Key Lime Cake

Key Lime Cake!

Birthday cakes rarely get "glamour shots" in our house because we're too busy celebrating to be taking pictures of what we're eating!  However, my sister got a shot of this most delicious key lime cake.  It was my grandmother's 88th birthday, and she loves key lime sweets.  I was inspired by her favorite candy--key lime truffles at See's Candies.

For this cake, I made a three layered vanilla cake with key lime curd filling and whipped cream frosting. The cake was moist--the key lime curd light and refreshing!  I would definitely make this again...maybe for Grandma's 89th?...I don't think I can wait a year! :)

From one hearty appletite to another... happy baking!

Vanilla Cake
1 1/4 cups butter, softened
4 eggs
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 7/8 cups milk

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.  Grease and heavily flour three 8x1.5 - inch round cake pans.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Gradually add sugar, beating on medium speed until well combines and scraping sides of bowl.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes more.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition (about 1 minute total).  Beat in vanilla.  Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.  Spread batter into prepared pans.

Bake in a 375 degrees oven for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean.  Cool layers in pans for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool thoroughly.

Key Lime Curd
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons finely shredded lime peel
3 tablespoons key lime juice
3 tablespoons water
3 beaten egg yolks
1/4 cup butter, cut up

In a medium saucepan stir together sugar and cornstarch.  Stir in lim peel, lime juice, and water.  Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.  Stir half of the lime mixture into egg yolks.  Return the egg yolk mixture to the saucepan.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a gentle boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat and add butter.  Stir and cover.  Cool at least one hour before using.

Whipped Cream Frosting
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat whipping cream, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.

To assemble, lay down first vanilla cake and top with half of the key lime curd.  Stack second cake on the curd, and top with the remaining curd.  Add third cake and top with whipped cream frosting.  Garnish with additional lime zest, if desired.  Keep assembled cake refrigerated until time to serve.  Will keep for up to 24 hours, if you don't eat it before then!