Kay's Cooking Corner

October 10-16, 2016

Kay’s favorite Lemon Cheesecake Bundt Cake

By Kay Bona

This past weekend I helped our Minister of Music Pastor, Rick Couch, decorate for a wedding at our church. His middle daughter, Ashley was wed to Josh McInturff. Bro. Rick has three daughters, so I would think he and his wife, Donna, are getting to be pretty much pros at weddings! At least, it looked like it!

They rented a large tent that was installed in the gym/fellowship hall, which covered the entire area, and was decorated with strands of lights and Chinese lanterns. It was indeed beautiful. The tables were perfect, the food was delicious, and the bride was gorgeous!

One thing they had done that I just loved and want to share was they hired a “selfie” photographer to take pictures of everyone. This is the first time I had ever heard of a selfie photographer and, since I am older, my first thought was whattt??? But I have to say, after I saw him in action and what he was doing, I loved the idea! So much so that I have to pass it on to you.

He would take a picture for each person, couple, or group, plus an extra one to put in a photo album for Josh and Ashley. I think that was such a great idea! Years later, they can look through the album and remember the people that came and the good time they shared with each one of them.

This photographer with Arkansas Selfie Stand was so fun and entertaining. He had several different masks, huge glasses, wigs, hats and little signs to hold up that people could wear to make the photo special. For example, I wore a tall pink hat, large purple glasses, colorful glass beads, and held a sign that said, “I came for the cake.”

My hubby wore a black hat and large black glasses and held a sign that pointed to me and said, “I love her.” Wasn’t that sweet?

The photographer was probably the busiest person during the entire reception. I bet he was worn out when it was all said and done! If you want to know more, look him up at Arkansas Selfie Stand. It was really a lot of fun and such a big hit!

The catering was also delicious. It was provided for by Events! Catering in North Little Rock. They did an awesome job with the food and the buffet setting was beautiful. They had several different little finger sandwiches, glazed meatballs, veggie shooters, and fruits with fruit dips. The Apricot Chicken Skewers were my favorite though.

And of course the cakes were gorgeous. Ashley’s colors were green and purple, and the four-layer bride’s cake was done just beautifully with white and lilac roses. Josh, who is a hunter, had a pretty cake all decorated with leaves and – hunting stuff. It was manly looking.

Well, I don’t have a recipe from any of the caterers, which, I know – I always get, but I was too busy this time to talk to anyone at any length. I do have a recipe of a cake though, that is one of my favorites. It is a lemon bundt cake and since I grow Meyers lemons, I thought I would share this cake. If you don’t have a lemon tree, unfortunately you will have to go to the store and buy theirs. I just don’t have enough to share!

Lemon Bundt Cake with Cheesecake Tunnel

1-1/4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese (10 oz.), softened, divided
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 egg
1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding
zest and 2 Tbsp. juice from 2 lemons, divided
1 cup powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan.

Beat 8 oz. cream cheese and granulated sugar in medium bowl with mixer until blended. Add egg; mix on low speed just until blended. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Blend in dry pudding mix and lemon zest; pour half into prepared pan. Spoon cream cheese mixture into ring around center of cake batter in pan; cover with remaining cake batter.

Bake 45 to 50 min. or until toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 10 min. Loosen cake from sides of pan with knife. Invert cake onto wire rack; gently remove pan. Cool cake completely.

Beat powdered sugar, lemon juice and remaining cream cheese with mixer until blended; drizzle over cake. Let stand until firm.

Store frosted cake in refrigerator.

Substitute: Prepare using JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding.

Kay Bona is a staff writer for the Daily Record and an award-winning columnist and photographer. Contact her at kay@dailydata.com.