The Covered Dish - Lemon Dream Cake

Well by now everyone is thinking about digging out from our big weekend snowstorm. I spent most of the first day of snow cooking in the kitchen. Bone stock, Broccoli Rice Casserole with turkey, and a pot of pinto beans and ham. Sunday I cannot say I did much of anything. Logged in some Facebook time and made homemade hot chocolate, for the first time in ages. All this while Ervin spent time scooping outdoors, so we might get out by Monday. Yours truly is not getting out on Monday either, staying put and letting things clear a bit before my new knee hits the pavement!
Last week I ran quick fix appetizers for the upcoming Super Bowl parties. This week I was thinking about what flavor would be good for a Super Bowl Dessert. I came to the conclusion that we would be eating all kinds of foods. What better to cleanse the palate than a lemon dessert. I enjoy reaching for this dream cake recipe because I used it so many times while I was working at Silver Dollar City, as the
Culinary Craftsman. There were about 2 weeks during the summer when we served desserts on the back porch of the school. I would bake this cake and then serve it accompanied with Persimmon Hill Farms, ‘Blueberry Amaretto Syrup’. Which I always say I could just sip with a straw. A small squirt of whipped cream and this sauce over the lemon cake was heaven.
Our family is not only looking forward to the Super Bowl but also the big NASCAR event about 2 weeks later. That meal will be easy as we’re having pizza!
As the snow melts and the week returns to a form of normalcy I’m focusing on more home projects and exercising. Not a bad focus, if I must say so. Oh yes, I also got the garage cleaned out just hours before the snow hit town, that was an accomplishment itself.
Enjoy your week and savor each new endeavor. Simply Yours, The Covered Dish.

Lemon Dream Cake
1 (18 oz.) box lemon cake mix
1 (3 oz.) box lemon instant pudding
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon extract
Zest from 1 lemon
1⁄2 cup lemon juice fresh or bottled
1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
Place dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Make a well in the center and place all remaining ingredients in the center blending.
Bring the dry into the wet ingredients, just until blended. If you use a mixer this is just a few quick spins with the mixer, not 1 minute or more. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. If I have plenty of time I even bake this cake at 300 degrees. This aids in keeping the sides of the cake light in color and not over-baking. This cake was also baked in a bundt pan.
As I indicated above I finished the cake off with a specialty blueberry sauce, but a light lemon glaze would also be a good choice to drizzle lightly over the top.
In the heat of summer the cake is yummy with a side of ice cream.