Lemon Passion Cake

LEMON PASSION CAKE
Macaroni Grill Copycat Recipe

Cake

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup orange juice

Lemon Mousse Topping

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 drop yellow food coloring

1/3 cup heavy cream

Sweet Cream

1 1/2 cups half and half

1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Whipped Cream

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish

caramel

mint leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cake:  Sift together the flour and baking powder into a medium bowl. In a separate larger bowl, beat together softened butter and sugar for 1 minute. Add eggs and beat until mixture is a light yellow color. Mix in vanilla and juices.

Combine flour with wet mixture a little at a time while beating until batter is smooth. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl while mixing. Pour this batter into a greased 9x9-inch baking pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top begins to brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool.

Mousse:  As your cake is baking make the lemon mousse topping by beating the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer in a medium bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar a little at a time while blending with the electric mixer on low speed. When all of the sugar is incorporated, add lemon juice and a drop of food coloring. In a separate bowl, beat 1/3 cup heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks. Fold this whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until completely combined, then cover and chill.

Sweet Cream:  Make sweet cream by combining half-and-half with sweetened condensed milk in a 4-cup measuring cup with a spout or a small pitcher. Cover and chill this as well.

Whipped Cream:  Make whipped cream by combining 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until it forms stiff peaks. Cover and park this in the chiller, too.

Assembly:  When the cake is completely cool, slice it down the middle once, then across twice, creating 6 rectangular slices. Run a knife along the edges of the cake as well. Poke holes in the top of each slice of cake with a fork - one poke in the center of each piece will do the trick. Pour the sweet cream mixture over the cake while its still in the baking pan. Frost the cake with the lemon mousse. 

Serve each slice on a plate that has been drizzled with caramel. Top each slice with whipped cream and a garnish of a couple mint leaves stuck into the whipped cream.