Frosted Lemon Bars {with Cake Mix}

5 from 1 vote

Frosted Lemon Bars {with Cake Mix}

Dense, moist lemon bars made with a cake mix shortcut and finished with a thick, dreamy cream cheese frosting. A crowd-pleasing dessert that comes together in minutes and is perfect for Easter, Mother's Day, potlucks, or any spring occasion.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword lemon bars from box mix, lemon bars with cake mix

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Cooling Time 2

Total Time 2 45

Servings bars

Calories 250kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Equipment

Jelly roll pan (10 x 15-inches)

Ingredients

For the Bars:

1 (15.25 ounce) box lemon cake mix
1 (22 ounce) can lemon pie filling
4 large eggs
¼ cup vegetable oil

For the Frosting:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons salted butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon milk, plus more as needed

Instructions

Prepare the Bars:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the cake mix, lemon pie filling, eggs, and oil. The batter will be thick but spreadable. A few lumps are fine.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan, all the way to the edges.
Bake for 30-33 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The edges will just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours.

Prepare the Frosting:

In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, butter, and vanilla extract. Mix with an electric mixer until combined. Add 1 teaspoon of milk and continue mixing until smooth and fluffy. If the frosting is too stiff, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
Spread the frosting evenly over the completely cooled bars.
Slice into squares and serve, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Pan size matters: A 10x15-inch jelly roll pan gives the best bar texture. A 9x13-inch pan works but produces thicker, more cake-like bars; add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
Cool completely: Don't frost warm bars. The cream cheese frosting needs fully cooled bars or it will melt and slide off. Allow at least 2 hours of cooling.
Room-temperature ingredients: Soften the cream cheese and butter before making the frosting. Cold ingredients will result in a lumpy frosting.
Frosting consistency: The frosting should be thick and spreadable (not runny). Start with 1 teaspoon of milk and add more only if needed. One teaspoon is usually enough.
Boost the lemon flavor: Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest to the batter for a brighter, more intense lemon flavor.
Make ahead: Bake the bars 1-2 days in advance and store unfrosted at room temperature. Frost just before serving.
Storage: Refrigerate frosted bars in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezing: Freeze unfrosted bars (tightly wrapped) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then frost before serving.
Fun for any occasion: Top with pastel sprinkles for Easter, confetti sprinkles for birthdays, or any festive colors to match the occasion.

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