Foodie Patoodie!: What's For Dessert? - Summertime Pink Lemonade Cake

Here's the deal. I am not an expert baker. It take exactness and precision, two qualities of which I am sorely deficient. BUT! This cake came out tasting absolutely wonderful! Light, summery, cool, dense, and creamy. The appearance wasn't exactly what I was going for though...I will admit it looks a bit Seuss-ish. If you think you can take my method and tweak it just a little to make it prettier, by all means have at it! I will say that if you make it exactly how I did, you and your family will not be disappointed!

~Ingredients~

2 sticks of butter

4 eggs

1 Tbsp. baking powder

3 and 1/3 cups all-purpose white flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 and 1/3 cups whole milk

1/4 cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed

2 cans of vanilla or buttercream frosting

1 tsp. lemon extract

strawberry extract

purple or red food coloring

lemon, thinly sliced horizontally

~Directions~

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes while you are measuring the other ingredients. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.

2. In a medium bowl stir together, flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

4. In an extra large mixing bowl, beat butter with a mixer on high for 30 seconds.

5. Gradually add the sugar a little bit at a time, beating until mixed thoroughly. Make sure the sides of the bowl are scraped and beat for 2 more minutes.

6. Add 1/8 of a teaspoon of food coloring and mix until well combined.

7. Add eggs one at a time, beating each one well until they are mixed thoroughly.

Pretty colors!

8. In a bowl, stir together the milk, pink lemonade concentrate, and lemon extract. It will look curdled.

9. Alternately, add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture, beating after each until combined.

Soooo pretty.

10. Remove 4 cups of colored batter and spread into one greased pan.

11. In the remaining batter left in the bowl, add 1/4 tsp. more of food coloring and spread in second pan.

12. Bake 35 minutes. Meanwhile, add a little lemon and strawberry extract to your frosting to your desired taste.

13. Cool in pans for 15 minutes.

14. Remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

15. Trim off domed tops of the cakes so that each one is flat.

16. With a long, serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally so that there are four layers.

17. Place one darker layer, cut-side down, on a plate. Spread frosting on top of the layer, to the edges.

18. Top with a light layer, topped with another dark layer, spreading frosting just to the edges again with each layer. Stack the last light layer, cut-side down on the top, frost the top and sides as desired.