BONNIE'S MARGARITA CAKE

Steps:

• BEFORE YOU BEGIN It is important to read through this recipe before you attempt to make it. Have all the ingredients ready and measured. Note: Measure dry ingredients in measuring cups and level off the measurement with a knife, and use a glass measuring cup for liquids. It is best to use brands mentioned for best results. Substitutions not recommended. A word about the photo...it came out more yellow than it really is. It is closer to an clear off-white color, like a margarita. COMBINE COCONUT AND ZEST Process the coconut and zest until they are coarsely ground. Measure a reserve of 1/2 cup and set in fridge.
• MAKE THE CRUST Add pretzels to the remaining coconut mixture and process it until it is finely ground, and transfer to a small mixing bowl. Add the melted butter, stir with a fork to combine. Press the butter and pretzel mixture into the bottom of the pan to make a crust. Pat it down firmly. (I used a flat measuring cup for this) Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the perimeter with a 3-inch wide strip of parchment paper. Bake in a 350 degree oven until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let it cool on a rack in the pan completely before proceeding.
• MAKE TEQUILA GLAZE In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup of water and the gelatin, and let it sit until it softens. Add margarita mix, tequila, triple sec, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until gelatin dissolves. (About 5 minutes) Let it cool completely before proceeding.
• MAKE THE FILLING You will need two medium sized mixing bowls. In the first bowl: With a mixer, whip the cream on medium low speed until it is foamy, increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form. In the second bowl: Add the sweetened condensed milk to the softened cream cheese. Mix until combined. Add one cup of the margarita mixture and mix well. (Set the rest aside for the glaze) Now fold in 1/3 of the whipped cream, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. (fold, don't stir) Pour this filling into the prepared crust and refrigerate one hour.
• GLAZE THE CAKE Stir the remaining 1/2 cup of water into the tequila mixture in the sauce pan, and strain the mixture through a wire mesh strainer into a 2 cup measuring cup. Pour the mixture slowly over the chilled cake, covering the surface evenly. (It will have a nice glassy finish when chilled.) Chill the cake at least 4 hours before garnishing.
• GARNISH After 4 hours, the cake should be ready to garnish. Remove the sides of the pan and parchment. Using the reserved chilled coconut mixture, press it into the sides of the cake ONLY. Slice very thin slices of lime to garnish the top like my photo. Serve and Enjoy!