Makes one 10-inch cake
With lively flashes of lime, this tall, buttery cake uses a technique called blooming, in which grated lime rind and juice are combined to intensify the citrus flavor. A simple sugar and lime juice glaze, spooned onto the warm cake, adds a sweet-tart finish.
CAKE
Butter (for the pan)
Flour (for the pan)
2 tablespoons grated lime rind
2 tablespoons lime juice
3¼ cups flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
7 eggs
¾ cup sour cream
⅓ cup milk
1. Set the oven at 325 degrees. Lightly butter a one-piece 10-inch tube pan. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper cut to fit it, and butter the paper. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.
2. In a bowl, combine lime rind and juice; set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt just to blend them.
4. In an electric mixer, cream the butter on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the sugar in 3 additions, beating for 1 minute after each. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing only until incorporated. Blend in the lime mixture.
5. With the mixer set on its lowest speed, beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour. Beat in the milk. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl often.
6. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. Spoon the batter into the pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.
7. Bake the cake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake is clean when withdrawn. The baked cake will pull away from the sides of the pan. Set the cake on a rack to cool for 15 minutes.
GLAZE
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup lime juice
1. In a bowl, combine the sugar and lime juice.
2. Turn the cake onto a wire rack, peel off and discard the parchment. Invert the cake so it is right side up. Brush the glaze on the cake, using all of it. Let the cake stand for at least 1 hour before cutting into slices.
