Pioneer Woman Key Lime Cake Recipes

KEY LIME CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease and flour one 9-by-12-by-2-inch cake pan.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix the gelatin, granulated sugar, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir to mix well. Add the oil, orange juice, lemon juice, vanilla, and eggs. Mix until well combined. Pour the batter evenly in the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Test for doneness by lightly touching the tops or inserting a toothpick. Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack.
• For the glaze: While the cake is still hot, mix the lime juice and confectioners' sugar together well. Pierce the cake with a fork to allow the glaze to soak in better and pour it over the cake on the cooling rack. Allow cake to cool completely as you prepare the icing.
• For the icing: Cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in the confectioners' sugar until mixture is smooth and easy to spread. Spread the icing on the top and sides of the cake.

CLASSIC KEY LIME PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 ̊. For the crust: Combine the graham crackers and granulated sugar in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. Pour in the melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are well coated and stick together when pinched. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until just set, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• For the filling: Whisk the egg yolks, condensed milk, lime juice and lime zest in a medium bowl until combined. Pour the filling into the crust and bake until the center is set but still slightly jiggly, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
• Before serving, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Spread on the pie and garnish with lime zest.

KEY LIME CAKE III

Steps:

• Combine cake mix, gelatin mix, oil, eggs and orange juice. Pour into three 8 inch cake pans. Bake according to instructions on box. Allow to cool, then frost.
• To make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add lime juice and confectioners sugar. Mix well.

KEY LIME CAKES IN A JAR

Steps:

• For the cakes: Preheat the oven to 350 ̊. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on high speed until fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for a few more seconds. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk; mix for a few seconds on medium speed after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then mix a final time.
• Divide the batter among the muffin cups and bake until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan on a rack, then remove the cupcakes to the rack to cool completely. Remove the wrappers.
• For the lime syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the lime zest and juice and let cool completely.
• For the lime filling: Beat the heavy cream with 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Set the whipped cream aside. Put the cream cheese, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the lime zest in a separate bowl and beat with the mixer on medium speed until smooth and light, about 2 minutes. Add the condensed milk and lime juice and beat on low speed just until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped cream.
• To assemble, slice the cupcakes in half horizontally and place a bottom piece in each of twelve 8-ounce mason jars. Spoon half the lime syrup over the cakes. Spoon the lime filling into the jars and top with the remaining cupcake pieces. Spoon the remaining syrup over the cakes. Top with the remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Garnish with the macadamia nuts and lime slices before serving.

KEY LIME CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the lime curd: Combine the granulated sugar, egg and egg yolk, lime juice and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking, until thick enough to coat a spoon, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, a little at a time, until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then stir in the lime zest and salt. Set in a larger bowl of ice and stir until the curd is completely cool. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface; refrigerate until ready to use.
• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners. Pulse the wafer cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Melt 2 tablespoons butter; add to the processor and pulse until the mixture comes together. Press about 1 tablespoon crumbs into each muffin cup.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. Combine the remaining 10 tablespoons butter and the granulated sugar in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low; beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla, lime zest and juice and beat until well combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Increase the speed to medium high and mix until combined.
• Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters of the way. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Remove to a rack; let cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the confectioners' sugar. Increase the speed to medium high; add the sour cream, lime juice and salt and beat until fluffy, 2 more minutes.
• Place the lime curd in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch tip. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake and squeeze to fill. Frost the cupcakes, then pipe more lime curd on top. Top with lime slices and zest.
• Cook's Note: Key limes are smaller and more tart than regular limes. If you can't find them, look for bottled Key lime juice and use regular lime zest.

LEMON-LIME POUND CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the granulated sugar and butter. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Combine the flour and salt in a small bowl, then add it to the butter-sugar mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. With the mixer on low, slowly add the lemon-lime soda and mix until combined. Add the lemon and lime zests and mix. Scrape the bowl and mix again.
• Thoroughly spray a Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray. Add large spoonfuls of batter to the pan until filled, then even out the surface. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes (a toothpick inserted in the center should not come out totally clean, but it shouldn't be wet with batter either). Let the cake sit in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a cake plate and let it cool.
• For the glaze: Combine the powdered sugar, lemon zest and juice, lime zest and juice, salt and about 1 tablespoon water in a bowl and gently whisk until thick but pourable; add a little extra water if needed. Use a large spoon to drizzle the glaze all over the cake. Sprinkle over more zest to decorate. Let the glaze set before serving.
• Whip the heavy cream and granulated sugar together in a large bowl until it forms soft peaks. Slice the cake and serve with the whipped cream and berries!

BLACK AND WHITE KEY LIME CAKE POPS

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-12-by-2-inch cake pan with parchment, then grease and flour.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix the gelatin, granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the orange juice, vegetable oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla and eggs. Mix well until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth, then beat in the lime juice. Beat in the confectioners' sugar until the mixture is smooth and easy to spread.
• To form the cake pops: Break up the cake into small pieces and place in a bowl. Add the frosting and mix very well with your hands to completely distribute the frosting. Line 2 small baking pans with parchment. Roll the cake mixture into about 46 tight balls, a little smaller than Ping-Pong balls, arranging them on the prepared baking pans. Freeze the balls on the pans until firm, about 30 minutes.
• For the coating: Put about 1/4 cup of the candy melting wafers in a small-microwave safe bowl and melt according to package directions. Dip the tip of 6-inch treat sticks in the melted candy and then insert one into each cake ball. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Melt the rest of the candy melting wafers in a large bowl. Dip the balls in the candy to coat completely, letting the excess drip off; stick the pops into two 12-by-6-inch Styrofoam block. Freeze or refrigerate the pops until set.
• Put the chocolate and coconut oil in a wide, shallow microwave-safe bowl and microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted. Dip one side of the cake balls into the chocolate so that they are half white and half black. Return to the Styrofoam blocks and freeze or refrigerate until set.

KEY LIME PIE CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 ̊. Place a 9-by-13-inch baking pan of hot water on the bottom oven rack. For the crust: Line a second 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Pour in the butter and pulse until the crumbs are well coated and stick together when pinched. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
• For the filling: Beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, lime juice and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and light, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the sour cream and beat until just incorporated, 1 minute.
• Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the surface. Bake until the center is just set but still slightly jiggly, about 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the bars in the oven with the door closed for 10 minutes. Open the door halfway and leave the bars in the oven until firmly set around the edges and barely jiggly in the center, about 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
• When ready to serve, remove the bars from the pan and peel off the foil. Cut into pieces and generously dust with powdered sugar.

KEY LIME PIE CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a 9-by-13-inch baking pan of hot water on the bottom oven rack.
• Line a second 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang around the edges, and coat with cooking spray. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Pour in the butter and pulse until the crumbs are well coated and stick together when pinched. Press evenly into the bottom of the foil-lined pan.
• For the filling: Add the cream cheese, granulated sugar, sour cream, lime juice, vanilla and eggs to the food processor (no need to clean it first). Process until smooth, using a spatula to scrape the sides as needed.
• Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the surface. Bake on the center rack until the center is just set but slightly jiggly, about 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the pan in the oven with the door closed for 10 minutes. Open the door halfway and leave the pan in the oven until the cheesecake is firmly set around the edges and very slightly jiggly in the center, about 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
• When ready to serve, lift the cheesecake out of the pan using the foil overhang. Cut into 12 large pieces (or 24 small pieces if preferred) and place on a serving platter. Generously dust with powdered sugar and grate over lime zest.