Lemon Cream Cake

Top sprinkled with powdered sugar.

This is my attempt to make a cake similar to Olive Garden’s Lemon Cream Cake.  It was wonderful!  However, it’s been so long since I’ve had the real thing, I’m not sure this measures up.  Still very good and my family agreed.

Cake:

Lemon Cake mix (this is what I used…we really like lemon! The real cake has a vanilla cake though) or vanilla cake mix, mixed according to directions.

Crumb Topping:

¾ cup flour

6 tablespoons white sugar

4 tablespoons butter, sliced into 8 slices

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar (this will be used right before serving)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Stir together flour and sugar, toss with butter.  Cut butter into flour and sugar mixture.  You can use a food processor for this.  You want it to be fine pieces, almost like sand.  Toss with vanilla.

Bake half of the cake batter in a 9-inch springform pan (grease and flour pan) for about 20 minutes or until done.  This is the bottom half of the cake.   

Bake the second half of the cake batter in same pan (wash, dry, grease and flour pan after first half is baked), sprinkle the crumb topping over top of cake after about 5 minutes of baking.  Bake until done, about 15 more minutes.

Allow cakes to cool completely.

Filling:

1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cold water
2 egg yolks, beaten
6 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
12 ounces cream cheese, softened

In a medium heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and flour. Stir in water until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Put back on the heat and bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the lemon juice and butter
Transfer to a glass bowl. Cover with clear wrap or wax paper.  Cool to room temperature without stirring. Refrigerate until chilled.

Beat the cream cheese.  Add the lemon filling and beat until smooth.

Assemble the cake inside the springform pan.  Place the bottom layer in the bottom (cut off domed top if necessary).  Spread the lemon mixture evenly over cake.  Add top layer.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Just before serving, sprinkle cake with 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar.  Using a mesh strainer is great for this!

Be sure to cut the cake with a sharp knife inside the springform pan.  Then remove the sides of the pan to serve the cake pieces.  This keeps the cake from squishing the cream filling out.