Gluten-Free Key Lime Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Today was a bit overcast and gloomy. My favorite kind of day. This is a baking day. Cold outside but cozy and warm inside with a kitchen in full swing. All types of delicious baked goods are made on gloomy winter days.

However, I’ve been nursing the flu for the past few days so my kitchen has been a bit neglected. Today was no exception – I have a headache that is just a few clicks away from putting me in bed. But before I head there, I wanted to make something that was soul-satisfying and delicious. So as I’ve been lying in the sofa I’ve been running over one idea after another. Each one discarded as not being quite what I had in mind.

Until I thought of pound cake. A citrus type pound cake. I got up and slowly assembled the ingredients. Oh, no lemon juice. No problem, I have fresh key lime juice. And I have mini chocolate chips. Anyone who is anyone knows that chocolate and key lime go together like bread and butter. Hugs and kisses. A bit of tang with little bits of sweet chocolate. In a word – delicious.

So as I type this, two long loaf pans are baking merrily in the oven. Just 30 minutes more and they’ll be out at which point I’ll pour a tangy key lime glaze over the top. The hardest part of this is the wait as they cool. Gluten-free baked goods don’t do too well when cut immediately. A bit of a rest period is just what they need.

This recipe comes courtesy of Land O’ Lakes with just a bit of tweaking by yours truly.
http://www.landolakes.com/mealIdeas/ViewRecipe.cfm?RecipeID=13299B

Key Lime Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
use bundt pan or TWO loaf pans

1 cup of butter, partially melted
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 Tbl vanilla
1/4 cup key lime juice
2 tsp baking powder
3 cups gluten-free flour
3/4 cup milk
1 – 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

In large mixing bowl combine sugar and butter and beat until well combined.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add key lime juice, vanilla, and baking powder and continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy.

Add flour 1 cup at a time, followed by 1/4 cup of milk, mixing well after each addition. Continue until all flour and milk are incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour into greased and floured (with gluten-free flour, of course!) pan(s) and bake at 350F for 40-50 or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool for 15-20 minutes in pan(s) before inverting on cooling rack and removing pan(s). Poke holes in top with skewer or toothpick and pour glaze over loaves. Cool thoroughly before cutting and eating. Enjoy!

Key Lime Glaze
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup key lime juice

While cake is baking – combine all ingredients in small saucepan and bring to bowl over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute and remove from heat. Let cool until ready to use.