Boxed Cake Hack - Lemon Cream Cake
This recipe is my go to for family events. The frosting is so velvety and I love lemon in my desserts.
Equipment
- 9" Round cake pan
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 pkg White Cake Mix, plus ingredients listed on box for preparation
- 1/2 cup Sour cream
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 cup Whipping cream
- 8 oz Mascarpone cheese
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup Lemon zest
Crumb Topping
- 4 tbsp Butter, melted
- 1 1/2- 2 cups Lemon Cake Mix
- Left over cake (if any)
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Prepare the boxed white cake as instructed on the box. Add in the sour cream and vanilla extract.
- Pour batter into a 9" nonstick pan and bake according to the times recommended on the box - typically 20-25 minutes. Use a cake tester (or toothpick) to ensure the cake is done.
- Once done, set aside to let cool completely.
Lemon Mascarpone Frosting
- Mix the mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and whipping cream. Mix until smooth and all ingredients are incorporated. You could add more lemon juice or zest for more of a lemon flavor.
Lemon Crumb Topping
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the 4 tbsp of butter.
- Add the lemon cake mix and stir until it becomes crumbly and chunky. Sometimes this can take a while. I recommend using a fork to stir this together and help form the chunks. If it's too wet and not becoming crumbly, add additional lemon cake mix, just a little at a time until you get a crumble-like texture.
Assembly
- Cut your completely cool cake in half.
- Set the bottom of the cake on your stand and fill the first layer with half of the lemon frosting.
- Place the top cake layer on top of the lemon frosted bottom layer.
- Frost the top and sides of your cake. I like a more naked look so I typically do a lighter layer of frosting, but you can do as much as you like here.
- Sprinkle your lemon crumb on top and sides of your cake.
Notes
I have made this cake both in regular round cake and cupcake form.
For cupcakes - cook time is a bit less time, more like 17-22 minutes. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, I cut a round hole about half way down and centered in the cupcake and remove some of the cake. This is so I can fill the cupcake with frosting. I also add the cake I removed from the cupcakes to the lemon crumble and mix it in. Fill the cupcakes with the frosting and pipe the top of the cupcake with the frosting as well. Sprinkle the crumble on top of the cupcake.