Lemon Icebox Pie

It's time to bid summer adieu, and it couldn't leave fast enough for me!  But before I bust out the ol' pumpkin recipes, here's one last nod to hot, sunny weather.
Now before y'all go all crazy on me, yes, I used store bought graham crackers--which usually contain partially hydrogenated oils. However, the brand I buy contains only palm oil--which is high in saturated fat but contains no trans fat. Make sure you read your labels!
This recipe is so simple, it's silly. And it tastes like lemon ice cream--minus the fuss.

Lemon Icebox Pie

For the crust:
1 1/4 c graham cracker crumbs (if you use cinnamon graham crackers, omit sugar)
2 T sugar
3 T melted butter

For the filling:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 can Eagle Brand sweentened condensed milk
1/2 c lemon juice
1 Tbl vanilla
1 Tbl zest (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a fork, combine crumbs, sugar (if using), and butter in a medium bowl until well mixed. Press mixture into bottoms and up sides of a 9" pie pan. I find it easier to use the bottom of a measuring cup to press my crumbs into place than fighting them with my fingers.
Bake 10 minutes.
Place on a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

For the filling, beat the cream cheese and condensed milk until combined. Add lemon juice and mix until smooth. Stir in vanilla and zest and pour into prepared crust, smoothing the top with an off-set spatula.
Freeze overnight. I know, I know. Trust me, it's well worth the wait!

Next time I think I'll make my edges thinner, and maybe I'll add the zest. A little color never hurt anyone, right?

Until next time!

Bye Bye Cake

With very little warning and no turning back, one of my supervisors left the company last week. Staying true to the nickname she dubbed me, I baked her a send-off cake for her last day.
I made her a mini double-decker lemon cake with a lemon glaze, using my knock-off Starbucks Lemon Loaf recipe. She was very appreciative and it was the least I could do.
The recipe itself is so tasty and spot-on with the Starbucks version, you really don't need an excuse!

Copycat Lemon Loaf
Cake:
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs, room temperature
1 c sugar
2 Tbl softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon extract
1/3 c lemon juice
1/2 c vegetable oil
Glaze:
1 c + 1 Tbl powdered sugar
2 Tbl milk
1/2 tsp lemon extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease mini pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of your stand mixer, place eggs, sugar, butter, extracts, and juice and mix to combine. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add oil and mix well. Pour into prepared pans and bake 20-25 minutes. Cool in pans on a cooling rack. Mix your glaze ingredients. Remove cakes from pans and ice with the glaze. Slice when set.

 

If you bake mini cakes, you will wind up with extra batter. No worrries--pour batter into a greased 9x9 pan and bake for 35 minutes or until it tests done. Ice it with your leftover glaze.
Alternately, you can forget the mini cake plan and bake the whole recipe in a greased 9x13 loaf pan for 45 minutes. Cool it in the pan on a rack and ice when cooled.

Until next time!