LEMON - COCONUT BUTTERMILK BARS

 

I saw this recipe in one of my cookbooks (Quick Mixes with Fixes - Cakes, Cookies, Bars & Goodies by Lia Wilson) and marked it to try sometime along with a whole bunch more. I don't often buy lemon cake mixes and especially not one that contain a pudding mix, so I haven't gotten round to trying it. I've been making so many treats with pumpkin, I thought it would be nice to try something different. And I love lemon.

Trying to find a lemon cake mix with pudding was an interesting trip to the grocery store. In all of the different companies offering cake mixes (and there are quite a few), I found only one brand that fit the bill. I have been aware for several years that cake mixes are smaller than they used to be. It seems to be the thing companies do - reduce the size but charge the same. This lemon cake mix with pudding was even smaller at 13.25 ounces.

I was concerned that with removing 1 cup of the smaller cake mix, would mean I wouldn't have enough to cover the bottom. I started to add quick oats and I still think that would have been okay, but decided on coconut at the last minute. It did mean I had to add a little bit extra oil so that the mixture would clump together. It was a fairly thin layer and thought of things I could have done, so I added them in the instructions. As I was writing this I thought about the 2 - quart glass baking dish I have that measures 8 x 12 - inches and realized that would have worked better. The crust wasn't too thin after it baked; it just took some work pressing it out to cover the whole bottom.

The end result was a very delicious lemon coconut bar and they didn't last long in the Cafe at the church. I will definitely consider making them again.

PRINT RECIPE.

LEMON - COCONUT BUTTERMILK BARS

1       (18.25 ounce) lemon cake mix with pudding, divided

1        cup coconut

4        eggs, divided

2 - 3   tablespoons oil

1        cup buttermilk

1/2     cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted

3/4     cup sugar

1        teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 - inch baking pan. Set aside. (You could also use an 8 x 12 - inch baking pan.)

Reserve 1 cup dry cake mix and set aside. Add the coconut to the larger amount of dry cake mix.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining cake mix, 1 cup coconut, 1 egg, and oil; blend well. (If you need to add a little more oil so that all of the cake mix is moistened, do so a little bit at a time.) (My cake mix was only 13.25 ounces, so I added the coconut to replace the dry cake mix I removed.)

Press the cake mix mixture in the bottom of the baking pan.

(It is best if you spread the crumbled mixture over the whole bottom as the crust will be very thin since the cake mix was smaller than what was called for in the recipe. I didn't spread my out enough at first to make this easier to do.)

In a mixing bowl, beat the remaining eggs, buttermilk, butter, sugar, and vanilla until well blended. (I accidentally added the reserved cake mix too and then did my best to spoon it out.)

Slowly add the reserved cake mix and beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth (about 2 minutes.)

Pour the mixture over the batter in the cake pan and

bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned on top.

Cool and cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator overnight if you like.