If you’ve been around these parts, you know my daddy loves a mean key lime pie. He also loves my pound cakes, so making a mean key lime cake recipe was bound to happen sooner or later. The texture is soft and moist thanks to a cream cheese base, and I don’t hold back on the key lime zest and juice because that’s where the flavor comes from. I grew up with fresh limes, so using real juice just makes sense! Finally, I finish it off with a delish cream cheese glaze that’s straight up amazing y’all. Slice it up and get into it.
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Video Tutorial
How to Make Key Lime Cake
These step-by-step photos show how to make key lime cake, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Easy Key Lime Cake Recipe
1. Cream together the butter, oil or shortening, and cream cheese, then add the sugar
Mix until smooth, then slowly add the sugar and beat until very pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping the bowl as needed.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients for the key lime cake batter
Lower the mixer speed and add the flour in two additions, followed by the salt, key lime zest, and key lime juice. Mix just until combined, then add the vanilla and give it one final mix.
3. Pour the batter into a prepared Bundt pan
Smooth the top evenly.
4. Bake until the cake is golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
Cool briefly in the pan, then invert onto a serving plate and let cool completely.
5. Make the key lime glaze
Mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and key lime juice until smooth and pourable.
6. Pour the glaze over your cooled key lime pound cake
Slice and serve!
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PRO TIP: If you can’t find actual key limes, most grocery stores have bottled key lime juice. Grab Nellie & Joe’s, boos. It’s the best.
Full Key Lime Cake Recipe
Key Lime Cake Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tbsp shortening or oil
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups plus 1 tablespoon of sifted cake flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 tsp key lime zest
- 2 1/2 tbsp key lime juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Glaze
- 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp key lime juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake
- Start by preheating your oven to 325°F then liberally spray a 12-cup bundt pan with non-stick baking spray.
- In your mixer bowl, add butter, oil or shortening, and cream cheese and beat for 2 minutes on high speed. Slowly add in sugar beat on high speed for an additional seven minutes until very pale yellow and fluffy.
- Next, add eggs, one at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides as needed.
- Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed, and slowly add flour into batter in two increments then add salt, zest and juice. Be careful not to over beat.
- Lastly, add in vanilla extract, scrape down sides and mix until well combined and turn off mixer.
- Pour cake batter into prepared bundt pan, and bake for 1 hour and 15 -25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert cake on serving plate for at least an hour or until the cake is cool to the touch.
For the Glaze
- Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract and key lime juice until smooth then pour over top of cooled cake and serve. Note: this icing must be refrigerated so keep that in mind.
Notes
How to Store
- Room Temp: If you leave the cake unglazed, you can keep it tightly wrapped on the counter for up to 2 days. Serve the cream cheese glaze on the side and keep that in the fridge until you’re ready.
- Fridge: Because this cake has a cream cheese glaze, it needs to be refrigerated once glazed. Wrap it well or store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week. This pound cake holds up really nicely chilled!
- Freezer: Wrap slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. If freezing unglazed, wait and add the glaze after thawing.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Start with room temp ingredients. Let your butter, cream cheese, and eggs sit out before you get going. That’s how you get a smooth batter and glaze.
- Grease that bundt pan real good. We’re using a bundt here, so hit every nook and cranny with nonstick spray to make sure the cake comes out clean.
- Mix gentle once the flour goes in. Turn the mixer down low and don’t overdo it, or you’ll end up with a dense key lime bundt cake.
- Keep an eye on the oven, boos. I believe in checking a cake earlier than even the guideline I suggest. Ovens all bake differently so just check early to prevent it overbaking and getting dry.
- Let it cool all the way before glazing. If the cake is still warm, that cream cheese glaze will slide right off.
Recipe Help
Fo sho, boos. Just know the flavor won’t be as intense, but the cake will still be good.
Add powdered sugar about 1/4 cup at a time until it thickens up the way you like. If it’s still loose, pop the glaze in the fridge for a bit and let it firm up.
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Thanks for the recipe. Best regards!
thank you, I’m only used to key lime pies, cakes are nice too since I love the uniqueness of key limes, much appreciated!
Great recipe I made mini cakes came out great
Really delicious recipe. I love it yummy!!! It’s really awesome
Id give it a thousand stars if I could. One of the most delicious cakes I’ve had.
Fantastic! My son requested a lime cake for his 12th birthday, and we all loved this one so much that he asked me to save the recipe and make it every year! This is not a light cake (even the weight of the batter in the pan was surprising!), but it has loads more flavor and moisture than most pound cakes. Thanks!
I made the key Lime pound cake and it came out delicious. My husband enjoyed it so very much. I had key Lime pound cake from friends and theirs were rather dry. My family thoroughly love, love this recipe. Thanks so very much ✌️
I’m very grateful to receive the recipe for the cake recipe
I made this cake for my mother-in-law 90th birthday party and it was a hit! It was delicious! This will be my go to pound cake recipe from here on out! Only this I did different was use a tube pan Thank you for sharing!
I made this cake last night. I follow the directions as is and it was to die for. I was surprised how moist it came out without having to use butter milk. For key lime Cake this will definitely be my go to receipe. I’ve been trying different pound cake receipts. I also made the strawberry pound cake recipe of yours. Excellent