Olive Garden’s Copycat Lemon Cream Cake

Olive Garden’s Copycat  Lemon Cream Cake

Cake ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker white cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup oil
3 egg whites

Filling ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Crumb topping ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, chopped in 1/2″ pieces
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make cake following directions on the box. Pour batter into two greased 9″ round cake pans and bake for about 20 minutes or until tests done with a toothpick. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.  ((NOTE: You could use a springform pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, then split it in half crosswise to make two layers.))

Make lemon cream filling by beating cream cheese and powdered sugar together in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in lemon juice. Refrigerate.

Beat the whipping cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, 4-5 minutes. With a spatula, gently fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream.  Refrigerate.

Make crumb topping by whisking flour and powdered sugar together in a medium bowl. Add butter and dribble in the vanilla extract. Use your fingers (or fork) to incorporate cold butter into the flour and sugar, breaking butter into small pea sized pieces as you incorporate it into the dry ingredients. Do not press the mixture together, it needs to remain crumbly.

When the cake is completely cool, place one layer on a cake plate.  Top with half of the lemon cream filling.  Carefully place the other layer on top.  Spread the remaining half of filling over the top. Sprinkle the crumb topping all over the top of the cake.  (You can frost the sides too if you like, pressing the crumb topping onto the sides and top).

Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours before serving.