Scratch made Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe with Key Lime Glaze is a wonderfully tart and sweet pound cake. It’s moist with a fine crumb and dense texture characteristic of pound cakes. It’s a delicious twist to a traditional Southern pound cake recipe. This is the perfect cake for spring and summer!
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Scratch Made Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe with Key Lime Glaze
Nothing beats the rich, buttery flavor of a homemade pound cake and Scratch Made Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe with Key Lime Glaze is no exception. Give your traditional pound cake recipe a break and try this one. It’s full of bright citrus flavor that you’re sure to love. One bite and you’ll be reminded of that favorite beach destination!
Until now, I’ve made somewhat traditional Pound Cake recipes in my series for testing Pound Cakes. (You can get every pound cake reicpe here.) I shared Whipping Cream Pound Cake, Cream Cheese Pound Cake, and Sour Cream Pound Cake. Today I’m sharing a unique, but equally as good pound cake.
Tips
- When it comes to measuring flour, a cup is not always a cup. Sifting is a must. Please read this post on how to correctly measure flour.
- This pound cake is dense and moist. The batter is thick and it takes a long time to bake. I baked it at 325 degrees F for 1 hour and 30 minutes. That low, slow baking makes this pound cake ‘crusty’ on the outside and with a soft, tender texture and small crumb inside. You’ll be tempted to take the cake out at 1 hour and 15 minutes because the outside is golden brown. Do not. Test it carefully (without moving the cake too much) with a small, long wooden skewer. The cake is done with no crumbs or dry crumbs are on the skewer.
- It takes a little patience to make. You’ll need to cream the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. This is a must.
- Also, add the eggs one at a time. You may want to dump them all in at once but resist the urge.
- Finally, allow the cake to cool at least 20 to 30 minutes in the pan before inverting it onto a platter.
How do you make a pound cake?
- One of the most important tips is to Calibrate your oven.
- Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. The color will a pale yellow. You must use real butter. Margarine will not have the same results.
- Next, mix in the room temperature eggs one at a time until they disappear into the batter.
- The next step is to add the room temperature milk alternately with the flour until mixed together and smooth. Room temperature ingredients are a must for a fluffy cake.
- Pour the batter into a well greased baking pan and bake until cooked through.
More pound cakes you’re sure to like
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- Irish Cream Chocolate Pound Cake
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- Sweet Potato Pound Cake
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- Pineapple Upside Down Pound Cake
-
- Holiday Greek Yogurt Cranberry Pound Cake recipe
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- Strawberry & Cream Pound Cake with Jello
-
- Oreo Buttermilk Pound Cake recipe
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary based on products used.
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Scratch Made Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe with Key Lime Glaze
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Save To Your Recipe BoxIngredients
FOR THE CAKE
- 1 cup butter at room temperature no substitutions
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted (read my tips on how to correctly measure flour)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk 1% or 2% may be used, but cake will not be as rich
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon Key lime zest regular limes can be used
- 1/3 cup fresh Key lime juice regular limes can be used
KEY LIME GLAZE
- 1 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar sift before measuring
- 3 tablespoons fresh Key lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Grease and flour a 10-inch (12 cup) tube or bundt pan.
- Cream butter and shortening at medium speed with a heavy-duty mixer.
- Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time. Beat just until blended after each addition.
- Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk. Begin and end with flour mixture.
- Beat at low speed until just blended after each addition.
- Stir in vanilla, lime zest, and lime juice.
- Spoon batter into prepared pan.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 25 to 30 minutes.
- Test doneness by inserting a long wooden pick or skewer into the center of cake. The cake is done when the skewer comes out clean or with dry crumbs.
- Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 25 to 30 minutes before inverting onto a serving tray to cool completely.
- While cake is cooling on tray, prepare glaze. Mix glaze ingredients together with a whisk and drizzle over cake.
- Store on countertop for 3 days or in refrigerator up to 7 days.
Notes
Nutrition
You can also find great recipes here or at Meal Plan Monday or Weekend Potluck.
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Donna says
I recently asked if I could use this recipe and make it marbled. I went ahead this morning and tried it and it turned out great! It is moist and has a good pound cake texture. I have tried several of your other pound cake recipes and the ones that work best for me are the ones using butter and shortening. The Orange creamsicle pound cake is really good too! I used regular limes in the key lime pound cake and was wondering what is your opinion regarding using the bottled key lime juice.
Paula says
I don’t like bottle lime juice. The bottled tastes unnatural/like medicine to me. I use regular limes if I can’t find key limes.
Donna says
I am planning to make this cake soon- I would like to know if I can use this recipe but make it marbled like the coconut key lime pound cake . Thanks!
Paula says
Hey Donna, I’m just seeing this comment. Yes, it can be marbled. I love the texture of this pound cake.
Rhonda Rodriguez says
Where did you get key limes and key lime juice. Are they usually at the grocery store like H‑E‑B or Kroger. Key limes in the vegetable dept. and key lime juice in the juice section of the grocery store.
Paula says
They’re harder to find this time of year, but I do get them at either Kroger or WalMart. When I can’t find Key Limes I use regular limes as it’s better than canned juice.
Lizzie says
DELISH recipe, However I followed the recipe exactly, and for some reason it had a large gummy ring around the middle of the cake. I’m sure it’s something I did or did not do correctly. If this has happened to anyone else, please share how you resolved it. This cake is sooooooo good, which is why I need to perfect it!. Thanks so much for a delicious recipe.
Debbie says
This is the best Key Lime Pound with the icing. I have made it several times and it is delicious and my family is crazy about it. It cooks up beautifully every time I bake it. Thank you PMC for a wonderful recipe. Getting ready to make your Lemon Pound Cake.
Heather Tidwell says
Did you use salted or unsalted butter?
Paula says
You can use either. I use salted.
Lazaina says
Can I use buttermilk instead of whole milk???
Paula says
I read every little helpful hint you wrote about this cake. We absolutely loved this recipe. Super moist and definitely a keeper. I did make this in a bundt pan. It did go over the sides a bit after baking. No problem though- I just trimmed it and snacked on the crumbs. 😃
Paula says
I’m so happy you liked it. It’s one of my favorite!
Rebecca says
I made this and it was delicious!! I would like to know if it can be made in a mini-bunt cake pan (6 molds). If so, what should the cooking time be?
Paula says
Yes, you can, but not knowing the exact size it’s hard to say how long. I would watch and start checking every 5 minutes once the top starts to ‘brown’ a little.
Diane Brown says
How long do you cream butter shortening and sugar?
Paula says
I cream until this smooth and fluffy probably about 3 minutes. The mixture turns a lighter yellow.
tomas Johnston says
Just made this and I am glad I beat the butter and shortening as long as I did, did not have a bundt pan but used an angel food pan, it leaked some but the finished product is terrific, very moist, dense but lite, good flavor, and the icing is the best part, thanks.
clubcandy says
Do you use salted or unsalted butter in this recipe?
Also are you aware this same exact recipe was given a blue ribbon on the “Just a Pinch” website? Who does this recipe belong to?
Paula says
It’s my recipe. I made it up myself. I saw that they duplicated it 😣
Tammi says
Hi Paula,
This recipe sounds so good. Can I use Crisco butter flavor for the shortening? Also can I use Butter milk instead of regular milk? I wanted to make this cake now. Thank you.
Paula says
I would be hesitant to use butter flavored Crisco as it might alter the lime flavor. You can use buttermilk.
Marsha Dolkas says
Where is your reply? Sorry I can’t find it.
Dying to go to the store to get ingredients for this!
I have a dozen duck eggs that I am going to use in as many of your recipes as I can!
Marsha
Marsha Dolkas says
What kind of shortening do you use? I can’t find a comment about that anywhere. I am assuming you mean Crisco vegetable shortening, regular kind without butter flavor. Is that right? Also, can you use cake flour that is already sifted? Or just cake flour and then sift it?
Or if not, what is your preference on flour? King Arthur? Gold Medal?
Thank you,
Marsha
Paula says
Yes, Crisco vegetable shortening, plain. I use all-purpose flour – sift then measure. I have never made a pound cake with cake flour, but have read that you can and it turns out good. I would sift then measure it as well.
I use Gold Medal or White Lily flour. I really prefer White Lily, but sometimes my store is out or my son gets the wrong kind 😉
pamela palmer says
wheres the recipe?
Paula says
Scroll down to the bottom of the post
Daryl says
I noticed in your comments about “how to make a pound cake” it says to add “room temperature whipping cream” but in the recipe it says whole milk. Which is it? I’ve got my ingredients put to make this Key Lime Pound Cake For Cinco De Mayo at my church tomorrow night.
Thanks!
Paula says
for this one milk and have all cold ingredients at room temperature
Wanda says
Hi Paula, this Key Lime Pound Cake, can it be baked in a loaf or sheet?
Paula says
Yes, it can. It’ll take 2 5×9-inch loaf pans or 1 9×13-inch pan. Here’s some tips on baking it in a 9×13 pan. https://www.callmepmc.com/sheet-pan-pound-cake/
for loaf pans, I’d start checking them at 45 minutes for doneness.
Rebekah says
I want to make and mail this cake to my daughter for her birthday. She loves key lime and this is the first year she can’t come home for her birthday. Would you recommend glazing it before nailing or putting the glaze in a container for her to apply after she gets it? I can send it priority mail. Thanks for the advice.
Paula says
I would put the glaze in a container to ship.
gale says
can I freeze this cake?
Paula says
Yes, you can freeze with or without the glaze but I would add the glaze after I thawed it if you’re freezing the entire cake.
Zena says
This Key Lime Pound Cake taste so good. I’ve tried a different recipe before but did not taste as good as this recipe so this one is a keeper.
Paula says
Thank you!
Ingrid says
The recipe sounds great. Can green food coloring be added to the recipe? If so, how much?
Paula says
It can. The egg yolks may change the green coloring slightly. Try a few drops at a time until you get the color you want.
Ingrid says
Thank you!
Mary says
Recipe looks delicious! The recipe calls for ‘shortening’ – do you mean Crisco? That’s what I think of when I see ‘shortening’ as opposed to ‘vegetable oil’ I would prefer not to use animal fat in my recipes. If you do mean Crisco, can I substitute veg oil? Thank you
Paula says
Yes, I used Crisco. You can sub vegetable oil, I typically use canola oil but I’m sure any would work
Nancy says
I absolutely love love this cake. I have made it several times over the past few weeks for different occasions. In the past two times I’ve made it I’ve noticed that the cake does not seem fully done. There are some moisture patches throughout my cake where it looks like the lime juice settled. Do you think I’m doing something wrong with the mixing or do you think it needs to stay in my oven longer?
Paula says
It sounds like what is referred to as ‘sad’ streaks. My grandmother’s pound cakes always had that and I thought they were supposed to for the longest time, haha. It’s more like the mixing, not the baking that is causing it. Make sure the eggs and butter are at room temperature. Then cream the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy, don’t rush this step. This is the step you get the air incorporated. After you start adding the flour and dry ingredients, don’t over-mix it. Over mixing the flour will make it tough. I think this will help, let me know!
thu nguyen says
Hi. I made your cake. It was wonderful. But my glaze didn’t come out quite as white as your picture. My glaze was more translucent. I tried adding more powder sugar, but it just made the glaze sweeter. What did i do wrong?
Barbara says
I have made this cake many times,with powdered sugar and plain. Very good both ways.
Tameka says
How important is the shortening? I was seriously considering adding a stick of butter instead. Can you let me know what you think?
glenda ambers says
There is a print button that shows up on the right as you scroll down the page. I missed it at first, but it works.
Jane says
I want to make your key lime pound cake. Are the ingredient measurements American measures. I am in Australia,so may have to do a conversion, thanks jane
Linda says
Is there really a noticeable taste difference between Key limes and regular limes in baked items like this. Or is it definitely worth it if I you can find them? I’ve always wondered about that. And same question about the Key lime juice in a bottle vs. the regular lime juice in bottles?
Carlee says
That looks delicious. I love a good pound cake and the bright flavor of key lime makes it sound even better!
Jackie says
Hi
Allen I’m having the same problem.
Allen Vergakis says
This recipe sounds great, title wise. However, for some reason, I am not able to access the directions. I don’t think it’s just me, for I’m having no difficulty with other sites. Maybe it needs reposting. God bless you and yours, Allen.
Paula says
I’m having trouble with my site, it won’t scroll down on desktop. If you have a mobile device it will sroll. I’m so sorry for the inconvenience. I hope to have it resolved soon.