Lime Syrup Sponge Cake

I was browsing one of my favorite websites, Tastespotting, when I came across a recipe from one of my favorite celebrity chefs. Nigella Lawson is so lovely, and she has fabulous recipes. Through her shows she has such a presence. You can really tell that she loves her life, family, and what she does. I hope that some day I'm able to exude that sort of presence. Now to her recipe.

Lime Syrup Sponge Cake (8 servings at 4 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup low-fat butter or margarine
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 large eggs or 1/2 cup egg beaters
zest of 1 lime
1 cup plus 2 tablespoon self-rising cake flour
pinch of salt
4 tablespoons fat-free milk

For the syrup:
4 tablespoons lime juice (of 1-2 limes), plus zest for decoration
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together the butter and sugar, and then add the eggs and lime zest, beating them well. Add the flour and salt, folding in gently, and then the milk. Spoon into 8 mini-loaf pans and cook for 25 minutes.

While the cakes are cooking, prepare the syrup by putting the lime juice and sugar into a small saucepan and heating gently so that the sugar dissolves.

As soon as the cakes are ready, take them out of the oven and prick them all over with a cake-tester or skewer. Pour over the syrup evenly, trying to let the middle absorb the liquid as well as the sides. Leave it to soak up the rest. Don’t try to take the cakes out of the pans until they have cooled slightly, and the syrup looks like it has been absorbed; but be aware that if you leave these to cool completely, they might be very difficult to get out of the pan. So, after an hour or two, turn them out onto a rack and grate some lime zest over them before serving.

The recipe is for mini sponge cakes, but since I didn't have any mini pans, I just made one full-sized loaf instead and it turned out just fine. I also didn't have any self rising flour, so I used all purpose flour with 1 1/4 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt added to it.

The husband and I both love this cake. The syrup made the cake super moist, and we both agreed that the lime taste was superb. Ms. Nigella really knows her stuff!