Blueberry Lemon Bars

If you know me, you know I can't say no to dessert. My sweet tooth loves a baked good! So when two other ladies and I were prepping for a small baby shower several weeks ago, I was happy to volunteer to make the dessert. One request from one of the mamas-to-be (we were showering three expectant gals) for dessert was something that included lemon and blueberry. So to Pinterest I went. Nothing really sparked my imagination, and in the midst of being heavily nauseous and exhausted (welcome to the 7th week of  pregnancy), I just couldn't get my creative wheels turning to come up with an original recipe. 

Fortunately, Shay at Mix and Match Mama posted just what I needed, a recipe for blueberry lemon bars. Not only did they look incredible, but they seemed easy to make. And that's just what this tired self needed! With just a couple of tweaks, the recipe turned out to be just as simple to make as it was to read the ingredients list. And the bars take no time to whip up. Perfect for a planned get together or an impromptu gathering, these bars are perfect for the spring an summer months!

• What You'll Need
• 1 box Duncan Hines white cake mix
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 pint blueberries
• 1 large lemon 
• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (you'll only use 1/2 the can)

• What You'll Do
• Preheat the oven to 350°. Then grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, vegetable oil, and eggs. Stir or blend until smooth. 
• Pour half of the batter into the pan. Using a plastic icing spatula spread the thin layer out completely, making sure there are no holes in the batter. 
• Next, pour your washed blueberries and half the can of sweetened condensed milk into a bowl. Mix well. 
• Zest the entire lemon and add that to the blueberry mixture. Again stir well. Pour this mixture over the first layer of batter. Spread out smoothly. 
• Dollop the remaining batter over top of the blueberry mixture. (See picture below)
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the bars have set in the center. Remove the bars from the oven and let cool for a bit before slicing into them and serving. 

These bars were a HUGE hit at the shower! Not a single one was left and I had a bunch of inquiries for the recipe. If you're looking for a winning dessert that takes little effort, this is it! Happy Thursday!! xo