When Life Gives You Lemons...

This past weekend I was visiting my in-laws for a birthday and baptism celebration. In preparation for a cookout with about 40 people, Darcy (my mother-in-law) had wanted to make a nice lemon poppyseed Bundt cake. (Side note: every time I think of or see or say the words "Bundt cake" I think of that scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding where the Greek mom can't pronounce the word "Bundt.")

Anyway, Darcy had baked the cake, and as she turned it out of the pan, it broke! All over the countertop. She was really bummed out. We (and by we, I mean she) quickly started brainstorming what to do with it now, as she had only purchased one lemon cake mix. She decided to attempt a lemon version of "Death by Chocolate." I ended up making it. Newly dubbed "Death by Lemon," here it is:


Let's start with ingredients.
(1) Broken lemon poppyseed cake (let it cool completely first, then crumble it into pieces)
(2) Lemon Jell-o (quick-set with ice due to our time constraints).
(3) 2 packages of lemon instant pudding
(4) Whipped cream topping
(5) Crushed Lemonhead candies (or something like that)
(6) Lemon slice for garnish


Next, ordering of layers: I put a layer of Cool Whip on the bottom of the trifle bowl to begin with, to kind-of hold everything in place. Then a layer of crumbled pieces of the cake. On top of that went the Jell-o, which was a little tricky to "spread" but it worked. I mostly wanted the Jell-o for the brightness of color it would provide, but it added a lot of flavor, too. Then a layer of pudding, then Cool Whip, and repeat.

Somewhere in there you can add the crushed candies -- I did them on top of the cake before the Jell-o. I also sprinkled them on top as a garnish with the lemon slice:


As I ate the dessert, I had forgotten that the candy pieces were in there, and I was momentarily startled as I crunched down on them, until I remembered. I'm not sure what the other guests thought of them. I might not use them again in the future, except as garnish on top.

The final product...DEATH BY LEMON!!!


I thought of the many colorful possibilities that this adaptation provides, and could be used for different holidays. If you look carefully, you can find lime cake mix, and you could do a Death by Lime (for St. Patrick's Day?). I don't know that you could find a mix, but strawberry cake isn't all that difficult to make -- and wouldn't this be pretty for Valentine's day in red and pink?