Lively Lime Sponge Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In small saucepan, heat lime juice and water until bubbles form around edge of pan.
• Remove from heat; set aside.
• Sift flour with baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In small bowl of electric mixer, at high speed, beat eggs until thick and light yellow.
• Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is smooth and well blended, about 5 minutes(it will get thicker when you add sugar).
• At low speed, blend in flour mixture just until smooth.
• Add lime juice/water and lime zest, beating just mixed.
• Pour batter right away into ungreased 9 inch angel food cake pan.
• Bake 30 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Trace edges of pan with a knife and turn pan over onto serving plate; let cool completely.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Sift flour and salt; set aside. , In a large bowl, beat yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Blend in water and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to yolk mixture; mix well. , In another bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Fold a fourth of egg whites into the batter, then fold in remaining whites., Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on the lowest oven rack until cake springs back when lightly touched, 55-60 minutes. Immediately invert the pan; cool completely. , Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate. If desired, serve with ice cream topping.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together flour and 1/3 cup sugar; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, beat egg YOLKS with an electric mixer on high speed for about 6 minutes until thick and lemon-colored or until yolks flow from the beaters in a thick stream when the beaters are lifted. Add lime juice and water. Beat on low speed about 30 second or until combined. Gradually add the 2/3 c sugar, beating on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until sugar is ALMOST dissolved.
• Gradually add 1/4 of flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture, beating on low to medium speed just until moistened. Repeat, beating in the remaining flour mixture by fourths. Stir in shredded lime peel.
• Thoroughly wash beaters. No salmonella for you.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat egg WHITES and cream of tartar on medium to high speed until soft peaks form (when the tips curl). Gradually add the 1/2 cup sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on medium to high speed until stiff peaks form (when tips stand straight up).
• Fold about 1 cup of the egg WHITE mixture into the egg YOLK mixture.
• Then fold all of the egg YOLK mixture into the remaining egg WHITE mixture.
• Gently pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 1 hour or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert cake pan onto a glass or onto a baking sheet; completely cool. Using a narrow metal spatula, loosen sides of cake from pan. Then remove cake from pan.
• If desired, for a whipped cream topping, in a medium mixing bowl, beat whipping cream and 2 tablespoons sugar until stiff peaks form. Pipe on top of cake.
• If desired, garnish cake with lime slices.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line the base of two 20cm sandwich tins with baking parchment. Beat the butter and sugar together for 3 mins using an electric whisk until smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Fold in the flour and baking powder until well incorporated, then fold in the yogurt, vanilla and lemon zest. Divide between the tins and bake for 30-35 mins until golden and a skewer inserted into the middles comes out clean.
• Meanwhile, make the drizzle. Tip the sugar, lemon juice and 100ml water into a small pan set over a medium heat and stir until dissolved. Add the lemon zest, bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 mins until the zest has softened and the liquid is syrupy. Remove the zest to a sheet of baking parchment using a slotted spoon, and remove the syrup from the heat.
• Leave the sponges to cool for 10 mins in the tins, then pour over the warm drizzle. Leave to cool completely.
• For the icing, beat the butter and icing sugar together using an electric whisk for 4-5 mins until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. Add the vanilla and soft cheese and beat for 4 mins more until thick and creamy. Don't worry if it doesn't look thick at first - it will loosen, then thicken again as you beat it.
• Remove the cooled sponges from the tins. Spoon the icing into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Put one sponge on a cake stand or serving plate, and pipe just under half the icing around the edge using a circular motion for a wavy effect. Pipe a little more icing over the empty middle (this doesn't need to be neat) and smooth with the back of a spoon. Chill for 45 mins-1 hr until set. Top with the second sponge, then pipe eight blobs of icing around the edge at regular intervals, leaving a gap between each. Spoon the candied lemon zest into each gap, then serve.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Butter a deep, loose-bottomed, 18cm cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.
• Beat the butter and caster sugar together with an electric whisk until fluffy and pale in colour. Crack the eggs in one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in the lemon zest. Fold in the flour, baking powder and ½ tsp salt, then fold in the yogurt.
• Spoon the mixture into the lined tin, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake in the centre of the oven for 50-55 mins, or until golden brown on top and firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Will keep in an airtight container for up to four days, or in the freezer for up to a month.
• When you're ready to decorate, sieve the icing sugar into a bowl and beat in enough of the lemon juice to create a thick icing. Set the cake on a serving plate or cake stand, then spoon over the icing, allowing it to drip down the sides a little. Top with the lemon zest or candied peel, if using (see below), and cut into generous wedges to serve.
• To make candied lemon peel, peel large, wide strips from the lemons using a vegetable peeler. Remove any pith with a knife, then julienne the peel into very thin matchsticks. Tip the granulated sugar into a saucepan with 200ml water and set over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the lemon peel and simmer gently for 15 mins, then scoop the peel out using a slotted spoon and set on a piece of kitchen paper to cool. Use to decorate the top of your cake.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, butter and line the base of two 20cm spring-form cake tins with baking parchment.
• Using an electric whisk beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Crack the eggs in one at a time and whisk well, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the lemon zest, vanilla, flour, milk and a pinch of salt. Whisk until just combined then divide the mixture between the two tins.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 25-30 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean. After 10 mins remove the cakes from their tins and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Fill how you like. My personal favourite is a good dollop of lemon curd and some fresh cream, then dust the top with icing sugar. Will keep for 3 days.