Key lime pie is a classic dessert and pound cake is also very tasty. So, what happens when you combine both of these desserts and whip up a key lime pound cake? This delicious fusion dessert is sure to tantalize your taste buds. It makes a tasty dessert after any kind of main dish.
Although you don’t have to use key limes in this recipe, this type of lime does suit sweet recipes like this one because of its amazing flavor. Real key limes are sweeter than Persian limes (the most common kind found at the grocery store) which is why they are prized for their flavor.
However, the 1926 drought meant the loss of most Florida key lime trees, which were replaced with regular limes. What are now labeled key limes in most grocery stores are Mexican limes which can be bitter and not very juicy. For this reason, you might want to use regular (Persian) limes here.
Why You’ll Love the Recipe:
This recipe is a combination of pound cake and key lime pie. It’s sweet, tangy and bursting with zesty lime flavor.
How to Serve It:
Enjoy a slice of this with your favorite drink. It’s a great sweet treat or dessert.
Can You Make It Ahead?
Yes, you can make it ahead and keep it in an airtight container until serving.
Storage Instructions:
Leftovers will keep for several days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you plan to serve it all within a day, it will be OK at room temperature. Another idea is freezing portions of the cake for up to 3 months.
Variations and Substitutions:
You can use regular limes or even sub oranges or lemons in this recipe.
Ingredients:
- Eggs
- Butter
- Fresh key lime juice
- Vanilla
- Grated key lime zest
- White sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Whole milk
FOR THE FROSTING:
- Cream cheese
- Freshly squeezed key lime juice
- Vanilla extract
- Butter
- Grated lime zest
- Powdered sugar
How to make Key Lime Pound Cake:
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Step 2. Grease a 10-inch tube pan (bundt pan).
Step 3. Beat the butter and then beat in the sugar for about 10 minutes.
Step 4. Add the eggs, one by one, then add the lime zest and mix.
Step 5. Add the vanilla, lime juice and milk, stirring well to combine.
Step 6. Transfer the batter into the greased pan, spreading it out evenly.
Step 7. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Step 8. Let it cool down to room temperature while you work on the frosting.
Step 9. Beat the butter with the cream cheese and then beat in the powdered sugar.
Step 10. Next add the vanilla, lime juice and lime zest.
Step 11. Spread the frosting over the cake once it’s cool.
This flavorful combination of pound cake and key lime pie is so delicious. It makes a lovely dessert or sweet treat.
PrintKey Lime Pound Cake
This flavorful combination of pound cake and key lime pie is so delicious. It makes a lovely dessert or sweet treat.
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs and 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 4 sticks butter, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh key lime juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup grated key lime zest
- 3 cups white sugar
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
FOR THE FROSTING:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed key lime juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 or 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 2 or 3 teaspoons grated lime zest
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Grease a 10-inch tube pan (bundt pan).
- Beat the butter and then beat in the sugar for about 10 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one by one, then add the lime zest and mix.
- Add the vanilla, lime juice and milk, stirring well to combine.
- Transfer the batter into the greased pan, spreading it out evenly.
- Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Let it cool down to room temperature while you work on the frosting.
- Beat the butter with the cream cheese and then beat in the powdered sugar.
- Next add the vanilla, lime juice and lime zest.
- Spread the frosting over the cake once it’s cool.
Marie Rayner is a retired Chef, freelance writer, recipe developer, food blogger, and Cookbook author. She makes her home in Chester, UK, where she lives with her husband, Todd, and their much beloved English Cocker, Mitzie. Her motto is “Life is far too short to eat bad food,” and her goal is to share delicious and easy recipes which anyone can enjoy and cook in the comfort of their own home.