Lemon Raspberry Cream Cake

This wonderful

Lemon Raspberry Cream Cake

one of my favorite cakes,

one that I often ask for on my birthday.

It is light and luscious with lemon

cream frosting, lemon curd and

raspberry filling.

Top it with fresh raspberries 

and a dusting of powdered

sugar and sprinkles and

it makes a magnificent presentation.

This is perfect any time of year

but especially in spring and summer

when you want that

light lemon taste.

Lemon Raspberry Cream Cake

2 Betty Crocker French Vanilla Cake Mixes

1/2 C. mayonnaise

Raspberry Jam

2  10 oz. jars Lemon Curd

(I like Dickinsons or Trader Joe's)

2 C. heavy whipping cream

Powdered sugar

Sprinkles (opt.)

Crushed Lemonheads (opt.)

Make the cake mixes according to package 

directions but adding 1/2 C. mayonnaise.

Line bottoms of 3 8 inch pans with parchment

paper.  Do not grease pans.

Divide the cake mix between the three

pans.  You will have a little left over to

make a small 6 inch cake.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until

cake springs back and toothpick comes

out clean.

Let cool 10 minutes then run the knife

around the edge of the pan and turn

out onto a cooling rack.

(Lining the pans with parchment and not

greasing the pans will make your cakes

come out much flatter.)

When cool, remove the parchment paper.

Place the 2 C. whipping cream in a large

mixer bowl with one jar of lemon curd.

Beat until fairly stiff peaks form.

Divide the bowl of frosting into thirds with

your knife - using 2/3's for the sides and 1/3

for the top. 

Place a small dollop of frosting on cake platter

and place first layer on upside down.  

Cover with raspberry jam to about 1 inch

from the edge.  You don't want to go

farther or the jam will leak out into your frosting.

Place second layer on top of the first layer

with top side up.  Cover with second jar of

lemon curd, going only out to within one

inch of the edge again.

Place third layer on top, top facing up.

Cut off 3 bamboo skewers and insert

them into the cake to hold the cake together.

Press them down into the cake.

Use a knife or offset spatula to apply the cream

to the sides of the cake, pushing gently down

to the cake plate.  You will use about 2/3's of

your frosting for this.

Then spoon the remaining third of frosting

onto the top of cake, mounding some in the

center.

Spread the frosting to the edges.  

Mound a package of fresh raspberries

on the top of the cake.  

Place powdered sugar in a fine mesh sieve

and sprinkle over the berries and cake platter.

Finish off with a garnish of sprinkles and

crushed Lemonheads if desired.  

Refrigerate.

Serves 16

Click here for printable recipe.

The mint leaves were the only ones alive

in my garden!

My daughter made this for my birthday one year

and as it was set on the counter, it slide right

off and flipped over.  We had to just scoop it

up and eat it anyway.  Of course we took pictures!

I will be posting this with

Foodie Friday

The Scoop

Inspire Me Tuesday

Raspberry Lemon Mousse Mini Cakes and A Giveaway

Any mini dessert is just the rage whether at restaurants 

or at home and especially here at 

Purple Chocolat Home.

Did you know that March 4th is National Pound Cake Day?

I was honored to be contacted by Sara Lee (yes, THE Sara Lee)

to create a recipe using one of their ready made pound cakes

to help celebrate National Pound Cake Day.

Of course my mind started spinning about all of the fun

things I could do with Sara Lee Pound Cakes.  

I had made the Valentine's Petit Fours and found

their pound cake to be so much fun to work with.

It is flavorful and has such a great, firm texture.

What better flavors than raspberry, lemon and cream

to go along with a Sara Lee All Butter Pound cake!

I began by cutting the cake loaf into thirds and then turning those

thirds on their sides and cutting them into thirds again.  Use

a bread knife.  Keep the bottom crust on but cut the rounded

top crust off before you cut the last third.

So each third will give you three slices of cake.

Using a 2 1/4 inch round cookie or biscuit cutter,

cut each cake slice into a round.

You should now have three rounds for each third of the loaf.

Cut the center out of the third piece so that you end up with

a ring using a 1 1/4 inch cookie or biscuit cutter or as I did,

using the wide end of my largest frosting tip.

Now spread raspberry jam on the top and bottom pieces - the ones

without the hole in the center and then stack the middle piece

on the bottom piece.

Pipe your lemon mousse into the center and then place the top

on with the jam side down.

The towers are then frosted with additional lemon mousse.

When you slice into the mini cake you have a raspberry and lemon mousse

filled center.

Raspberry Lemon Mousse Mini Cakes

(Makes 6 mini cakes)

2 - 10.75 oz Sara Lee All Butter Pound Cakes, thawed

Raspberry jam

1 C. heavy whipping cream

1/2 C. lemon curd

Fresh raspberries

Powdered sugar

Raspberry Sauce if desired.

Prepare and slice the pound cakes as directed above.

You will end up with 18 rounds, six with holes in the

center and twelve without.

Set the cake aside.

In mixer bowl using a wire whisk beat the heavy

whipping cream with the lemon curd until soft peaks

form.  You will want it stiff enough to be able to frost

with.

Spread one side of the twelve rounds without holes

with raspberry jam.  Do not spread all the way to the

edge.  

Stack the center round with the hole on top of the

bottom round.  

Place half of the mousse in a pastry bag.

Pipe the mousse into the center of the cakes.

Top with the last round, jam side down.

Frost each cake with additional mousse.  I

sat mine on top of a tiny glass - like a shot glass.

Garnish with fresh raspberries and powdered sugar.

Serve with raspberry sauce if desired. 

Click here for a printable recipe.

This is so light tasting and refreshing, perfect for Spring celebrations.

So let me just tell you my taste tester's reactions -

My daughter and her boyfriend were fighting over their piece, even

grabbing the plate and running off with it.

I had already wolfed one down earlier in the day.

My hubby came home from work and I cut it in half

to show him how pretty it was (thinking I would get half)

and he gobbled the whole thing down saying, "That was

fantastic!"  Needless to say, this was a big hit here.

Thank you Sara Lee for asking me to participate.

Not only did Sara Lee send me a $50 Visa gift card and coupons

for participating,

they sent me a 

$50 Visa gift card and coupons

for a giveaway to my readers.

Tell me what creative recipe you would make

 with a 

Sara Lee Pound Cake by leaving

me a comment (and the recipe if needed)

and I will choose my favorite idea.  

The winner will

receive the $50 Visa gift card and coupons.  

All entries must

be received by Midnight March 9th.

Then I will make and feature the winning

recipe on my blog!

I will be posting this with

On The Menu Monday

Foodie Fridays

Almond Peach Raspberry Crisp

If you love almond and buttery crust and juicy fruit all combined

in one you are going to love this crips and it can be made

either with fresh fruit or canned fruit.

As I mentioned in my last post, I was able to work at the cannery

to prepare food for the needy and we were allowed to buy

canned peaches, slightly defective, as in there were little bits of the

pits.  I wanted to make something featuring the peaches and I

had never made this recipe using canned peaches, but they

turned out great.  In the whole can I only had one half

that had 4 little bits of pit attached so I was thrilled

with the peaches.  

You don't have to add raspberries, but I love the punch they give

to peaches and so I tossed in some frozen raspberries too.

The crust was whipped up in a food processor although you can cut

the butter in by hand.  This almond flavored crust is the magic

ingredient - wow! 

Although I think I could put almond flavoring in everything.

The topping seems like a lot but by the time the fruit bubbles up

it is just perfect so don't skimp on the topping.

Almond Peach Raspberry Crisp Recipe

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

1 1/4 C. flour

1 C. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

pinch freshly ground nutmeg

1 tsp. almond flavoring

1/2 C. butter

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor

and pulse until it is well blended.

Peel and slice 5 peaches or use a can of

peaches - 1 lb. 13 oz,  drained and sliced into wedges

Place in a bowl and add

1 C. frozen raspberries

1/2 C. sugar (omit if using canned peaches)

1 T. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. almond flavoring

Toss the above all together and place in a

9x9 pan or an 8x11 pan sprayed with Pam.

Top with the crust mixture (using all of it even though

it seems like a lot).  

Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until golden

and bubbly.

Let cool and top with vanilla ice cream.

Posting with

Seasonal Sunday

On The Menu Monday

Chocolate Raspberry Love Muffins

Warm luscious muffins fresh from the oven with

rich melting chocolate and warm juicy raspberries,

what could say love better on a cold morning?

I featured these the other day in my tablescape for
Valentines.

Topped with a Dove heart which slowly melts

from the heat of the muffin.

Chocolate and raspberry stuffed inside the warm muffin.  You can see
how moist these are.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Raspberry Muffins

2 C. flour

1 T. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 C. sugar

2 large eggs

1 C. milk

6 T. melted butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 C. frozen raspberries

3/4 C. mini chocolate chips

1 tsp. flour

Preheat oven to 400.  Line 6 jumbo muffin cups with the
jumbo liners or 12 regular muffin cups.  I love to use the
jumbo ones!

In a medium bowl mix the dry ingredients.  Melt the butter
and stir in the milk and vanilla and then add the eggs.
Whisk the wet ingredients to break up the eggs and
get everything combined.  Make a well in the middle of
the flour mix and pour the milk mix in.  With a spoon, stir
just until combined.

In a small bowl toss the mini chips and the flour.  The flour
keeps the chips from sinking in the batter.  Stir the raspberries
and chips into the batter.

Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full.  Sprinkle with candy sprinkles
or sanding sugar.  Place in the oven and
bake for about 25 to 30 minutes for jumbo muffins and
about 20 minutes for regular sized muffins.

Let the muffins cool 5 minutes before topping with
Dove chocolates.  They will slowly melt from the
heat of the muffin.  Yum!

I will be linking this up with
Foodie Fridays
Seasonal Sundays

Raspberry Lime Spring Salad

A gorgeous and delicious Spring salad featuring fresh

raspberries, spring mix lettuce, grilled chicken breast and

macadamia nuts is on the menu tonight.

This main dish salad is going to qualify for both low

carb and low fat. 

Are you old enough to remember the boring salads we used

to have using only iceberg lettuce and bottled Thousand Island,

French and Catalina Island dressings?  

We had never heard of fruit, nuts and meat in salads.

I am so glad times have changed.  My

family loves main dish salads.

I am featuring my these great bottled dressings, again,

both "light" and this time we are going to mix them

together to make an entirely new raspberry-lime dressing.

If you are having trouble finding these dressings like

some of my friends, I have found mine at Target.

Raspberry Lime Spring Salad

Marinate 1 chicken breast per serving in a ziploc bag

with enough Paul Newman's Light Lime dressing to be

able to coat the chicken breast.  Marinate for at least

half an hour. 

Grill the chicken until cooked through.  Be sure to not

overcook it until it is dry.  Discard any leftover marinade.

Mix 1/2 C. Paul Newman's Light Lime Dressing

with 1/2 C. Paul Newman's Light Raspberry Walnut

Dressing.  Toss spring mix lettuce with the dressing.

Place dressed lettuce on the plates, then top with

sliced grilled chicken breast, fresh raspberries and

macadamia nuts.  (You could substitute another nut

if you liked.)

Pass with additional dressing.

It doesn't get much lighter and fresher than 

this delectable salad.

I will be posting this with

Tasty Tuesday

Foodie Friday 

Raspberry Bread Pudding

Are you looking for a Valentine's Day dessert that is just

incredible?  This Raspberry Bread pudding will wow

your guests.

I am helping a friend redecorate her home.  While

out shopping for furniture we decided to head to lunch.

We went out to lunch at a local restaurant called Kneaders.

Their specialty is their European style breads.  One

of my favorite things is their Raspberry Bread Pudding.

We decided to get that and share it.  Of course I had to

have a bite of it first before the sandwich and salad.

They warm it and top it with an incredible cream sauce.

It was one of those moments that you roll your eyes

and just melt. 

Did you know that your palate is clean when you first

start a meal and that is why those first bites taste so

good?  That is why I love to order dessert for

an appetizer and share it with the whole table

  Just a bite or two of dessert

when your palate is clean and you are satisfied!

You know the saying, "Life is short, eat dessert first."

Mine must be "Your palate is clean, really taste the dessert,

so eat dessert first." (Or something like that!)

While we were all melting under the table my friend Rachel

and I both said we had a recipe that was supposedly their

recipe.  I got mine out of Tales Under Timp Cookbook.

Rachel decided to make it for a dinner party.

Yes, it tasted exactly like Kneader's Raspberry Bread Pudding.

And - it is so beautiful too.  Those red raspberries just

call out to be served up for Valentine's Day, or really any day.

Raspberry Bread Pudding Recipe

1 1/2 loaves aged or day old,  white bread (I like

to use a heavy type of bread, usually 1 lb. loaves

would be standard.)

1 qt. heavy cream

3 C. sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

5 C. raspberries, fresh or frozen (hers were fresh)

1 C. sugar

1/2 C. apple juice

In a large bowl mix the cream, sugar, egg and vanilla. 

Cut bread into 1 1/2 inch cubes and add to cream mixture,

coating the bread well.  Let stand 30 minutes, stirring every

5 minutes to allow cream to absorb.

Mix the raspberries, sugar and apple juice, stirring

until sugar is dissolved.

Layer a 9x13 inch baking pan 3/4 full with the bread mix

and pour fruit filling over the bread mix, spreading evenly.

Top with the remaining bread.  Bake 40 minutes at 375.

Serve warm topped with vanilla cream sauce.

(If you want it to cut into nice squares you can chill

it and then cut it into squares, then microwave it

for 20-25 seconds per piece and top with sauce.)

Vanilla Cream Sauce

1 1/3 C. butter

5 T. flour

3 C. heavy cream

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp vanilla

2/3 C. sugar

Melt butter in medium saucepan and add flour.  Stir

10 minutes until it has a nutty aroma, do not brown.  Add

salt, cream and sugar until mix is thick.  Remove from heat

and stir in vanilla.  Serve warm over the pudding.

Printable Recipe

Sit down and have some, hope you melt over every bite.

I will be posting this with

Made by you Monday

Tasty Tuesday

Foodie Friday

Weekend Wrapup

Favorite Things