Labor Day Lemon Cake

In culinary school, you must chose to major in either cooking or baking. I've found that it is pretty true in life, too. People tend to like one or the other, rarely both. I sit squarely on the cooking side of the fence, but many of my friends (especially the gals) are all about baking. 


I was talking to one of my daughter's friend's mothers on the phone today, and she was telling me about how much she hates cooking, but adores baking. She mentioned that she was baking a lemon cake as we spoke. Then, she mentioned something that really piqued my interest: She was using a recipe for the lemon cake that called for Sprite. I begged Beth, the mom, for the recipe and asked if I could come over to her house to photograph it; she kindly agreed.


Although I am a cook at heart, this recipe strikes me as so very Americana, I may be tempted to bake a Sprite Lemon Cake for my family this labor day weekend.

Cake
1 package white cake mix
1 package lemon instant pudding mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup (250 ml) Sprite, 7-Up or ginger ale
1 and 1/2 teaspoons finely minced lemon zest, if desired

Glaze
1 cup (113 grams) powdered sugar (icing sugar in the UK)
2 teaspoons lemon juice

1) Pre-heat the oven to 350F (175C). Mix together all of the cake ingredients until smooth. Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake for 40 minutes. Take out of the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan.

2) Mix up the glaze and when the cake is completely cool to the touch, drizzle the glaze over top. Garnish with slices of lemons.