Lime Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

• 1 (18 ounce) package yellow cake mix

• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 large eggs

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon grated lime zest
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from 3 to 5 regular limes OR 6 to 10 Key limes, I use Nellie and Joe's Key West Lime Juice)
• whipped cream or frozen whipped topping, thawed, for serving

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 325.

2. 2

   Lightly grease a 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

3. 3

   Measure out 1/2 cup of the cake mix and set aside for the filling.

4. 4

   Place the remaining cake mix, the melted butter, and 1 egg in a large mixing bowl, and blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes. The batter should come together in a ball.

5. 5

   With your fingertips, pat the batter evenly over the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared pan, smoothing it out with your fingers until the top is smooth. Set aside.

6. 6

   For the filling:.

7. 7

   Place the cream cheese and the sweetened condensed milk in the same mixing bowl that was used to make the crust, and with the same beaters (no need to clean either) blend on low speed until just combined, 30 seconds.

8. 8

   Add the reserved cake mix, 3 eggs, the lime zest, and lime juice and beat on medium speed for 1 minute.

9. 9

   Pour the filling onto the crust and spread with spatula so that the filling covers the entire surface and reaches the sides of the pan.

10. 10

    Bake cheesecake until it looks shiny and the center no longer jiggles when you shake the pan, about 45 to 50 minutes.

11. 11

    Remove pan from oven and place on wire rack to cool, 30 minutes.

12. 12

    Lightly cover the pan with plastic wrap and place the pan in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour, but preferably 24 hours for the flavors to meld.

13. 13

    Cut into squares and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.