Key Lime Cheesecake

Bernice died on Thursday. March 2, 2023. Seventy-four years old. The stroke was too much. The brain swelling didn't stop. Harold was beside her. Her children were there — my nieces and nephew, grown now, holding their mother's hands the way I held Earl's recliner and Mama's apron and every hand I've ever been too late to hold.

Of the six Williams children — James Jr., Willie James, Bernice, me, Clarence, and Ruthie Mae — we are down to three. Three of six. Half of us gone. The shotgun house that held us all, the kitchen where Mama cooked, the table where Daddy sat before the drinking took him — half the children from that table are dead. And I am sixty-seven and I am standing in my kitchen in Savannah and I am making food for a funeral because that is what I do. That is what Henderson women do. That is what Williams women do. You grieve and you cook and you feed the people who are grieving and you do it until you can't anymore, and then someone else does it for you.

I made Bernice's favorites for the repast: fried fish (she loved fried fish more than anything, the way some people love chocolate or wine — unreasonably, passionately), potato salad, coleslaw, and lemon pound cake. I cooked for two days and I drove to Augusta on Saturday with a car full of food and I set up the repast at Bernice's church and I fed seventy people and I didn't cry until I was back in the car, because the general holds it together at the battlefield and cries on the drive home.

Ruthie Mae came to the funeral. She's seventy-one, living in Augusta, and she looked at me with our mother's face and said, "Dot, it's just us three now." Clarence, Ruthie Mae, and me. Three of six. I held Ruthie Mae's hand and I said, "Then we hold on tighter."

Now go on and feed somebody.

I made lemon pound cake for Bernice’s repast because that was her cake — the one she asked for every birthday, every Christmas, every time she came through Savannah and sat at my table. I don’t have that recipe written down anywhere that I’m willing to share yet, because some things are still too close. But this Key Lime Cheesecake is in that same family — bright and citrus and sweet in a way that catches you off guard, the kind of dessert that makes people stop mid-bite and say now what is that. Bernice would have had two slices and asked for the recipe, and I would have written it on a paper towel the way Mama always did, and she would have lost it by the time she got back to Augusta. Make this one for somebody you love while they’re still here to eat it.

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 55 min | Total Time: 4 hrs 20 min (includes chilling) | Servings: 12

Ingredients

For the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup fresh key lime juice (or bottled key lime juice)
1 tablespoon key lime zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping (optional):
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon key lime zest

Instructions

Preheat & prep. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan and wrap the outside bottom and sides tightly with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil (to prevent water from seeping in during the water bath).
Make the crust. In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly.
Make the filling. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low after each addition just until incorporated — do not overmix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the citrus. Mix in the sour cream, key lime juice, key lime zest, and vanilla extract on low speed until just combined and smooth. Pour the filling over the cooled crust and smooth the top with a spatula.
Water bath bake. Place the foil-wrapped springform pan inside a larger roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 50–55 minutes, until the edges are set and the center has a slight jiggle (like Jell-O, not liquid).
Cool slowly. Turn off the oven, crack the door open about 1 inch, and let the cheesecake rest inside for 1 hour. This prevents cracking. Remove from the water bath, discard the foil, and run a thin knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the sides.
Make the topping (optional). Stir together the sour cream, powdered sugar, and lime zest. Once the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature, spread the topping evenly over the surface.
Chill & serve. Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight. Release the springform ring, slice with a clean knife (wipe between cuts), and serve cold. Garnish with lime slices or whipped cream if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Key Lime Cheesecake — For Bernice, Who Loved the Sweet Things