Stained Glass Cake

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 (18.25 ounce) box Pillsbury + white cake mix*

Filling

• 1 (3 ounce) box lemon pudding and pie filling mix (not instant)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• 3/4 cup raspberry preserves

Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 to 4 teaspoons milk

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour** two 9-inch round cake pans.
2. Prepare cake mix according to package directions.
3. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool for 15 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely.
6. In medium saucepan combine pudding mix and sugar. Stir in water and egg yolks; blend well. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Cool.
7. To assemble cake, slice each cake layer in half horizontally. Remove top half from each layer. Spread 1/3 pudding mixture on bottom half of each layer. Replace top of each layer.
8. Place 1 filled layer top side down on serving plate. Spread with 1/2 cup of the reserves.
9. Top with second filled layer, top side up.
10. Spread remaining pudding mixture over top of cake to within 1/2-inch of edge.
11. In small bowl, blend butter and cream cheese.
12. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Add enough milk for desired frosting consistency. Reserve 1 cup for decorating.
13. Frost sides of cake.
14. Spoon reserved frosting into pastry bag with desired decorating tip. Pipe diagonal parallel lines 1-inch apart over top of cake. In the opposite direction, pipe additional diagonal parallel lines 1-inch apart to form a diamond lattice design. If desired, pipe border around top and bottom edge of cake.
15. In small saucepan, slightly warm the remaining preserves. With small spoon, spoon preserves inside alternate rows of diamonds.
16. Refrigerate until serving time.

Notes

* 18.25 ounce boxes of cake mix have been replaced by 16.5 ounce and 15.25 ounce boxes. To compensate for the volume loss in a 16 ounce box, whisk 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour into the dry cake mix before proceeding with the recipe. To compensate for the volume loss in a 15.25 ounce box, add 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.

** For best results, use our Pan Release!