You don't have to be a pirate to enjoy this lime cake

With hungry relatives coming into town and a small basket of limes in the larder, I wanted to make something light, yet filling to keep them satisfied if dinner was not enough. The limes been on sale and we don't have a lime tree yet - it was a sign that that was to be the fruit of the week so I set about finding things to do with them.

I had lime sherbet chilling in the freezer, so a cake-y bread seemed ápropos.

The hardest part about this cake is grating the lime for zest. It isn't hard, but without practice, you're going to get a bit of flesh in with the mix, so be careful.

The bread has a very delicate flavor, you almost don't taste the lime at first, but - especially if you make the glaze, it will explode on your taste buds as you eat it.
This is one of those cakes that comes alive if you toast it and drizzle it with a bit of butter and/or honey.
My grandmother used to make a lemon version of this for my grandfather to bring to work and snack on during the course of the day.
I figure that when Steve and I take off to sail around the world, we will snack on this often. Lime (well, citrus in general) is great for staving off scurvy (a disease common among sailors in ancient times that is caused by a lack of Vitamin C) on long passages. Landlubbers, too, can enjoy this tasty cake, though.

Lime Cake

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons grated lime peel
• 2 tablespoons key lime juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• Glaze
• 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons key lime juice

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Beat in the lime peel, juice and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Fold in walnuts.
• Transfer to two greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
• Combine the confectioners' sugar and enough lime juice to achieve desired consistency; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely. 

Vegetarian.