Week 30: Key Lime Cheesecake

You can probably tell that lemon and lime are at the top of my favorite flavors with this week's cake being my third citrus recipe this month.  It is a cheesecake, though, and it is very, very delicious.  I had a small piece and gave my crust to David.
I used one of my favorite grocery items in this cake: Nellie & Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice.  There is a wonderful (and very easy) key lime pie recipe on this bottle.  Have you ever purchased this lime juice?

Most of the cheesecakes that I make call for three or four blocks of cream cheese. This recipe only called for two.  If you're new to baking cheesecakes, this would be a great easy recipe to try.  Or if you've made many cheesecakes this would be a great recipe to try.  It makes a delicious and refreshing cake.  If you do make it, be forewarned... it will not last long!  My guys had it eaten by lunch time the next day.

Key Lime Cheesecake
(Source:  Pinterest - Website: Mom's Who Think)

1/2 cup sugar
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
2 eggs
1 graham cracker pie crust  (1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 3 T.sugar and 3 T. melted butter)
1 cup thawed Cool Whip topping

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat cream cheese, whipping cream, sugar, lime peel, lime juice and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time; mix just until blended.
2. Pour mixture evenly into graham cracker crust.
3. Bake for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool.
4. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Top with whipped topping before serving.

 I used a 9-inch springform pan.  I lightly greased it, pressed the graham cracker crumbs into the pan and baked it for 8 minutes while I made the filling.

Happy Baking!
Julie