Lemon Dream Cake

Happy Monday morning!  The sun is shining and it's going to be a beautiful day! I have a million things I want to get done today, including lunch with a wonderful friend, who I haven't seen all summer.  But, before I get all that started, I wanted to post this recipe that I tried yesterday.  All I can say is, "Delicious!"  I'm not a huge lemon lover, but it's OK now and then.  This cake, that I got from The Country Cook, is the perfect blend of cake, lemon, and sweetness.  It's light, not rich, and not too lemony.  My family voted it a hit! So, without further ado....

Lemon Dream Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25 oz.) box French Vanilla Cake Mix
• ingredients needed to make cake (eggs, oil and water)
• 1 (15.75 oz.) can lemon pie filling
• 1 tub lemon flavored frosting
• 1 ( 8oz.) tub whipped topping, thawed

Directions:

Mix the cake according to the package directions and pour into a 9x13, greased dish.

Add spoonfuls of the lemon pie filling onto the top of the batter.  The can of filling I bought happened to be 22 oz. rather than the 15.75 recommended in the recipe so I just didn't use all of it. 

Next, using a butter knife, swirl the batter so the lemon filling is mixed in slightly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes, or until cake is done.  The lemon filling will sink to the bottom during baking.  That's OK!  It's supposed to do that.  After cake is baked, cool completely on a wire rack.  Next, in a large mixing bowl, combine 1 can of lemon frosting and the the entire container of Cool Whip (I forgot to take a picture of this step).  I set the Cool Whip out for about 30 minutes or so before mixing so it was softer and easier to combine with the frosting.  Spread mixture over cooled cake and refrigerate until chilled (we ate it after chilling for 30 or 40 minutes). 

OMG this was good! You can barely see the lemon filling on the bottom of the cake in this picture below.  Most of it sinks to the bottom of the pan, but it's just enough to give you a delicious lemon flavor.  (I've really got to work on learning to use my camera better.  I've only had it for about 3 or 4 years.  You would think I'd be better with it by now!)