Who says Key Lime has to be a pie? You are gonna fall in love with this easy to make Fresh Key Lime Cake! And here is a secret, you don’t have to use Key Limes...regular old limes work just fine!
We all know about Key Lime Pie – but I like my dessert in cake form. I want cake, cake and more cake! Nothing against all you pie lovers – I got nuthin’ but love for ya. It’s just this thing, this thing with cake, it’s big…and it’s getting bigger! Well everything is gonna get bigger if I don’t stop making cake every weekend…ugh. But I do share, so that makes it okay, right?
Regular limes work for this Fresh Key Lime Cake
just as well!!
and they are a little easier to zest…key limes are tiny little suckers and you can easily zest your finger tip off. Not a good start to cake day. Cake fixes a lot of things but it won’t make you grow your finger tips back.
Whether you use Key Limes or regular Limes, you are going to love this easy to make fresh cake!
The batter is your basic cake ingredients plus a bit of lime juice and zest.
Watch those finger tips when zesting!
Once your cake is baked and cooled, it’s time to slather on the cream cheese and lime frosting. I do so love that word slather….
Now zest some additional lime to decorate. I found this cool little tool in my bar stuff. It made little confetti looking lime strips!
Chubby fingers make great cake and they hold a lot of frosting for extra taste testing!
And now to do what I do best….EAT CAKE! We love the fresh taste. No ultra green color added. You don’t want your cake to look neon!
We love to make easy and fresh cake and you can see all fo them HERE!
One of our favorites is our Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake. You slather peanut butter right out of the jar onto chocolate cake, then top with a 5 minute ganache frosting you make in the microwave ! Super big flavor bomb!
Here is to cake and all it does!
Clink!
Kathi
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Pin RecipeYou will love the fresh taste of this Key Lime Cake! Key Limes or regular limes will work. It is tender with a tangy fresh flavor we love!
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 1 2/3 cups granulated white sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup fresh key lime juice or regular lime juice
- 2 teaspoons fresh key lime zest or regular limes
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 2 teaspoons key lime zest, plus more for garnish
- 4 tablespoons fresh key lime juice
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9" x 13" pan with non-stick spray.
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Mix together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time.
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Add milk, vanilla, lime juice, lime zest to combine.
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Add flour, baking powder and salt.
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Mix with electric mixer until well blended
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Cool cake and frost with Fresh Lime Frosting.
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For Fresh Lime Frosting
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In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. Add lime juice and lime zest. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy.
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Spread on cooled cake and garnish with additional lime zest.
CHEATER NOTE: Buy already made vanilla frosting and add the lime juice and lime zest! shhhh, don't tell....
I made this for a shower last summer and got great reviews. And we got a request for it for another shower this summer. This time I made it into cupcakes and they are still delicious. We like a little more lime flavor so just added a little more zest. Thank you!
Wonderful recipe. It came out perfect and the frosting is delicious. I know I will be making again.
Thank you for sharing .
So glad you loved it! Thank you for the nice note and 5 star rating! xoxoxo!
Followed the directions, the cake tastes amazing! but for some reason did not rise.
Hi Mel – Check the expiration date on your baking powder. Thanks.
Look yummy! One of my favorite Fresh Key Lime Cake, nice to see your recipe, easy to follow, will cook this for family this weekend. Thanks you!
I just made this cake and know it will be delicious as the colour is just right! I have tasted the beaters for both the cake mixture the frosting…um, um! Is anyone else having trouble with this website…sooo frustrating????? Anyway, I substituted the last 3/4 cup of flour with shredded coconut!!!!
I grow my limes in a pot and I have 3 ready to go with loads more on the dwarf tree….I am going to make this over the weekend…..Here in Australia we don’t make pies like you people do….key lime pie, pumpkin pie….we don’t even have graham crackers! However I know that there will be a very close substitute out there…just haven’t had the need so far!!!!! I am a fairly good cook and yet I cannot make an apple pie, but I have a substitute and it is very good. It is called, almost apple pie cake!!!
Can you use jarred key lime juice instead of fresh? This looks amazing!
Yes, that would be fine!
Just made this and it is so SO good! Thank you for sharing. Saving this recipe!
Yay! I love this recipe too…I mean it’s cake right but besides that it’s so light it almost makes me feel like it’s healthy :). You can try this with lemon or orange as well. Thank you for the nice note Elizabeth!
Just made this and it came out amazing. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us ????
If I make cupcakes, how long does it take to bake them?
12-15 minutes. Use a toothpick to insert into the center. When it comes out clean, your cupcakes are done!
This looks heavenly! Looking forward to prepare this over here, everyone will love it!
We hope you get a chance to try it Diana!
This cake and icing recipe are the BOMB! And I.evn used gluten free flour! I seriously may poke a couple of holes in it and add a little tequila for a margarita cake as you suggested Kathi!
Way to take advantage of National Margarita Day! Thanks for posting the pic on FB too! You totally rocked’ that cake!