Winnie Roland’s Lemonade Party Cake

The following “Chew This!” column has been reprinted from “The Courier-Times”, Sunday, January 20th 2019 edition. By: Blaise Doubman

Winnie’s Lemonade Party Cake Brings Back Memories
Blaise Doubman

Years and years ago my brother, Damon, played high school soccer. My parents would travel all over for his games and just so happened one year, there was a soccer game on my Mom’s birthday. One of my brothers’ teammates, Shane Roland, found out that one of the away games were going to be on my Mom’s birthday and word spread to his Grandma, Winnie Roland. When we arrived for the away game, we really didn’t think much about it and had planned to have the birthday celebration later that evening, after the game. Low and behold, we noticed Winnie coming across the field holding something. She gave it to my Mom, Darla, and wished her Happy Birthday! It was a cake! We thought that was the sweetest thing ever! I remember looking at it and seeing the white frosting and yellow sugar sprinkled across the top and thinking, “I wonder if that is lemon”! And it was! My Mom and mine favorite! Ha! We took it home and ate on it for three days. It was the absolute best cake I had ever had in my life! We must have talked about that cake for months. It was outstanding. My mouth is watering just thinking and writing about it. It had fabulous flavor and was super moist and tasted so fresh!

Skip ahead several years later and I am still thinking about that cake! Ha! Every time I have a lemon cake, no matter where it is from, I compared it to Winnie’s lemon cake she had made my Mom for her birthday. My family and friends had to get tired of hearing me go on and on about this cake, which remember I have thought about for years! Over the years I tried everything to duplicate the cake, even searched out cookbooks and Google and found nothing even close. Looking back, I should have just asked for the recipe! Why didn’t I? I have no idea and I can’t remember. Maybe the soccer season ended soon after and everyone parted ways – it was my brother’s senior year of high school after all. Anyways, life happened, and I never asked for the recipe. Years passed and somehow, I came across a Facebook friend of mine, Nikki Keith. We started talking and I told her about the cake. She wrote back saying she was sure she could get the recipe from her Grandma and I literally about cried! Ha! A couple days later, sitting there in my inbox, was the recipe! THE RECIPE! I couldn’t contain my excitement. I went to Meijer, bought the ingredients and made the cake that night. It was fabulous! It tasted exactly like how I had remembered all those years ago. My family agreed – this was it! From that very first bite, that familiar flavor came straight back to me. Huge shout out to Nikki Keith for tracking down a recipe I have been craving for years and an even bigger shout out and thank you to Winnie Roland for sharing this delicious recipe with me and for becoming one of my new best friends. Thank you, Winnie, for your thoughtfulness then and your thoughtfulness now.

Winnie Roland’s Lemonade Party Cake

This cake is best made ahead and served chilled so plan accordingly.

1 Betty Crocker Super Moist Lemon Cake Mix
1 cup water
3 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
½ can (12 oz size) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 tub Betty Crocker white fluffy frosting
Yellow colored sugar

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray containing flour.

In a large bowl whisk together the cake mix, water, large eggs and vegetable oil until smooth.

Pour into prepared baking pan and smooth out the top. Bake in preheated oven for the time listed on the box for the appropriate pan you are using. Inserting a toothpick into the cake when finished baking, will contain just a few moist crumbs.

While the cake is still warm, using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the cake.

In a large bowl whisk together, the thawed lemonade concentrate and powdered sugar. Pour this mixture evenly over the warm cake.

Cover with aluminum foil and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Remove, spread frosting evenly over the top of the cake and sprinkle on the colored sugar.

Store loosely covered in the refrigerator. This cake is best served chilled.

Ask and Answer: I lot of people have been asking if my recipes can be used in an air fryer. The answer is, yes! I recently got an air fryer myself and have been trying and testing recipes. The machine is really nice and requires little to no oil! I will have more information in the coming weeks on my blog addressing my air fryer and some of my recipes. Stay tuned!