Lemon Raspberry Cake

This is another cake I made for a co-worker that turned out pretty yummy. I doubled the recipe and made a 2 layer cake using cookie sheets. Recipe is adapted from LaDonna's Lemon Cake on allrecipes.com. 

Ingredients

1 pkg lemon cake mix (you can use yellow cake mix if you don't want the extra lemon taste)

1 sm pkg instant lemon pudding mix

1 3/4 cups water (if using yellow cake, you can add lemon juice from the 2 lemons and add enough water to equal the rest of the measurement. 

3 egg whites

Raspberry pie filling or favorite raspberry jam (can also use raspberry compote)

3/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp lemon extract

lemon zest from 2 lemons

1 pkg vanilla instant pudding

1 8oz container frozen whipped topping, thawed (I used stabilized whipped cream-recipe below)

Fresh Raspberries

Coconut or white chocolate for garnish. 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray pans and line with parchment paper if cakes are coming out of pans. You can use a cookie sheet or 2 -9inch pans or a 9x13 cake pan. 

In a large bowl, mix together cake mix and pudding mix. Pour in water and egg whites (lemon juice if using). Beat on low speed for 1 min. Scrape sides of bowl and Increase speed to high and beat for 4 mints. Pour batter into prepared pans. 

Bake in preheated oven for 25-35 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cooking time with vary depending on what kind of pan you use. Allow to cool completely. If taking cake out of pans cool for about 10-15 mins then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. If you are splitting the cakes in half to fill this is easier if you bake the cakes the night before and freeze. 

In a large bowl, combine milk, lemon extract and vanilla pudding mix. Beat on low for 2 mins. Fold in whipped topping and lemon zest. 

To assemble: If doing a sheet cake in a cookie pan keep the cake in the pan and spread the raspberry filling on top by putting small spoonfuls all over the cake then spread carefully. Spread cream on top of that doing the same technique. Grate or shave white chocolate on top (or coconut) and garnish with fresh raspberries. 

If using a layer cake, layer the inside with the raspberry and cream. 

Stabilized Whipped Cream

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

3 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

In a small saucepan, combine gelatin with water; let stand until gelatin softens, about 5 mins. Turn heat to low and stir constantly until gelatin in just dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, but do not allow to thicken. In a large mixing bowl, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla until slightly thick. On low speed, gradually add gelatin and then beat on high until cream is thick and peaks hold their shape.  (an even easier way to do this is just buy the stabilizer packs at the store and add to cream when whipping)