Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

sweet tea and lemonade cake

Recipe by
Ellen Gwaltney Bales
Indianapolis, IN

This is a recipe from Southern Living Magazine that sounds really yum. You can add some extra "zing" by substituting vodka or bourbon for the lemon juice in the frosting. Photo: Southern Living 07-30-14

yield 12 -15
prep time 35 Min
cook time 40 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For sweet tea and lemonade cake

  • 1 1/2 c
    boiling water
  • 3
    family-size tea bags
  • 1 c
    butter, softened
  • 2 c
    granulated sugar
  • 1/2 c
    firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 5 lg
    eggs, room temperature
  • 3 1/2 c
    cake flour
  • 2 tsp
    baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp
    salt
  • 1/4 tsp
    baking soda
  • LEMONADE FROSTING:
  • 1 pkg
    (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 c
    butter, softened
  • 6 c
    powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp
    lemon zest
  • 3 Tbsp
    fresh lemon juice

How To Make sweet tea and lemonade cake

  • 1
    In a heatproof glass bowl, pour boiling water over tea bags; cover with plastic wrap and steep 10 minutes. Lift tea bags from liquid, and press against side of bowl, using back of a spoon; discard tea bags. Cool tea 20 minutes.
  • 2
    Beat butter in a large bowl at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
  • 3
    Whisk together cake flour and next three ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with 1 cup of tea, beginning and ending with flour mixture. (Discard remaining tea.) Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.
  • 4
    Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350º oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • 5
    Cool completely on a wire rack, about 20 minutes. Spread lemonade frosting on cake.
  • 6
    LEMONADE FROSTING: Beat the cream cheese and butter at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Beat in lemon zest and lemon juice just until blended. Increase speed to high, and beat until light and fluffy.
  • 7
    NOTE: If you prefer a slightly tipsy cake, add 2 Tbsp. vodka or bourbon to the frosting INSTEAD of lemon juice.
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