Many new cooks are somewhat intimidated by baking. I’ll admit that making a cake from scratch can be a bit daunting, but I’m a dessert junkie so I had to find a way around all that. I started baking with cake and brownie mixes. Truth be told, I still use them. A LOT! But this particular recipe is even easier than making a cake from a mix.
Now, for me, chocolate and dessert are almost synonymous. There are not that many desserts I enjoy that don’t have chocolate in there somewhere. But there are some things that come close. Pumpkin pie. Peach cobbler. And lemony stuff. Lemon pie, lemon cookies, lemon bars. They’re all good! This particular recipe is one of my favorites because it’s a cross between a cake and a pie. And I love me some pie. Mmmm… lemon pie. Can’t you just taste it? Are you smiling right now? Me, too.
I love these lemon bars because they’re light and fluffy, with a melt in your mouth texture. The first time I ever had them was when I was a still in grade school. My best friend’s mom used to make them at least once a month. Even now, one bite and I’m right back in my childhood, huddled in my friend’s den with a bunch of kids happily munching away as we watch Gilligan’s Island.
Follow along as I show you how to wow a crowd without breaking a sweat.
Ingredients:
2 cans (approx. 21 oz.) lemon pie filling
1 box angel food cake mix
Confectioner’s sugar
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Empty cake mix into large bowl. Add pie filling and blend with a whisk – or a spoon, if you must. A whisk is better, though.
Grease a 9×13 baking pan using Crisco shortening or Baker’s Joy baking spray. Pour in mix.
Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until top begins to brown slightly.
When done, remove from oven to cool. It’s best to let it cool on a wire rack, but if you don’t have one you can use a trivet instead.
Sprinkle with confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
When cooled, cut into squares and serve. If desired, sprinkle plate with more confectioner’s sugar just because it looks good. Then stand back and watch them disappear. Your guest will love them for their melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Have fun with this one, and don’t forget to leave a comment to tell me your thoughts about it, OK? Until next time,
Play with your food!
Lane
Did you like this recipe? What recipes would you like to learn? Leave me a comment and tell me your thoughts! (And don’t forget to LIKE this post!) Share it using the tiles below.
I grew up with these, too! Sounds so easy and so good!