White Chocolate Key Lime Cake

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Prep Time: twenty minutes

Total Time: one hour

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
two teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
one stick (8 Tablespoons or 1/2 cup) butter, at room temperature
one cup sugar
two giant eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 teaspoons grated Key lime zest (about three Key limes - zest first, then use them for the juice)
one Tablespoon (one to two Key limes) fresh Key lime juice (see Note)
2/3 cup buttermilk
one cup white chocolate chips
.
Key Lime Glaze:
one cup powdered sugar
1/8 cup (about three Key limes) fresh Key lime juice
Additional powdered sugar (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick foil or grease liberally with butter.

Blend the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a tiny bowl. Set aside.

In a giant mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together with a mixer, beating until blended. Add the eggs, 1-1/2 teaspoons Key lime zest, and one tablespoon Key lime juice.

In to the butter-cream mixture in the giant bowl, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, stirring by hand until combined. Add 1/3 of the buttermilk, stirring until combined. Continue alternating one-third of each until all is mixed well. Fold in white chocolate chips.

Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in middle comes out tidy. Spread Key Lime Glaze (instructions below) evenly over top of the warm cake and cold to room temperature. before serving, cut in to serving pieces, and sift powdered sugar (optional) over the top of the pieces. Serve immediately.

Key Lime Glaze:

While the cake is baking, whisk powdered sugar and 1/8 cup Key lime juice together until combined and smooth. Use to glaze warm cake.

Yield: 24 to 36 servings, depending on cut size

Note: Key limes are about the size of a golf ball and yellow when ripe. The flavor is a bit sweeter and less acidic than Persian limes. In case you cannot find fresh Key limes, bottled Key lime juice is available at most markets. As a last resort, standard Persian limes may be used.