Recipe: Margarita Cheesecake Bars

Jeanne Cluts has worked in the Don Ayres office for more than 10 years, and she also happens to be a pretty phenomenal cook! Every so often, Jeanne passes along one of her amazing recipes. Here, she shares a great recipe for Margarita Cheesecake Bars. If you’re pressed for time, you can prepare these a day in advance and garnish just before serving.

Ingredients:
1 box of lemon cake mix (prepare batter according to package directions)

1/3 c. fresh lime juice
1 packet unflavored gelatin
3 blocks cream cheese (8 oz. each), softened
½ c. sugar
1 T. freshly grated lime peel
Lime slices/wedges to garnish

To prepare:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13 x 9 baking dish with foil (allow foil to extend several inches over each end of the pan). Coat foil with non-stick cooking spray.

Spread prepared cake batter in pan. Bake as box directs. Cool completely. Then, carefully holding the foil ends, lift the cake from the pan. Use serrated knife to trim excess cake off top so that it is flat. Carefully return cake to pan.

Pour lime juice into a small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over lime juice and let stand for one minute. Then, stir over low heat for three minutes until gelatin completely dissolves. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and lime peel with mixer (medium speed) for about two minutes. Slowly beat in gelatin mixture. Beat for another minute until blended. Scrape mixture onto cake and spread evenly to coat. Refrigerate one hour. Cover loosely and refrigerate an additional two hours (or overnight).

To serve:
Carefully lift cake from pan. Cut into 42 pieces. (Tip: Dip knife in hot water and wipe clean between cuts.) Garnish with lime slices and/or wedges.