Lemon-Raspberry Cream Bars

By kscribner

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 2 hours 10 min
Makes: 48 bars

Lemon bars are a breeze to make when cake mix gives you a jumpstart. Raspberry preserves and cream cheese bump up the yum factor.

Ingredients

• 1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® lemon cake mix
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup raspberry preserves
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 12 oz white chocolate baking bars, chopped
• 2 to 3 teaspoons powdered sugar

Details

Servings 48
Adapted from bettycrocker.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat oven 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of 15x10x1-inch pan with shortening.

2. In large bowl, mix cake mix, butter and eggs with spoon until well blended. With greased or floured fingers, press evenly in pan.

3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown and crust begins to pull away from sides of pan or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Spread evenly with preserves. Cool 30 minutes.

4. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and milk with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth; set aside.

5. In 1-quart saucepan, melt white chocolate over low heat, stirring frequently. Add warm melted white chocolate to cream cheese mixture; beat on medium speed until creamy (mixture may look slightly curdled). Carefully spread over preserves. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until set.

6. Sprinkle powdered sugar over top. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Success
Don't be tempted to use reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel) instead of regular cream cheese. The white chocolate-cream cheese filling may not get firm enough, even when refrigerated.

Variation
For Lemon-Strawberry Cream Bars, use strawberry preserves instead of the raspberry.

Special Touch
Present these pretty spring bars on a cake pedestal decorated with fresh raspberries and mint leaves.