#725 - Scratch Lemon Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 medium sized lemons
6 TBSP fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup white sugar
2 sticks Parkay margarine (room temp.)
3 large eggs
Frosting: 1 medium sized lemon, 1/3 cup white sugar, 2 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (room temp.), 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice

Grease either an 8" springform pan OR line 2 - 8" round cake pans with wax paper. In a bowl add flour, baking powder and salt--stir and set aside. Cut 2 lemons in half--remove seeds, squeeze juice into a cup and save the peels. In a small bowl add the vanilla and 6 TBSP of the fresh squeezed lemon juice from the lemons--stir and set aside. Use a vegetable slicer to slice the leftover lemon peels and place pieces into a blender. Add 1 cup of white sugar to the lemon peel in the blender--chop on high until finely ground. In a mixer add the lemon peel/sugar mixture and Parkay--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add lemon juice/vanilla mixture--beat. Add flour mixture--beat until smooth. Pour batter into your choice of the cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes (springform pan) or 30-35 minutes (2 - 8" cake pans)--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool the cakes(s) about 20 minutes before removing from the pans. After cakes are completely cooled, frost: use the vegetable peeler to remove the peel from 1 lemon and put the peel pieces into a blender. Add the 1/3 cup white sugar to the lemon peel in the blender--turn on high and chop until lemon peel is finely ground. Add the 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice and the cream cheese to the lemon peel mixture in the blender--beat until smooth. Chill the frosting for 1 hour. Frost the cake(s). Keep refrigerated.