Key Lime Pound Cake

 A  few weeks ago, I found this delicious Key Lime Pound Cake while scrolling on Facebook.
Many thanks to the author of The Irreverent Kitchen for sharing this dairy packed recipe!

From the reviews of family and friends, I'm adding this to my cake recipe collection!


Key Lime Pound Cake with Key Lime Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:
4 sticks butter, room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs, room temperature                                                         
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fresh key lime juice
1/4 cup evaporated milk
4 teaspoons key lime zest,minced
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Cover inside of 10 inch tube pan with non-stick spray.
Beat butter with stand-up or electric hand-held mixer until light in color and fluffy.
One at a time, add the eggs and beat only until yellow disappears.
Stir juice, milk,zest and vanilla together.
Now mixing by hand, gradually add flour to the butter egg mixture alternating with the key lime juice
and milk mixture. Begin and end with flour. Mix well but just enough to incorporate all ingredients.
Pour evenly into the tube pan and tap pan on the counter to loosen any air bubbles.
Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
cool on a cooling rack for 20-25 minutes in the pan then transfer from pan to cooling rack and allow to cool another hour or until completely cool.

Key Lime Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:
3-4 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 cups confectioner's sugar,sifted
1/2 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice
2-3 teaspoons key lime zest
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until well mixed.
Add confectioner's sugar  and beat well until completely smooth and fluffy.
Add key lime juice, zest, and vanilla and mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
Ice cake.
The excess icing was used to fill the middle hole of the cake and when the cake is served, icing can
be dolloped next to the side of a slice of cake.

                                     
                                               Don't forget your dips of vanilla ice cream!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Even though you don't see any black spots on this new calf, it is a Holstein.

There's nothing prettier than a pure  white calf  on bright spring green grass.

Each calf is unique and has characteristics of its parents.

In fact, every calf's spots or markings are unique to them.

What I love about all of the dairy cows, no matter what kind or color,

they provide us with delicious, nutritious  milk.

I'm thankful for the new spring calf crop

and the milk that is produced for all of us to enjoy.

What kind of world would it be without 

butter and cream cheese to use when baking Easter

 goodies like Coconut Cake with Pineapple Filling?

                               
                                                     

Dairy Farmer's Dream Dessert

Thanks to Amanda's Cookin' recipe Pineapple Dream Dessert, I found the Cool Whip made with real cream! I was drawn to the recipe by the ingredients of butter and cream cheese, but finding this new version of Cool Whip made it a Dairy Farmer's Dream Dessert for me!



Pineapple Dream Dessert

Ingredients

Crust:
2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (2 sleeves)
1/2 cup unsalted butter

Layers:

2 cups powdered sugar,sifted
1/2 cup unsalted butter,softened
4 oz. cream cheese,softened
8 oz,  container Cool Whip
20 oz. can crushed pineapple,drained well

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 300 F.

Melt butter in the microwave and allow to cool. Combine the crumbs and butter and toss together until incorporated. Press 2 cups of the crumb mixture firmly into a 9x9 inch square pan and bake for 8-10 minutes. Place on wire rack to cool.

Beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Turn the mixer down to low and add the powdered sugar one cup at a time until mixed.  Turn up and beat well for a minute or so. Add a heaping tablespoon of the drained pineapple and stir in with a rubber spatula. Spread the cream cheese and pineapple mixture over the crust.

Fold the remaining pineapple into the Cool Whip and spread on top of the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle the remaining graham cracker crumb mixture on top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Celebration Cake

If you are looking for a special occasion cake that is pretty, tastes delicious, has lots of calories and will disappear quickly, The Best Strawberry Cake Ever is the cake for you! It was the perfect choice for our Mother's Day celebration and I certainly want to give credit to World-Recipes for sharing it on Facebook. The only thing I would add is a big dip of vanilla ice cream to make the celebration complete!


The Best Strawberry Cake Ever

Ingredients:

1 box (18.25 ounce) white cake mix
1 (3 ounce) box strawberry -flavored instant gelatin
1 (15-ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese,softened
1 (10 ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
1/2  teaspoon strawberry extract
7 cups confectioners' sugar,sifted
 Optional: Freshly sliced strawberries for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 (9 inch) round cake pans
In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add pureed strawberries,eggs,oil and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 20 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

For the frosting:
In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
Beat in 1/4 cup of the strawberry puree and the strawberry extract. ( Use the leftover puree in smoothies or on ice cream for a delicious treat). Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth. Spread frosting in between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries if desired.

Rave Reviews Coconut Cake

A special friend shared this recipe with me many years ago but it's still a favorite choice for any special occasion-- especially December birthdays!

Rave Reviews Coconut Cake


1 package (2 layer size) yellow cake  mix
1 package (4 servings) Jello Brand    Instant Pudding
11/3 cup water
4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
2 cups Bakers Angel Flake Coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Blend cake mix, pudding mix,water, eggs and oil in large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed for four minutes. Stir in coconut and nuts. Pour into 3 greased and floured cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes; cool in pans 15 minutes, then remove and cool on rack. Fill and top with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

4 Tablespoons butter
2 cups Bakers Angel Flake Coconut
1 package 8 ounce cream cheese
2 teaspoons milk
31/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet; add coconut, stirring constantly over low heat until golden brown.  Spread coconut on absorbent paper to cool. Cream 2 tablespoons butter with cream cheese; add milk, beat in sugar gradually. Blend in vanilla.Stir in 1 3/4 cups of the coconut, and spread on tops of cake layers. Stack and sprinkle with remaining coconut.

Optional: I spread icing between the layers, on top and the sides.

Thanksgiving Dairy Shake

I'm not suggesting that any recipe can take the place of the traditional Thanksgiving  pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream or ice cream, but you may want to ease into the holiday  season with Pumpkin Cheesecake Shake.  It meets one of my most important   requirements for a busy schedule---easy!

You'll find Pumpkin Cheesecake Shake  and other delicious, nutritious dairy recipes at DairyMakesSense.


Pumpkin Cheesecake Shake


Ingredients:

1 can (14 ounces) pumpkin,chilled
3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese                        
1 container (6 ounces) low-fat  vanilla yogurt
2 cups low-fat milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
6 teaspoons graham cracker crumbs,optional



Preparation:

Place all ingredients (except graham cracker crumbs) in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and top each serving with a teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs, if desired.

Servings: 6

Dairy Filled Labor Day

Although we'll be working everyday on the dairy  farm during the Labor Day weekend, I'm thinking of a few ways to have less labor in the kitchen!  Fortunately, Midwest Dairy  has a great assortment of recipes that are easy, nutritious and of course, use delicious dairy products.
 I can just taste Roasted Pimiento Cheese Spread on a croissant roll or as a toasted sandwich topped with a fresh garden tomato!

Roasted Pimiento Cheese Spread

Ingredients:

1 tub (8 ounces) reduced fat cream cheese,softened
1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 package (8 ounces) finely shredded Colby-  Montery Jack Cheddar cheese
1 package (7 ounces) 2 % milkfat finely shredded  Sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup roasted red peppers in water,drained and chopped
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro (optional)

Preparation:

Combine cream cheese,Greek yogurt, and onion in a medium food processor. Pulse process until blended. Add shredded cheeses to mixture. Process until well blended. Add roasted red peppers. Pulse process only until stirred into mixture. Transfer to a medium bowl. Cover and chill 1 hour to allow flavors to blend. Optional: Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Youthful Cheese

While preparing for our 4th of July picnic, I was looking for an easy dessert that would go well with homemade ice cream and be easy to pack up with the picnic food. Deep in the back of the recipe drawer that contains everything that I can't find, was the perfect recipe --Black Bottom Cupcakes. The ingredient that makes this recipe stand out is cream cheese. Cream cheese is considered a fresh or unaged cheese. Its mild,fresh tasting and sweet flavor makes it one of the most widely-consumed cheeses used in a variety of recipes.

Here are a few tips for storing youthful or unaged cheese:

-unaged cheese is highly perishable, keep refrigerated

-the fresher the cheese, the better the flavor

-open within the package dating code and use within one week after opening

-keep tightly wrapped or sealed until gone

-if mold forms on any part of cheese, discard all of the cheese

-freezing is not recommended due to change in texture when thawed

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Filling:

1 package (80unces) cream cheese,softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Cupcakes:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

Sugar

Chopped almonds,if desired

Combine cream cheese,sugar,egg and salt in a small mixing bowl;blend until smooth. Stir in chips. Set aside. Sift toether flour,cocoa,salt,sugar,and soda. Add egg,water,vinegar,oil and vanilla; beat until well combined. Fill paper-lined muffin tins half full with chocolate batter. Drop a heaping teaspoon of cheese mixture in center of batter of each cupcake. Sprinkle with sugar and chopped almonds, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate any leftovers. Yield: 20-24 cupcakes

You can find more delicious cream cheese recipes at http://www.midwestdairy.com/. Hope you find the perfect recipe for youthful (unaged) cream cheese!

Strawberries,Ice Cream and Cake

Vanilla ice cream is a great treat anytime but it goes very well with fresh strawberries and this pound cake recipe that I enjoy baking for my family. Hope you have a great Memorial Day holiday with your family and friends!







Crusty Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Ingredients
1 cup butter,softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
1 8oz pkg cream cheese,softened
3 cups sifted flour
6 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Cream butter and shortening; gradually add sugar,beating well at medium speed of electric mixer. Add cream cheese,beating well until light and fluffy. Alternately add flour and eggs, begining and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla.

Pour batter into greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until pick comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

Serving suggestions: strawberries or blueberries with large scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream