Josie Priest's Lemon Cake Recipe

I've had this old recipe box since my wedding, almost 27 years now.  It contains recipes, of course, but also memories.  Scads of important-to-me people have contributed to the contents of this box, and it's a trip to go through it and remember the friends, family, numerous recipe swaps, conversations, and circumstances behind the recipes.

Josie Priest was a dear lady, the widow of a former pastor of our church.  When we first started attending twenty-three or so years ago, the church had a carry-in (Northern Indianan for "potluck") for almost every occasion.

At one such event, I was talking to Josie and eating a delightfully lemon-y slice of cake. I remarked to her how delicious it was, and she informed me she had made it and would bring me the recipe the following week.

Well, you know, everyone says they'll give you the recipe, but how many people actually follow through?  I'm sure I'm guilty.  I likely forget by the time I've moved on to talking to the next person!

But not Miss Josie!  She hunted me down the next Sunday until that recipe card was in my hand.  So sweet she was.

She leaned in close, hand sheltering her mouth like she was confiding the deepest of secrets, and whispered, "The recipe is on the back of the cake mix box, but I wrote it out for you."

Was she not precious?

It's the only reason I'm "giving away" her recipe. ;)

So here's the totally easy, completely unhealthy, utterly lemony cake recipe:

Josie Priest's Lemon Cake

1 box lemon cake  (I used Duncan Hines, I think)
4 eggs
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup water
1 package (small) lemon instant pudding

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Mix the cake ingredients and blend 4 minutes.  Bake at 350* for 30 minutes.  Cool 20 minutes.  Prick with fork.  Mix glaze ingredients and spoon over cake.

Note:  I made it in a Bundt pan, had to bake it for about 43 minutes.  I let it cool for ten minutes before removing it from the pan.  Then waited about 15 minutes before pouring the glaze.  It was good, but the glaze didn't soak in well and most of it ended up around the cake, instead of on it.  But if you make it in a 9"x13" then all the glaze would be contained.

To print, copy this page's address and paste here: Print Friendly  (Paste where it says "enter a url.")