonymous yesterday I went looking for the Bake Off version of the Rocky Mountain Bars but I didn't see it. Oh well!