A classic pound cake recipe is enhanced by the zest and juice of the Tahitian lime, the principal lime of the supermarket. When buying limes for the cake, look for firm, shiny fruit without spots and feel heavy in the hand. Limes that have thinner skin usually have more juice. Store limes in the refrigerator in a closed plastic bag. To retain the vitamin C in a cut lime, tightly wrap in plastic and refrigerate. The zest of the lime is essential for the jolt of lime flavor in this pound cake as it has a high concentration of citrus oil which permeates the entire cake. Removing the zest is easy with a zester tool available at most kitchen shops. When using the zester tool, avoid the white pith, which is bitter.
A British creation, the original pound cake contained a pound each of butter, sugar and flour. Without leavening, the first pound cakes were very dense. As the cake recipe evolved, baking powder or soda was used with different proportions of the main ingredients to lighten up the cake. In order to produce a light fine crumb cake, all ingredients must be at room temperature. Brush the lime glaze over the cake when warm and let cool completely. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand overnight so that the glaze has time to soak into the cake. Serves 10. Adapted from Miami Spice by Steven Raichlen
Tahitian Lime Glazed Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 Tahitian limes, zested
Glaze
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 3/4 cup sugar
How to Make the Tahitian Lime Glazed Pound Cake
- Preheat a oven to 350 degrees F. Place a oven rack one third up from the bottom of the oven. Butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter until soft. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl with a spatula after each addition.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and alternately add the sifted dry ingredients with the milk, scraping bowl as necessary.
- Stir in the lime zest. Pour batter in prepared tube pan.
- Bake cake about 1-1/2 hours or until tester inserted into cake comes out clean. Let cool on rack for 10-15 minutes. While cake is cooling, prepare glaze.
- For the glaze: In a medium bowl, stir in lime juice and sugar.
- Carefully remove cake from pan and invert onto a cake rack placed over a large sheet of foil.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the entire cake with the glaze, until completely absorbed. Let cake cool completely overnight loosely covered with plastic wrap.
Patricia Daley - Patricia, also known as Lynne,has spent many years cooking and enjoying photography, but it's just been in the last few years that the two ...
