My husband has been talking about this dessert since Thanksgiving of last year. I was overwhelmed with regular Thanksgiving preparations to give this a try then so I finally agreed for his 40th in a couple days that I would make it for him. Can’t wait to taste it!!

Homemade Key Lime Pound Cake w/ Key Lime Cream Cheese Icing! Bakes up dense and moist with plenty of fresh key lime flavor!Course cake, Dessert, pound cakeCuisine American, southernKeyword butter, cream cheese, icing, key lime, lime, pound cakePrep Time 20 minutesCook Time 1 hour 15 minutesTotal Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

CAKE

• 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons key lime zest (zest from about 4-5 key limes)
• 1½ cups unsalted butter softened
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 6 eggs room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lime extract
• 1/4 cup key lime juice (juice from about 4-5 key limes)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

KEY LIME CREAM CHEESE ICING

• 4 oz cream cheese softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup key lime juice (juice from about 4-5 key limes)
• 1/4 cup milk (use enough to make icing pourable)
• 1-2 teaspoons key lime zest (plus more for garnishing if desired) (zest from about 4-5 key limes)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and lightly flour a 9½ inch bundt pan. Set aside.
• In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and key lime zest. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, using low mixer speed cream together butter and sugar just until combined.
• Mix in eggs, one at a time until combine.
• Mix in vanilla and lime extract.
• Mix in key lime juice, sour cream and buttermilk.
• Gradually add dry mixture into wet mixture until batter is fluffy and combined (DO NOT OVER MIX)
• Spoon batter into prepared pan and shake the pan to level it out and remove air bubbles.
• Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes (may need a few extra minutes. I usually underbake slightly to get that perfect moist and velvety texture. Remember cake will continue to cook as it cool)
• Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.
• When pan is cool enough to touch, remove cake from cake pan and allow cake to cool completely on the cooling rack.

MAKE THE GLAZE

• To make the glaze, combine all glaze ingredients until smooth and silky.
• Allow to chill in fridge.
• Just before serving – Drizzle glaze over completely cooled cake and garnish with key lime zest.

Notes

*This pound cake tastes great the first day but even better the next day! If making for a special occasion, make it the day before.

Original recipe available here.

Serves: 36

Ingredients

• 36 pieces HERSHEY’S KISSES Milk Chocolates, wrappers removed
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Food coloring, in desired colors
• Sanding sugar, in desired colors
• 1/3 cup vanilla frosting

Shop Ingredients

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In large bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar until well blended. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla until well blended.
• In separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Mix butter mixture into flour mixture.
• For each color desired, evenly divide dough into separate bowls. In each bowl, mix in food coloring until color is uniform.
• Form 36 1” balls. Roll each ball in matching sugar color; arrange on sheet pan.
• Gently press thumb into balls to form indentation. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool slightly; transfer to wire rack to cool.
• Divide and tint frosting to match cookie colors. In each cookie indentation, place about ½ teaspoon frosting; press chocolate piece into frosting.

Original recipe available here.

Classic Cheesecake with a Gingersnap Cookie Crust and Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients:

•  FOR THE CRUST:
• 2 cups Gingersnap Crumbs
• 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1 pinch Fine Sea Salt

•  FOR THE FILLING:
• 24 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, At Room Temperature
• 1-1/4 cup Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
• 4 Eggs At Room Temperature
• 2 teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 12 ounces, fluid Greek Yogurt (2%% Or Full Fat), At Room Temperature

• FOR THE RASPBERRY SUACE:
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 12 oz frozen raspberries thawed
• Fresh raspberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Wrap 3 layers of foil around the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. 

In a blender or food processor, pulse the crust ingredients together until combined. Press into the bottom of the springform pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven onto a cooling rack. 

Reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed until no lumps remain. Add in the sugar and salt; continue mixing on low until the ingredients are incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. 

Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until fully incorporated. Continue scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Keeping the mixer on low speed, add in the lemon juice, vanilla, and Greek yogurt. (Stir the yogurt first if it has separated while coming to room temperature.) Mix just until combined. 

Pour the filling into the pan and place it into a large roasting pan. Place the pan into the oven and quickly pour hot water into the roasting pan so that it comes up about 1 inch up the foil-wrapped springform pan. 

Bake for 55–70 minutes or until the cheesecake is set on the sides and just jiggles a bit in the center when the pan is shaken. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place back in the warm oven. Turn the oven off and crack the oven door. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour. 

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and run a thin knife along the edge of the pan. Let the cheesecake continue to cool to room temperature. Place in the refrigerator for several hours to chill completely. 

For Raspberry Sauce:

• In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch, water, and sugar.
• Add raspberries and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
• Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Sauce can be served warm or chilled.
• Slice the cheesecake, add raspberries, sauce, and rosemary sprigs for garnish. Enjoy!

Original cheesecake recipe available here and original raspberry sauce recipe available here.

Ingredients:

Filling

3 large apples, peeled, coarsely chopped (about 3 cups) 

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 cup cold butter or margarine, cut into small pieces

Topping

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ oatmeal cookie mix

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300°F. Spray bottom and sides of 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, toss filling ingredients. Spread mixture in baking dish.

• In same large bowl, stir cookie mix and melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling.

• Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with pecans. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until topping is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Best enjoyed with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Original recipe available here.

*Sub with gluten free or non-dairy ingredients and still SUPER yummy. I used vegan non-dairy butter and gluten free oatmeal cookie mix. yum!