Large Loads of Limes

I had to look back in my garden notes to see if it is normal to have limes in the summer, and it is definitely not. Our Key Limes are not supposed to come until November at the earliest. Usually I am giving away bags of them along with the lemons around the holidays. But here it is the middle of August, and ripe limes are falling off the tree by the dozen. Inexplicable.

This was just one day’s haul, a week ago.

The Piemaker used a favorite recipe from a couple of years ago, Key Lime Pound Cake.

As always Southern Living makes it look so simple yet elegant. The recipe is here.

Note: the recipe asks for butter and shortening – I have never used shortening and don’t intend to start now. We just use all butter. And of course we double the lime juice and zest simply because there is so much available.

Our version looks simple but not at all elegant.

It has a deliciously potent lime flavor and a surprisingly light texture (for pound cake).

I think this pound cake recipe could be easily adapted for other flavors, but for now we will gladly use it to contain the tide of lime juice.