Grandma Lime Cake

I don’t know if I’ve already told you that, but my grandma is now 96 years old. She’s very active, though, always walking around with her little cane. Of course, talking to her on the phone has been a little tricky lately, but if I tell her I’m coming for lunch, she insists in making my favorite – polenta with chicken stew – in person.

Since I can remember, she bakes this lime cake everybody loves, and no one can reproduce.

The other day, she and I were talking about family culinary classics and she revealed the secret: the cake came from a 1960 cookbook, published by a famous sugar company. She stood up and walked to the shelf – it was the book I used to look at all the time as a little girl, with fantastic pictures of cakes, cookies and confections (there was no tastespotting or foodgawker those days!).

For my surprise, she gave the book as a present – one of the best gifts I’ve ever received.

Granny Lime Cake

This cake has a really delicate texture, very fluffy, with a mild lime aroma. It’s great without the frosting, with coffee or tea.  The frosting is controversial – some just love it (me!), some may think it’s too much on the sweet side. In the original version you can really feel the sugar grains, so you can substitute with confectioner’s sugar if you like.

For the cake

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp lime zest
• 2 cups sugar
• 100g (1 stick) butter
• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg yolks (reserve the whites for the frosting)
• 1 cup milk

For the frosting

• 2 egg whites
• 50g (1/2 stick) butter
• 2 cups sugar
• juice of 1 lime
• lime zest to the taste

Make the Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease two 20cm round pans with butter and dust with flour.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, rub the sugar and the lime zest with the tips of your finger until moist and fragrant. Add the butter and beat until white and fluffy. Add the yolks and the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, and beat until smooth.

Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 40min, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool to unmold and to frost.

For the frosting

Beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add 1 cup of the sugar beat until white and fluffy.

In a clean bowl, beat the whites until firm peaks form. Gradually add the other cup of sugar and beat until firm and glossy. Add this meringue to the butter mixture and fold with a wire whisk. Add the lime juice and mix well. Cover the frosted cake with lime zest.