Key Lime Poke Cake

It was a drab February day and I had a couple of limes hanging out in the fridge...... Wham! Summer! This cake is bright and fresh and SO, SO, SO good! 

Cake Ingredients:

2 2/3 cup cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

12 Tbs whole milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

12 Tbs butter

Zest from 3 limes

2 cups sugar

Juice from 3 limes

12 large egg whites

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Cake Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.

1) Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, stir the milk and vanilla extracts together.

2) In a large bowl, using the electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar and zest until smoothy blended and lightened in color (about 2 minutes). Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.  

3) On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating until each addition is incorporated before adding the next.  Mix in the lime juice.

4) In another large bowl, using clean beater, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on low speed until the whites are foamy and the cream of tartar dissolves (about 1 minute). Beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Use a rubber spatula to fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining whites until no streaks of egg white remain.

5) Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 35 + min or until wooden pick comes out clean. While cake is baking prepare the vanilla sauce.

Vanilla Sauce Ingredients:

12 Tbs butter

2 Tbs flour

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla 

1/3 cup sugar

Vanilla Sauce Directions:

1) Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium low heat and add flour. Stir for about 5 min or until the there is a nice nutty aroma but make sure not to brown it. Add salt, cream and sugar and stir until sauce becomes thick. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

2) Poke small holes all over the top of the cake and pour on the sauce while the cake and sauce is still warm.

Top with sweetened whipped cream, lime zest, and crushed graham crackers.