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Call Me PMc

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Easy Key Lime Cake with Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting

Aug.posted by Paula 113 Comments

Rich, bright, and fluffy, my Easy Key Lime Cake with Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting has a tangy lime flavor with decadent cream cheese frosting. It’s great for spring and summer special occasions!

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Rich, bright, and fluffy, my Easy Key Lime Cake with Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting has a tangy lime flavor with decadent cream cheese frosting. It's great for spring and summer special occasions!

This cake is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. The cake layers or tender and moist and absolutely a must-make recipe for your next celebration… or no special occasion at all. This is a refreshing cake that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser and guilty pleasure.

If you can find key limes use them if not use regular limes.

 

Rich, bright, and fluffy, my Easy Key Lime Cake with Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting has a tangy lime flavor with decadent cream cheese frosting. It's great for spring and summer special occasions!

 

Easy Key Lime Cake with Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting

Citrus makes me think of Spring. This cake makes a great springtime dessert. St Patrick’s Day, Easter, and Mother’s Day would be the ideal time to enjoy this cake.

One of my favorite things to do is take an extensive recipe and make it easier to prepare. (You know how impatient I am!) I would love to spend hours in the kitchen baking and decorating cakes, prepping and preparing beautiful meals. But, the truth is, I just don’t have that kind of time. My boys have activities and need help with homework and such. I did implement a chore system for them to follow this summer, but they still need supervision. Therefore, for now, it’s simple, easy, and quick dishes!! (Mostly)

This recipe was inspired by Trisha Yearwood’s Key Lime Cake, but I made it easier! I started with a cake mix with additions that make it taste homemade. The Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting is completely from scratch.

cake mix and gelatin
add oil
add eggs
mix together
I got excited and didn’t take pix of adding the orange juice, lime juice, and vanilla
Pour into pan
I gave this cake away so I used an aluminum dish.
See notes on baking for a stack cake and baking in a sheet pan.
Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting!

 

Rich, bright, and fluffy, my Easy Key Lime Cake with Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting has a tangy lime flavor with decadent cream cheese frosting. It's great for spring and summer special occasions!

Easy Key Lime Cake with Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting

Rich, bright, and fluffy, my Easy Key Lime Cake with Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting has a tangy lime flavor with decadent cream cheese frosting.
Author: Paula
4.78 from 72 votes
Print Pin Rate

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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 27 minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes
Servings: 16 servings

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 1 package white cake mix
  • 3 ounces lime gelatin
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons key lime juice freshly squeezed, or lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting

  • ½ cup butter at room temperature
  • 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
  • 3 and ½ cups confectioners sugar sifted before measuring
  • 2 tablespoons key lime juice freshly squeezed, or lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 - 8 inch round cakes pans or 1 - 9x13 cake pan.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add cake mix and gelatin. Add 1 cup oil and ¾ cup orange juice and beat on low. 
  • Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add lime juice and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes on med hi, scraping sides. 
  • Pour into cake pans. Bake 8 inch layers 22-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Bake 9x13 inch cake 27- 30 minutes. Cool completely before icing with Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting.
  • *For the stacked layered cake, I used three 8 inch pans and cooked them for 27 minutes at 350 degrees.

For the Frosting

  • Beat 1/2 cup butter and 8 ounces cream cheese until smooth, add confectioners sugar with a mixer on low. Add lime juice and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Frost cake. 

Notes

Recipe from Paula @CallMePMc.com All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission that includes copying the ingredient list or entire recipe and posting in the comments on Pinterest for Facebook. If you want to share this recipe, please simply link back to this post for the recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 366mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 467IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Please take a moment to comment letting me know how you liked it & consider giving it a 5 star rating. I love hearing from you!
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Paula
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Comments

  1. Patricia says

    02.09.22 at 1:25 pm

    What size cake mix is used in your recipe? I only see 15.25
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Paula says

      02.10.22 at 3:56 pm

      That’s correct.

      Reply
  2. Lisa Tucker says

    08.04.21 at 7:07 pm

    My cake did not rise very much. Is this normal?

    Reply
    • Paula says

      08.06.21 at 6:35 am

      It should rise the same as any cake. How did it turn out and taste?

      Reply
  3. Beth says

    06.12.21 at 8:52 pm

    I made this and it came out perfect first time. I read some comments and got some tips on how to adjust to a 16.5 oz. cake mix, as I couldn’t find an 18 oz one. This has such a strong lime tartness we love it. I doubled the frosting recipe the second time around so I didn’t have to skimp on it. This is so delicious, my family requests it now.

    Reply
  4. Norma says

    04.04.21 at 9:29 pm

    5 stars
    My daughter and I made this cake for the fist time yesterday for Easter!!!! It was absolutely delicious!!!!! The cream cheese icing was the best too!!!! I was wondering instead of 1/13 oil could I do half oil and half butter???? Or just lest oil and more another liquid???? Mentally I have a thing with all that oil…
    I used, oil, D Cake lemon or lime box flour, lime jello, orange juice. Can I substitute the oil??
    If not again this cake is awesome!!!!!😄😃😀

    Reply
    • Paula says

      04.05.21 at 8:39 am

      You can do half oil and half butter. Or, if you want to reduce the fat overall you can use half oil and half applesauce. The cooking time should be the same using applesauce, but watch it the first time. Fat makes it moist so with less you def don’t want to overcook it. I’m happy you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  5. Denny says

    03.01.21 at 6:48 pm

    5 stars
    This cake was Excellent! We loved that it actually tasted like a lime cake. I made it as a Bundt cake and baked it for 36 minutes. I didn’t use the amount recommended of confectioners sugar as it would have been too sweet but the frosting was wonderful. This recipe is a keeper.

    Reply
  6. Bethany says

    01.27.21 at 4:24 pm

    If you bake the cake the day before, do you need to refrigerate overnight because of the fresh lime juice?

    Reply
    • Paula says

      01.29.21 at 11:54 am

      I would. I almost always make and refrigerate layer cakes the day before. Cold cakes are much easier to frost. (in my opinion)

      Reply
  7. Sw says

    09.27.20 at 8:19 pm

    5 stars
    ABSOLUTELY delicious and moist my guess rave about it the entire evening😊

    Reply
  8. Donna says

    07.22.20 at 12:55 pm

    I’m wondering if I can just use a butter cream icing in place of the cream cheese icing and add the lime juice for flavoring? Has anyone tried this?

    Reply
    • Paula says

      07.23.20 at 8:50 am

      I think that would be great!

      Reply
  9. Gwen says

    02.07.20 at 11:03 am

    Does the cake it’s self have a key lime flavor?

    Reply
    • Paula says

      02.07.20 at 4:13 pm

      It has a faint lime flavor.

      Reply
  10. Vicki says

    01.14.20 at 5:06 pm

    5 stars
    I am making this Key Lime cake for the 3rd time since Christmas. So delicious and so easy!!!

    Reply
    • Jackie says

      09.11.20 at 8:30 am

      Hey do you follow the recipe to a T? I need to make a key lime cake..First time I will ever be doing so. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Meika0005 says

        12.24.20 at 7:10 pm

        Yes follow to the T and it will be delicious

        Reply
    • Kay Russell says

      03.14.22 at 1:27 am

      Hello, What size cake mix? I’m only finding 15.25😊 Thanks

      Reply
  11. Darlene Peacock says

    04.28.19 at 6:23 pm

    yeah54right@yahoo.com could you please send me the recipe for the key lime cake

    Reply
  12. Debbie says

    12.13.18 at 7:41 am

    I made this beautiful cake for my daughter in laws birthday. It was such a hit. Everyone was asking for the recipe. Its a real keeper!

    Reply
  13. Kellie Courtney says

    07.27.18 at 8:13 am

    HI! This turned out really well for me. I just wanted to let you know that the print version of your recipe doesn’t have the cream cheese in the instructions for the frosting.

    Reply
    • Paula says

      07.27.18 at 10:54 am

      Thank you to alerting me to that!

      Reply
  14. Margaretsantiago says

    06.07.18 at 3:59 pm

    Can make cupcakes instead of the cake

    Reply
    • Paula says

      06.08.18 at 4:17 pm

      Yes

      Reply
  15. Ingrid says

    11.20.17 at 6:11 am

    I want to bake this key lime cake in a half sheet sheet pan for my son’s birthday. I’m going to double the recepie. How long do I bake it?

    Reply
  16. Sharon says

    08.06.17 at 10:33 am

    I was wondering if I should adjust the liquid amounts since cake mixes aren’t 18.25 ounces anymore, they are around 15. I’ve made it before with great results, but it seems to sink now. Thoughts?

    Reply
    • Paula says

      08.07.17 at 7:21 pm

      My local Walmart has had the larger size cake mixes again, but def lower liquid amounts if the box is 15.25 oz.

      Reply
    • Val says

      05.12.18 at 7:12 am

      You can add 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of sugar to the mix and that with make it hold the liquids called for.

      Reply
    • Linda says

      05.18.18 at 4:21 pm

      I put 1 and 1/3 cup of oil. I use Lemon cake mix and I don’t put the lime juice in the cake because you use the lime jello. I also put pecans in my icing.

      Reply
  17. ERIC says

    05.12.17 at 3:01 pm

    Just wondering the orange juice in the recipe, is it talking bout freshly squeezed orange juice or bottled orange juice? thanks

    Reply
    • Paula says

      05.12.17 at 6:16 pm

      I used bottled orange juice, like Simply Orange brand.

      Reply
      • Dianna Reid says

        07.30.17 at 5:29 pm

        Hi Paula. Just wondering why orange juice rather than lime, or even lemon? Do you taste the orange flavour? Can’t wait to try this as I love all things lime! Thank you fir sharing your recipe. It looks amazing!

        Reply
        • Paula says

          08.13.17 at 11:36 am

          You can’t taste the orange juice it just brightens it. Lemon and lime were too tart, I tested with all 3 diff flavors.

          Reply
  18. Vicki Georgieanna says

    04.13.17 at 12:22 pm

    Love this cake! I had watched a cooking program on the Food Channel that had 2 guys on it, that were, of all things….Pizza makers with several Pizza restaurants that they own in New York and California! They were in Florida just for a Key Lime Cake recipe! Well, I’m horrible at “scratch” cakes, so when I saw the recipe these guys had on their show…it was way to complicated for me, but it just looked so delicious to say the least!!!
    I thought there has to be a simpler way to make this cake and I searched the good ‘old Internet and found this one! OMG!!! I made this heavenly cake and wonder of wonders, my husband “actually” loved it! In fact, he said it was not only the best cake I had ever made, he loved the taste and here’s the biggie….he’s asked me to make it again and again! You could have knocked me over with a feather! He’s never commented me on my cakes let alone asked for a repeat performance!!!! Especially since he really doesn’t care for Lime flavor!!!
    I’ve made this 4 times since I found this recipe since 2016. But out if necessity I had to change it a tiny little bit…. I ran out of Orange Juice and used 1/2 cup of the OJ with 1/4 cup of Key Lime Juice! It was great! I found this great Key Lime Juice….right next to the Real Lime & Lemon Juice in the grocery! It’s called, ” Nellie and Joes Famous Key Lime Juice”! It’s a little pricey but so well worth it! I also use thus Juice in any recipe that calls for Lime or Lemon Juice! It’s not to tart and not to sweet! (It’s also great in a Corona beer too) So! To make me long story short….this is my families most favorite cake recipe and my friends love it too, any ime of the year!!!!

    Reply
    • Paula says

      04.17.17 at 4:30 pm

      Vicki, you have just made my day!! Thank you so much for telling me your story. I am so happy you like the cake. I enjoy baking but sometimes I just want an simple recipe too.

      Reply
  19. Keeta says

    03.08.17 at 5:02 pm

    I accidentally picked up yellow cake mix instead of white cake mix. Does it matter?

    Reply
    • Paula says

      03.10.17 at 9:27 am

      It will taste the same, the color may be a little different but it’ll still be good

      Reply
  20. Burna says

    06.08.16 at 6:25 pm

    I made this cake ,it was so good,I couldn’t stop eating and the frosting is so good,it makes me think I can really bake,it,s addictive.Thanks for that great “made easy” recipe.I,ll try the strawberry cake next ,but for now I’m hooked on keylime.

    Reply
  21. Lauren Ebner says

    03.20.16 at 7:00 am

    Just made this for a St. Patrick’s Day get together. It was a huge hit! It is a delicious cake. I used fresh lime juice in the icing it’s amazing. Thanks!

    Reply
  22. Mel says

    02.17.16 at 3:23 pm

    I made this for my sisters birthday and it turned out so goooood! But I made it all from scratch since I didn’t have a cake mix on hand. I combined a white cake with this one and luckily it turned out so yummy and moist 🙂 Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
  23. Noel says

    11.26.15 at 9:44 pm

    My husband and I love key Lime pie. When I saw this for cake. I told him. We both agreed to make and try for Thanksgiving. Very very yummie! Can’t wait to make it for family when we return home.

    Reply
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