Summer Squash Lime-Kissed Tea Cakes

Last year all 6 of our squash plants died leaving us seriously deprived of one of our favorite summer veggies.  This year my husband planted 15 of those suckers. He was determined not to go without again.

Need I even say that the summer squash in this year’s garden is producing “abundantly”?  It is, and that could be the understatement of the year! I have yellow squash coming out my ears!  I’ve fried it, boiled, baked it, mixed it into other dishes, eaten it raw, and given it away to the point that friends and relatives run the other way when they see me coming.  Now, in desperation, I am on a mission to find the most wonderful squash bread/cake/muffin recipe in the world, because I have enough of it to feed the world.  Plus, squash bread is freezable.

I found this recipe on the internet.  It included a photo of the cutest little muffins I’ve ever seen,  and of course I couldn’t resist trying to duplicate them.  And, with a few tiny little tweaks, I did! (Well, maybe a few big tweaks) It called for almond flour and I couldn’t find any at my local Walmart. (Imagine that!)  Why I decided to substitute soy flour is a mystery to me other than it had a similar texture, and the store had some on the shelf.  I got home and found the lemons I thought I had were limes—so I substituted limes.  Then, I realized I didn’t have any buttermilk–only 1% milk.  I attempted to use my Granny’s tried and true method of adding vinegar to the milk to curdle it, but alas, 1% milk doesn’t curdle very well.  That’s when I got the hair-brained idea to add the vinegar to a can of evaporated milk I found in the pantry.  It didn’t curdle well either, but it didn’t turn gray like the 1%, so that’s what I used.  Oh, and it called for an 18 tin mini-muffin pan and I only had a 24 tin mini-mini muffin pan.  Other than that–it was the exact same recipe….

Except that I changed the name too.  The original was Mini Summer Squash Cupcakes with Lemon Glaze. I’m fairly certain that the original cupcakes are terrific and I included the true ingredients next to my substitutions if you wanna try them—  but honestly, I don’t think they could possibly be any better than my cobbled together concoction.  My Lime-Kissed Tea Cakes were melt in your mouth delicious and frankly, I thought my name sounded more romantic–so romantic that I may even add them to Dave and Teresa’s garden wedding menu!

First, mix 1/2 c. flour, 2 T. soy flour, and 1/2  tsp. baking soda, and a pinch of salt  together with a wire whisk in a small bowl.

Next, grate 1 T. plus 1/2 tsp lime zest.

In a separate bowl,  mix 4 T. room temperature butter with 1/3 c. sugar using a hand mixer.  Add in 1 egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 tsp. of the lime zest and mix well. (Save the rest of the zest for later)

Alternate adding the flour mix and buttermilk (mixing well after each addition) into the sugar mixture til it’s gone. (I did half and half)

In a food processor, shred 3/4 cup yellow squash.

Wrap the squash in paper towels and squeeze out the excess moisture before stirring it into the batter.

Spray a mini muffin pan that holds 18 (or 24)  tea cakes with Pam, and fill them almost to the top with the batter.

Put in a 350 degree oven for approximately 20 min. ( a little longer if you have an 18 tin pan)

or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Remove from oven, run a knife around the edge of each lil cake and let cool for 10 min. before removing from the pan and placing on a pretty dish worthy of their name.

Mix 1-2 T. fresh squeezed lime juice  with 3/4 c. sifted confectioner’s sugar. (to a drizzling consistency)  This smells so darn good you’ll need a napkin for the drool you’ll be drizzling out the side of your mouth.

Drizzle the icing in an artistic fashion onto the tea cakes, and sprinkle the reserved 1 T. of lime zest over the tops.

I so wish you could smell these babies.  From miles away my family sniffed and followed their noses to my kitchen.  There was a traffic jam in the doorway, I kid you not!

Just look at this little guy!  Isn’t he just too cute to eat??

Dontcha just wanna take a bite anyway?

They didn’t last 5 minutes.

I’d call that a success! Try them–they’re light, they melt in your mouth, and are a perfect summer treat.

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SUMMER SQUASH LIME-KISSED TEA CAKES

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. soy flour (or almond flour)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature  (oops! I used salted and it was fine)
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 T. plus 1/2 tsp. grated lime zest (or lemon zest)
6 Tbsp. buttermilk
3/4 cup finely shredded yellow squash
3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1 – 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice (or lemon juice)

Mix flour, soy flour, baking powder and pinch of salt in small bowl with wire whisk.

In separate larger bowl mix 4 T. room-temperature butter with 1/3 c. sugar using a hand mixer.  Add 1 large egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla, and  1/2 tsp grated lime zest and mix well.

Alternate adding flour mix and buttermilk to the sugar mixture til well blended.

Hand stir in the 3/4 c. finely shredded yellow squash and put into an 18 tin mini-muffin pan that has been sprayed lightly with Pam.

Cook at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes til toothpick inserted into center of muffins come out clean.

Run a knife around each muffin and allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to serving platter.

Mix 1-2 T. lime juice into 3/4 c. sifted confectiioner’s sugar to a thin consistency and drizzle onto muffins.  Sprinkle the remaining lime zest on top.

Makes 18 little tea cakes or 24 little-er tea cakes

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