Key Lime Pound Cake

OMG, good!


Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 45 Minutes

Cake:
•3 Cups all-purpose flour
•½ Tsp. baking powder
•1 Cup butter
•½ Cup margarine or shortening
•2½ Cups granulated sugar
•5 Large eggs
•½ Cup milk
•½ Cup key lime juice

Topping:
•½ Cup granulated sugar
•3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
•3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, cut into cubes

Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar with your stand mixer. Add the eggs one at a time. Whip this mixture for about 5 minutes, until it's really fluffy and smooth. Combine the lime juice and milk in a liquid measuring cup and add to the butter mixture, alternating with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Spread evenly into two loaf pans. Place the loaves in the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325°. Bake for 1 hour. In the meantime, in a small bowl combine the topping ingredients with your fingers, a food processor, or a pastry cutter. The mixture should be combined, but in coarse chunks. After the 1 hour of baking, remove the loaves from the oven and spread the topping evenly between them. Place them back in the oven for about 30 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely before storing.

Key Lime Squares

A tart, delicate dessert, perfect with afternoon tea.

Yield: 24 Squares
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 55 Minutes

Crust:
•1 Cup all-purpose flour
•⅓ Cup granulated sugar
•6 Tbsp. fat, cut into small cubes (I use ½ margarine and ½ shortening, but you can also use butter)

Filling:
•1 Cup demerara cane sugar
•⅔ Cup key lime juice
•3 Large eggs
•¼ Cup all-purpose flour

Topping:
•2 Tbsp. demerara cane sugar

Start with the crust. Combine all the ingredients for the crust in your food processor and pulse until everything is evenly combined. It should be like a handful of sand. Press the mixture evenly into a parchment lined ¼ sheet pan, and bake in a 325° oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce the oven temperature to 300°.

In the meantime, prepare your filling. Whisk together all of the filling ingredients, and pour over the hot crust. Put it back in the oven for 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes the sprinkle over topping of cane sugar. You can lightly press in the topping. Cool completely before serving or storing.

☼Please keep in mind that your end result should only be about ¼ of an inch thick, not like a typical "Lemon Bar".