Key Lime Cake
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4.9
39 reviews
Excellent
Key Lime Cake
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Inspired by key lime pie, my key lime cake is so refreshing! It's made with three moist, sweet vanilla cake layers, a tart key lime frosting, and dollops of whipped cream. Recipe includes a how-to video!
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Ingredients
Cake
- 2 ⅔ 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1 teaspoon table salt
- ½ ½ cup unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces
- ¼ ¼ cup avocado, vegetable, or canola oil
- 1 1 Tablespoon lime or key lime zest usually about 2 limes
- 1 ½ 1 ½ Tablespoons key lime juice
- 1 ½ 1 ½ scant cups whole milk
- 2 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Curd
- 2 2 large egg yolks
- ⅓ ⅓ cup key lime juice
- 2 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 2 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces
Frosting
- ¾ ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 6 6 oz cream cheese softened
- 4-5 4-5 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ ¼ cup Graham cracker crumbs for decorating
- ½ ½ batch stabilized whipped cream frosting (optional but recommended) see note
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Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and thoroughly grease and flour the sides of three 8” cake pans, tapping out any excess flour, and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- With mixer on low speed, add softened butter one Tablespoon at a time, allowing each Tablespoon to be fully incorporated into the dry ingredients before adding the next. Once all butter is added, the mixture will have a sandy, crumbly texture.
- Add oil and lime zest and stir until well combined. Set aside.
- Add the key lime juice to a large measuring cup (at least 2-cup), then add the milk until it reaches the 1 ½ cup line and whisk to combine.
- Add eggs and vanilla to the milk mixture and whisk to combine.
- Turn mixer to low speed and slowly add the milk mixture into batter until fully combined, pausing to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Batter should be uniform, silky and smooth.
- Evenly divide batter into prepared pans (if weighing batter, each pan should have approximately 460 grams of batter) and bake in the center rack of preheated 350F (175C) oven for 26-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow cakes to cool in their pans for 10-15 minutes, then run a knife along the edge of the pan to loosen from the edges and carefully invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely. While cakes are cooling, prepare your frosting.
Curd
- In a small, non-reactive saucepan (see note) whisk together egg yolks, key lime juice, sugar, and salt.
- Add butter and cook over medium/low heat, whisking constantly until mixture is thickened. This will take several minutes; once it is thickened the whisk should start to leave trails through the curd, and it should coat the back of a spoon.
- Pour curd through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl. Allow to cool completely before proceeding (this may be placed in the refrigerator to cool faster).
Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add 4 cups (500g) of powdered sugar until completely incorporated.
- Add the cooled curd, one Tablespoon at a time, until you’ve added 5-6 Tablespoons. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to be sure all ingredients are thoroughly combined. If the frosting seems too soft, too tart, or on the verge of breaking add the remaining sugar as needed.
Assembly
- Once cakes are cooled, level the tops if necessary.
- Frost each layer evenly with the prepared frosting. Evenly frost the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting.
- Gently press graham cracker crumbs around the bottom of cake, about a quarter of the way up.
- Pipe, swirl, or dollop stabilized whipped cream frosting over the top of the cake, if using. Decorate with additional graham cracker crumbs or lime zest, if desired.
- Allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy!
Equipments used:
Notes
- Key limes can be difficult to find across the US depending on location and time of year. You can substitute “regular” lime zest for the key lime zest, but for the juice I really recommend using a key lime juice. If you can’t find actual key limes, most stores carry the juice. Look for a brand called “Nellie & Joe’s Key West Lime Juice”, that one works very well here (I have made the cake using this juice myself multiple times).
- Choose a small one made of a non-reactive metal like stainless steel or an enameled ceramic pot. Avoid reactive metals (like cast iron or aluminum) that could react with the acidity of the lime juice and make your frosting taste metallic.
- Curd may be prepared up to 3 days in advance of making the frosting. This recipe should yield approximately 6 Tablespoons of a very tart key lime curd. While you can substitute an equal amount of store-bought curd, it may alter the desired taste a bit and homemade/as-written is best.
- To give this cake a real key lime pie feel, a whipped cream topping really adds a nice but optional touch. You can skip this entirely or if you prefer, but I recommend making a half-batch of my stabilized whipped cream frosting and piping this over the top of the cake (this can be done in advance and will hold its shape for days, unlike classic homemade whipped cream). I used my Ateco 848 piping tip to decorate the cake as seen in pictures and the video.
- Store in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cake may also be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months. I recommend thawing overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1serving
Calories
665kcal
(33%)
Carbohydrates
100g
(33%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
28g
(43%)
Saturated Fat
17g
(85%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
8g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
130mg
(43%)
Sodium
387mg
(16%)
Potassium
99mg
(3%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
76g
(152%)
Vitamin A
932IU
(19%)
Vitamin C
3mg
(3%)
Calcium
61mg
(6%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 665 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 665kcal | 33% |
| Carbohydrates | 100g | 33% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 17g | 85% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 130mg | 43% |
| Sodium | 387mg | 16% |
| Potassium | 99mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 76g | 152% |
| Vitamin A | 932IU | 19% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 61mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
39 reviews
Excellent
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