Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a standard size loaf pan (9x4”).

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, sugar, vanilla salt and the zest. Beat for about 5 minutes, until the mix is very light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl when needed.

With the beater on, add the eggs one at a time, then turn the mixer to medium and beat the batter for a few minutes. It might look bitty or separated, that’s ok.

Sift in the flour and baking powder then add the sour cream. Turn the mixer back on and beat until it’s a silky, creamy batter (scrape down the bowl to make sure you get the bits at the bottom well mixed).

Pour batter into loaf pan, smooth the batter into an even line at the top.

Bake the cake for about 50-55 minutes (check it at 45), it’s done when a cake tester comes out clean.

When it’s almost done baking, make the syrup:

In a small pot, add the sugar and lime juice and cook until the sugar dissolves.

When the cake comes out of the oven, use a long thin cake tester to poke some holes all over. Pour the syrup all over the cake - trying to get as much as you can into the center (it will naturally go toward the edges). Let the cake sit in the syrup for about 10 minutes, until it has absorbed it all.

Turn the cake onto a cooling rack to completely cool.

Store in an airtight container so it doesn’t dry out. Enjoy!