Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake!

As I have said before, I love anything lemon and I also love anything with cream cheese in it, which makes this "Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake" perfect for me!!!  This is such a good cake and it is so easy, you won't believe it!

Anything lemon just seems so right for Spring and this cake is like a slice of sunshine...something we are all wanting to enjoy more of after the dreary winter months!    

This makes a great coffee cake or breakfast cake!   It disappeared way too fast at our house!  

Here is what you will need:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese (softened to room temperature)

1 cup milk

1 (15.25 oz.)  lemon cake mix

1 (3 oz.) box lemon gelatin

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla  

Glaze

2 cups confectioners sugar

2 - 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.   Add the milk and mix until it's incorporated and light and fluffy.   Add in the cake mix, gelatin and eggs and beat for 2 minutes. 

 

Spray a 10 cup Bundt pan with baking spray.  Pour the batter evenly in the pan.  Place in the oven and bake for 55 to 60 minutes.  Check with a pick inserted in the center.  When it comes out clean, take the cake out of the oven.  Don't overbake this or it will dry it out!  Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes then invert onto a cake plate.

Mix the confectioners sugar and the fresh lemon juice in a bowl until smooth and then drizzle evenly over the cake!   Don't skip this step.  The glaze just makes this cake!  

Slice, serve and enjoy the compliments!   

Banana Streusel Coffee Cake!

This is a super moist and yummy coffee cake that is perfect for breakfast or brunch or for a snack with a good cup of coffee.   I like cakes like this at times because they are not overly sweet or heavy. 

Here is what you need:

Streusel

1/2 cup chopped pecans (could use walnuts)

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

1 (3.4 oz.) pkg. vanilla instant pudding mix (could substitute banana flavored for more banana flavor)

4 large eggs

1 cup mashed bananas

1/3 cup oil

1/4 cup water

1 tsp. vanilla

Glaze

2 cups confectioner's sugar
5 Tbs. milk or half and half
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Spray a 10 inch Bundt pan or a tube pan with nonstick baking spray.


In a bowl, combine the pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the streusel.


In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs bananas, oil, water, and vanilla.  Beat for 2 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed.   Pour half of batter in pan.  Sprinkle evenly with the streusel.   Pour the rest of the batter over all.   With a knife swirl the batter in a figure eight all around the pan, just to lightly mix the streusel into the batter. 


Place in preheated oven and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or when a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 30 minutes.  Invert onto cake plate. 


When the cake is cooled, prepare the glaze by combining the confectioner's sugar, milk or half and half and vanilla until smooth.  Drizzle over the top of the cake and allow to run down the sides.

Slice and serve!  Yummy!