Key Lime Sponge Cake

This was my favorite Thanksgiving dessert recipe.  I love key lime pie and the lightness of the sponge cake was a nice addition.  If you cannot find key limes, you can use a regular lime for the zest in the cakes.  If you do not have 9x3 cake pans, use two 9x2 cake pans and divide the batter between them.  Reduce baking time to 20 - 25 minutes.

  ----Cake----                                                                              3 Tbl Vegetable Oil

  1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour                                                       ----Filling----

  1/3 Cup Cake Flour                                                                 14 Ounce Sweetened Condensed Milk

  1/4 Tsp Salt                                                                              1/3 Cup Key Lime Juice

  4 Large Eggs                                                                            ----Meringue----

  2/3 Cup Sugar                                                                          2 Large Dried Egg Whites,

  1 Tsp Vanilla                                                                           -Constituted Per Package Directions

  1 Tsp Lime Zest                                                                       1/4 Cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Coat one 9 by 3 inch round cake pans with cooking spray with flour

Whisk flours and salt in a medium bowl.

Separate eggs.  Beat whites with 1/3 cup sugar until peaks form - set aside.

Beat yolks with 1/3 cup sugar until lemony in color.  Beat in vanilla and 1 teaspoon lime zest.  Beat in oil until incorporated. Fold in egg whites.  Add the flour mixture; gently stir until just incorporated. Add to the pans; spread to the edges.  Bake until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto the rack, remove the pans let cool completely.

To prepare lime filling: Whisk condensed milk and lime juice in a medium bowl until combined. Refrigerate until thickened.

To prepare meringue: Beat egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in 1/4 cup sugar in a slow, steady stream. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.  Cut cake in half horizontally.  Position oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source; preheat broiler.   Spread the meringue on

 the top half.   Broil until lightly browned, watching carefully to prevent burning, 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Remove from oven.

Put bottom half on cake plate, cover with filling.  Top with meringue covered cake.