Okay, so I’ve been seeing these lemon bars all over Pinterest, and they looked so darn easy. Plus, I had a box of lemon cake mix just sitting in my pantry, begging to be used. So, I thought, why not? Let’s try making lemon bars with cake mix!
Getting Started
First, I grabbed that box of cake mix. Any brand will do, I think. Then, I checked the fridge for the other stuff I needed: eggs, butter, and some lemons, of course. I also dug out my 9×13 inch baking pan and some parchment paper. I hate scrubbing pans, so parchment paper is my best friend.
Mixing it Up
I dumped the cake mix into a big bowl. Then, I melted a stick of butter – gotta make sure it’s not too hot, just melted. I poured that into the bowl with the cake mix. Next, I cracked in one egg. I used a fork to mix it all up. It gets kinda crumbly, but that’s okay. This is going to be the crust.
I lined my baking pan with the parchment paper, making sure it went up the sides a bit. Then, I pressed about two-thirds of that crumbly mixture into the bottom of the pan. Really squished it down to make a nice, even layer. I popped that into the oven, which I had already preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. It needed to bake for about 15 minutes, just until it started to turn a little golden.
The Lemony Filling
While the crust was baking, I worked on the filling. In another bowl, I whisked together two eggs. Then, I added the rest of the cake mix, so the 1/3 mixture. I squeezed in the juice of two lemons – fresh is definitely best for that real lemon flavor! And for that extra smooth rich taste, 1/2 cup of melted butter. I mixed everything really well until it was nice and smooth.
Putting It All Together
Once the crust was out of the oven and slightly cooled, I poured the lemon filling right on top. I spread it out evenly with a spatula. Then, the whole thing went back into the oven for another 20-25 minutes. You know it’s done when the filling is set and doesn’t jiggle too much when you shake the pan.
The Hardest Part: Waiting!
I took the pan out of the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. This is the hardest part, honestly! It smells so good, and you just want to dig in. But if you cut it too soon, it’ll be a mess. Once it was cool, I lifted the whole thing out of the pan using the parchment paper. So easy! I dusted the top with some powdered sugar – just to make it look pretty. Then, I cut it into squares.
The Verdict
Oh. My. Goodness. These lemon bars are SO good! They’re sweet and tangy, and the crust is perfectly crumbly. And they were seriously so easy to make. Using the cake mix really cuts down on the time and effort. This is definitely a recipe I’ll be making again and again!
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