Blueberry Lime Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Based on the success of my last cream cheese pound cake, I strengthened my resolve to make this one, a blueberry lime cake that I've had bookmarked forever. The cake is quite similar to the earlier one except that it is perfumed with delicate, floral lime zest and bursting with teeny blueberries.
The batter is thick and sturdy the way pound cake batter should be. You can see the baking powder in action almost as soon as the batter mixes. It bakes up easily in an hour, and after it cools, if you can wait that long, it gets drizzled with a simple lime glaze that roll down the cake in a zigzag pattern, gussying up cake that otherwise slightly resembles a giant blueberry doughnut. This is the kind of comforting rainy day cake that reminds you that just because it's November doesn't mean you can't eat likes it's still summer, which by the way, I'm sure it still is summer somewhere in the world.



Blueberry Lime Cream Cheese Pound Cake
makes 1 12-inch bundt cake
serves between 12 and 16th

for the cake:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
  
• 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
• 8-oz cream cheese, softened
• 4 large eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 2-1/2 cups room-temperature blueberries, washed and drained on paper towels

for the glaze:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, or more if needed

1. Position a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 12 cup bundt pan.
2. Make the cake: sift the flour, baking powder, salt, into a medium bowl. stir the sugar with the lime zest until zest is evenly dispersed and perfumes the sugar.
3. With a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth, about 1 minute. add the lime sugar mixture an beat on medium until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. With the mixer sill running, add the whole eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. beat in the egg yolk. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture. Stop the mixer one last time to scrape the bowl and then beat at medium speed until the batter is smooth and light, about20 seconds. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the blueberries into the batter.
   
4. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan,spreading it evenly with the spatula. Run a knife through the batter or tap the pan lightly to eliminate any air pockets. bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean, 50-55 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes and then invert onto the rack, remove the pan and let cool completely.
5. To glaze the cake: In a spouted measuring cup, whisk the icing sugar with the lime juice until smooth. the glaze should be thin enough to pour. If not, add more lime juice, 1 teaspoon at a time. Put a baking sheet under the rack to catch drips and drizzle the glaze over tops and sides of the cake. Let the glaze set fully before transferring to a cake plate and serving.

adapted from: Fine Cooking magazine

Mojito Cakelets

These cakes came about a bit randomly. I invited a friend over for dinner, and wanted a nice dessert because baking is my thing and I have a reputation to uphold. I have also been having a lot of cocktail parties and playing DIY mixologist, so cocktails have been on the mind, as such I have a fridge full of limes, a bottle of rum, some fresh mint from a salad-making spree and a hankering for cupcakes. With booze in them, natch.
I started out with a recipe for margarita cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World, because I love their vanilla cupcake recipe and this one followed the same formula. I used dark rum instead of tequila and I added a tablespoon of fresh mint. I was most nervous about the mint because I was worried about having lots of big green bits in my cupcakes, but I chopped it quite fine, and it's sweet herbaceous flavour was a subtle and refreshingly cool complement to the stronger rum and lime notes in the cupcake. The entire cake gets topped with a simple icing sugar glaze made with the juice and zest of a lime as well as another healthy glug of dark rum.These cupcakes are super bright and refreshing. They bring to mind sunshiney days and sunny afternoons with cool breezes sitting on the porch. I have no porch but they will definitely be making there way to summer picnics in the near future.



Mojito Cakelets
makes 4 7-0z ramekin cakes
vegan
time: 1 hour

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1-1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
• 1 cup soy milk
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Mojito glaze:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• finely grated zest of one lime
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• fresh mint leaves to garnish cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees f. Line muffin pans with cupcake liners or grease 4 7-0z ramekins .
2. In a large bowl, beat together lime juice and zest, soymilk, canola oil, rum, vanilla, mint and sugar. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, powder and salt. Fold dry mixture into wet mixture, whisking until no lumps remain.
3. For cupcakes: fill liners 3/4 of the way full and bake for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick or knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. If using ramekins: fill 3/4s of the way full and bake for 25-35 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
4. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool at least 10 minutes before removing from pans. let cool completely before glazing with mojito glaze.
5. To make the glaze. Stir together all ingredients until of a drizzling consistency. Spoon over tops of cakelets and let run down the sides. While still wet, garnish cupcakes with fresh mint leaves, using the glaze to adhere the leaves.

Loosely adapted from: Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World

Key Lime White Chocolate Pie

This is not a traditional key lime pie. Instead, it takes the elements of one: the graham crust, the condensed milk, the limes, and adds white chocolate and cream cheese to make a super-creamy pie. This is a refreshing hybrid of classic cheesecake and key lime pie. this is really a no- bake cheesecake all dressed up. this is it's other benefit over the original-no baking. You wont need to touch an oven unless you make the crust as I did.


This pie has an incredibly light soft mousse-like texture. The white chocolate and cream cheese help the filling to firm up in the fridge. White chocolate plays well with fruits because its creaminess balances the acidity of the lime. It also adds a hint of vanilla and a velvety mouthfeel to the key lime mousse.
This is a great summertime dessert for those sweltering days when you need a dessert but can't bear to hover over a hot stove.

White Chocolate Key lime pie

Dairy

Time: 30 minutes

Makes one 9-inch pie plus had some filling leftover.

Crust

• 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons melted butter

1. Preheat oven to #50 degrees f. In a small bowl stir together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Drizzle in the melted butter and stir with a fork until all crumbs are moistened.
2. Pour moistened crumbs into a 9-inch pie plate and pat down, building up sides of pie-crust. Bake for 10-12 minutes in 350 degree oven or until golden.

Filling

• 1 package (8-oz) cream cheese, softened slightly
• 1 can (14-oz) sweetened condensed milk (about 1-1/3 cups)
• 3 oz white chocolate, melted
• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest (from about one lime)
• ¾ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 8 limes depending on juiciness)

1. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Pulse until pureed and smooth. Add melted white chocolate, pulsing until smooth. Add lime juice and pulse again until smooth and creamy. Stir in lime zest.
2. Spread lime mixture in cooled pie shell, smoothing top. Refrigerate pie for 3-4 hours or until firm.
3. If desired, decorate with sweetened whipped cream and white chocolate curls.

Adapted from: 300 Best Chocolate Recipes by Julie Hasson

Key Lime Pie

One of my favourite pies to make and eat is key lime pie. The rich, citrusy pie is cool, refreshing, tart and summery, and they are very simple to prepare. The only ingredients in a traditional key lime pie are the lime juice, zest, eggs and condensed milk, plus a very simple graham crust.
This version of the classic pie is the from The Joy of Cooking. This recipe also makes one of the best graham cracker crust recipes I've tried, so it is worth the extra ten minutes it takes to bake it.
I made the filling using key limes, which I was excited to find at the grocery store, having never seen them before. Key limes are the teeniest, cutest little limes ever, I cannot resist tiny cute things so I had to bring them home with me. They may be cute but they are not easy to juice and zest, it took at least 12 of the little fruits to yield the juice for this pie, but oh the results were worth it.

Key Lime Pie

Dairy

Makes one 9-inch pie

Time: 1 hour

Graham cracker crust:

• 1-1/2 cups fine graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled.

Lime filling

• One 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• ½ cup key lime juice
• 3-4 teaspoons grated lime zest

1. For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a bowl, stirring to combine. Add melted butter and stir to until graham crumbs are moistened.
2. Press the crumbs into a 9-inch pie plate, distributing crumbs evenly and building up crust.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes until golden. Let cool before proceeding with the filling.
4. For the filling: Whisk together the condensed milk, egg yolks, lime juice, and lime zest until well-blended.
5. Pour the filling into the piecrust, and bake 15-17 minutes until the centre looks set but quivers when the pan is jiggled. Let cool completely on a rack, then refrigerate for up to one day. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

From: Joy of Cooking 2007

Coconut Lime Curd Scrolls

This summer, I made quite a lot of lime curd to use in tarts and cupcakes, I usually keep lime or lemon curd in the freezer to use for last minute tart recipes or on scones.
This recipe is adapted from Baking Bites and seemed like a good way to use up odd amounts of lime curd, my change was to use homemade lime curd instead of lemon.
These were nice, I think would add a bit more curd next time, the scrolls could have been tarter and I think the lime curd was spread a little thin in spots. Some pinwheels were limier than others (I had to eat them all to discover this, you see), but in general, these were a good scone, pretty, pinwheel, need no embellishment. The scroll dough was a nice basic scone type dough, and next time I plan to try the nutella version. These spirally scones were toasty on the outside tender in centre, good with fresh berries for brunch or breakfast.
The best part is eating them warm from the oven when the coconut gets toasted and crunchy, while the scone stays tender.


Coconut Lime Curd Scrolls
this recipe was adapted from baking bites.com my only change was to use my homemade lime curd in place of lemon curd.

Dairy
time: 40 minutes
makes 12-14 scrolls

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter, cold and cut into pieces
• 1 1/4 cups milk, cold
• 1/2 cup lime or lemon curd, homemade or storebought
  
• 3/4 - 1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Rub in butter using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. The largest should be about the size of a large pea. Alternatively, you can combine these ingredients in a food processor and pulse to achieve crumbs, then transfer to a large bowl.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in cold milk, gradually stirring with a butter knife or a fork until a soft dough forms.
Sprinkle dough with flour and turn out onto a lightly-floured surface. Knead lightly until smooth, then roll out to a 12×14 inch rectangle. If dough gets too soft or sticky, even with the extra flour, put in fridge to chill for 15 minutes.
Spread lemon curd over dough, leaving a 2cm border along the longer edges, but going all the way to the end of the short edges of the rectangle. Sprinkle coconut generously over the lemon curd.
Starting with a long end, roll up dough in a jelly-roll fashion. Using a sharp, serrated knife to gently cut the roll into about 12 even slices. Use a damp paper towel in between slices to keep knife clean and press gently to avoid squishing the roll. Lay scrolls flat on prepared baking sheet, allowing about 1 inch or so between each.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until scroll are light gold. Stand for 5 minutes on tray before gently pulling apart. Serve warm.

Lime curd

Dairy

Makes: about 1/2 cup lime curd

Time including chilling: 50 minutes

Active time: 8 minutes

• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lime rind
• ¼ cup key lime or lime juice ( about 1-1/2 regular limes)
• ¼ sweetened condensed milk

1. In heatproof bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolk, sugar, lime rind, and lime juice; cook over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until thick enough to mound on a spoon, about 8 minutes.
2. Strain through a sieve into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface; refrigerate until cold, about 45 minute. Stir in condensed milk.

Adapted from Canadian Living June 2009

Lime Meltaways

Summer's almost over, it seems so odd that there is Halloween stuff in the stores already and pumpkins in a big crate outside the grocery store. Sure it's September, and I do love fall , but it all seems a little pre-emptive. I mean the leaves haven't even changed yet! Ok, so the air has become a bit colder, but I haven't quite got that distinctly fall feeling yet, maybe in a few weeks I'll start craving pumpkins, spices and cranberries.
Anyways, to hang on to the warm weather for a bit longer I wanted a cookie that was rereshing and citrusy. these lime shortbread meltaways seemed like a good experiment. I rarely make meltaway style cookies but I do love them. These lime flavoured cookies from martha stewart 's cookie book are a good adaptation of the lassic cookie. they are very simple, eggless shortbtread, liberally flavoured with vanilla and lime zest. the dough is rolled into logs and refrigerated till firm, and then sliced into the teeniest little coins and baked. No shaping required!
The warm cookies are then rolled in powdered sugar to give them that melting quality when you bite into them. These cookies are nice. They are refreshing, zesty and a nice sweet treat while the weather is still warm.


Lime Meltaways
makes about 3 dozen
dairy
time: 2 hours including chilling time

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• Finely grated zest of 2 limes
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1. Put butter and 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add lime zest and juice and vanilla, and mix until fluffy.
2. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Add to butter mixture, and mix on low speed until just combined.
3. Divide dough in half. Place each half on an 8-by-12-inch sheet of parchment paper. Roll in parchment to form a log 1 1/4 inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along edge of parchment at each turn to narrow log. Refrigerate logs until cold and firm, at least 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove parchment from logs; cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Space rounds 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies until barely golden, about 13 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. While still warm, toss cookies with remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a resealable plastic bag. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

From Martha Stewart Show, March 2008