Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe
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If Key lime pie is sunshine in a crust, this Key Lime Pound Cake is sunshine with a bigger slice. Key lime pie was invented in Key West in the late 1800s, when cooks leaned on sweetened condensed milk and tart little limes to make a dessert without fresh dairy. That bright citrus taste is the flavor I grew up eating every summer.
Pound cake is old school, born from the simple rule of a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, then adopted by Southern kitchens for Sunday suppers and church socials. By the late twentieth century, versions scented with key lime juice and zest were popping up in Southern community cookbooks, and Key Lime Pound Cake had a following. The first time I baked this one, I cut into it while it was still warm and kept shaving off slivers to “even the edge” while the glaze soaked in.
Ingredients You Will Need
Cake:
Sugar: Sweetens, helps the butter trap air during creaming for lift, tenderizes by limiting gluten, and promotes golden browning.
Butter: Adds rich flavor, moisture, and tenderness while creating a fine crumb through the creaming step.
Shortening: Boosts tenderness and softness and helps the cake stay moist for days.
Flour: Provides structure as starch gelatinizes and a gentle gluten network sets.
Baking powder: Gives a dependable rise by releasing carbon dioxide in the bowl and in the oven.
Eggs: Bind the batter, add structure as proteins set, emulsify fat and liquid for a smooth crumb, and add color and richness.
Heavy cream: Adds fat for tenderness, moisture for a lush crumb, and dairy sugars that aid browning.
Key lime juice: Brings bright citrus tang, balances sweetness, and its acidity helps create a tender bite.
Lime zest: Packs concentrated citrus oils that deliver most of the lime aroma without extra liquid.
Vanilla extract: Rounds out flavors and enhances the perception of sweetness.
Glaze:
Powdered sugar: Dissolves smoothly for a glossy finish and sets into a soft shell.
Key lime juice: Thins the glaze to a pourable consistency and adds that fresh citrus flavor.
Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and smooths the edges of the tart lime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh or bottled juice for the best flavor? Fresh is best for a clean, vibrant taste. If using bottled, choose one labeled 100% Key lime juice with no added sugar.
Why is there both butter and shortening? Butter brings rich flavor and browning. Shortening helps the crumb stay soft and moist for days.
My batter looked curdled after adding lime juice. Is that normal? A little curdling look can happen when acid meets fat. Keep mixing until smooth and it will bake up just fine.
How do I keep the cake from sticking to the pan? Grease and flour every nook of the pan, including the center tube. A baking spray with flour also works. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes before turning it out.
My glaze is too thin or too thick. What do I do? If it is thin, whisk in a little more powdered sugar. If it is thick, splash in a bit more lime juice until it is pourable.
Why did my cake turn out dense or dry? Common causes are under-creaming the butter and sugar, old baking powder, too much flour from heavy scooping, or overbaking. Spoon and level the flour, cream well, and check your oven temperature.
Helpful Tips
Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed just until combined. Overmixing after the flour goes in can toughen the cake.
Prep every nook of the pan with grease and flour, including the center tube. A baking spray with flour works great on detailed bundt pans.
Set the oven rack in the lower third and use a light colored pan to prevent over browning. If the top darkens too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
Glaze while the cake is slightly warm if you want it to soak in, or wait until fully cool for a thicker, drapey finish.
For extra lime flavor, poke a few tiny holes in the warm cake and brush with a spoonful of lime juice before glazing.
Storage Tips
Room temperature is best for the short term. Keep it under a cake dome or in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.
Refrigerate only if your kitchen is very warm or you need extra time. Wrap tightly to prevent drying and eat within 5 to 7 days
Freezing: Wrap the whole cake snugly in plastic, then foil. For slices, wrap each piece and place it in a freezer bag with the air pressed out.
Thaw wrapped at room temperature to prevent condensation on the glaze. Unwrap once no longer cold to the touch, then add a fresh drizzle of glaze if you like.
Substitutions and Variations
Limes: No Key limes? Use regular Persian limes.
Heavy cream: Sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt gives a tender, plush crumb. Whole milk works in a pinch; the cake will be a bit lighter.
Shortening: Replace with the same amount of butter for a richer flavor and a slightly tighter crumb.
Coconut-lime: Fold in toasted coconut and swap part of the glaze liquid with coconut milk.
Mini loaves or cupcakes: Fill two-thirds full and start checking much earlier.
What to Serve with Key Lime Pound Cake
Appetizers: Shrimp cocktail with chili-lime sauce or caprese skewers with basil-lime drizzle.
Main Dishes: Cilantro-lime shrimp skewers or mahi-mahi or cod tacos with crunchy slaw.
Side Dishes: Cilantro-lime rice or light coconut rice, or simple mixed greens with citrus vinaigrette.
Drinks: Mojitos or iced tea with lime and mint.
Other Desserts: Toasted coconut ice cream or sherbet.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
If you like Key Lime Pound Cake, you might also like my Dr Pepper Cake or my Pistachio Bundt Cake. This Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake is also delicious.
Final Thoughts
Every time I bake this, the kitchen smells amazing. I always sneak a warm slice while the glaze is setting, purely for “quality control.” Keep it on the counter for late-night slivers or dress it up for company, and enjoy that bright Key lime sparkle in every bite.
Key Lime Pound Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Sugar
- 1 Cup Butter softened
- ½ Cup Shortening
- 3 Cups Flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- 6 Eggs
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- ¼ Cup Key Lime Juice
- 1 teaspoon Lime Zest
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Glaze
- 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Key Lime Juice
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300℉.
- Grease and flour a 9-10 inch Bundt cake pan.
- Beat the sugar, butter, and shortening with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
- Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl.
- Beat the eggs, heavy cream, key lime juice, lime zest, and vanilla extract into the butter mixture.
- Beat in the flour mixture just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake at 300℉ for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan to cool completely.
- When the cake is cooled, make the glaze.
Glaze
- In a bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, key lime juice, and vanilla extract.
- Immediately spoon the glaze over the top and side of the cake.
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