Cream Cheese Lemon Bars

Source: RecipeTips.com (via pinterest)

Ingredients

• 1 box lemon cake mix
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine - softened
• 1 egg
• 8 ounces cream cheese - softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 lemon - grated
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice or 1/2 fresh squeezed lemon
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

• In a mixing bowl, blend dry cake mix, butter, and 1 egg.
• Press into a 9 x 13 pan, ungreased.
• Beat the cream cheese until smooth.
• Gradually blend in the powdered sugar.
• Stir in lemon peel and lemon juice until smooth.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of this mixture and refrigerate it for later use.
• Beat the remaining 2 eggs, add the vanilla, and then beat this mixture into the remaining cream cheese mixture until well blended.
• Spread over the cake mixture.
• Bake at 350° until set, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool completely.
• Spread the reserved cream cheese mixture onto the bars.
• Refrigerate until firm; then cut into squares and serve.

Notes

• I made these when I was in a pinch for a new dessert last week and they were fantastic! A happy medium between lemon cake, cheesecake, and lemon bars. Yum!