This zesty selfmade Key lime pound cake recipe is a simple summer season dessert bursting with recent lime, drizzled with creamy Key lime icing. Whip up the batter in minutes!
As quickly as Key limes seem within the produce aisle, this from-scratch Key lime pound cake is the very first thing I’ll make! This simple recipe is quick changing into one in every of my favourite summer season desserts. My Key lime cake is spongey and tender, bursting with the intense, recent taste of actual limes. I’ve introduced this cake to each event recently, from our Fourth of July cookout to a household picnic. It’s been met with RAVE evaluations!
Why You’ll Love This Selfmade Pound Cake Recipe
Like my lemon pound cake recipe, this Key lime cake is stuffed with summery citrus taste. I like the best way that the icing simply melts into the wealthy, buttery cake. Listed below are extra causes you’ll need this recipe on repeat:
Simple batter. Easy components and a fast prep time imply your zesty pound cake batter is prepared for the oven in minutes.
Zesty taste. This moist and tender Key lime pound cake is bursting with lime taste, from the fluffy crumb to the creamy Key lime icing on prime.
Excellent for gatherings. I put together this cake in a bundt pan as a result of not solely does it make for a beautiful presentation, however it’s good for feeding a celebration. Potlucks, BBQs, get-togethers with buddies – you’re coated.
Key Limes vs. Common Limes
You could be questioning, “Is there even a distinction between a lime and a Key lime?” The reply is, sure! Key limes are a citrus hybrid, with a extra intense, tangy, and acidic taste than common limes. They originate in Southeast Asia, however they’re grown in California and Florida. Key limes have discovered their means into US kitchens by way of desserts like Key lime pie (or Key lime cheesecake).
Substances You’ll Want
Other than getting your arms on recent Key limes (see my be aware on this under), the remainder of the pound cake batter comes collectively utilizing pantry staples. Bear in mind to scroll to the recipe card for the total quantities and recipe particulars.
Flour, Baking Soda, and Salt: Our baking regulars that give this pound cake elevate, construction, and rise. I like to recommend making this pound cake with all-purpose flour for probably the most constant outcomes.
Butter: Your butter might be salted or unsalted. Simply be sure it’s at room temperature, this fashion it is going to be simpler to combine.
Sugar and Eggs: Extra pound cake necessities. You’re gonna want quite a lot of eggs for this one. A complete 6 pack! All these eggs assist bind the components and provides this Key lime pound cake its richness. You’ll additionally want some granulated sugar for sweetness.
Milk and Vanilla: Common complete milk or 2% milk is greatest. I like to recommend utilizing actual vanilla extract over the imitation type.
Key Limes: You’ll want a few spoonfuls of recent Key lime juice, together with some lime zest to spice up the flavors. If wanted, you’ll be able to substitute common lime juice for Key lime juice. See my be aware under. No matter you do, skip the bottled stuff!
Powdered Sugar: When your cake is baked, you’ll whisk up a fast Key lime icing created from powdered sugar, further lime juice, and vanilla extract.
The place Can I Discover Key Limes?
June to September is Key lime season within the States. Relying on the place you reside, you could find Key limes in main grocery shops after they’re in season. Key limes are a lot smaller than typical limes (those which can be accessible year-round), and so they have a extra floral aroma. When you can’t get your arms on recent Key limes, the excellent news is, you’ll be able to simply substitute common recent lime juice for Key lime juice on this Key lime cake.
Learn how to Make Key Lime Pound Cake
Earlier than you begin, get a 12-cup bundt pan good and greased whereas your oven preheats to 325ºF. Now, let’s get going with this scrumptious selfmade Key lime pound cake:
Make the batter. Mix the dry components in a single bowl, after which use your stand mixer to beat collectively the butter, sugar, and eggs till creamed. Step by step combine within the dry components, alternating with milk till they’re simply mixed (don’t overmix!). Lastly, stir within the vanilla with the lime juice and zest.
Bake. Pour the batter evenly into the bundt cake pan. Bake your bundt cake at 325ºF for 75-85 minutes, till set. As soon as your pound cake is out of the oven, let it relaxation and funky within the pan for about 20 minutes. Afterward, invert the pan onto a wire rack in order that the cake can end cooling.
Add the lime icing. When your cake is cool, whisk some further lime juice and vanilla into powdered sugar to make the icing. Drizzle it all around the cake. You possibly can garnish your Key lime pound cake with extra lime zest in case you’d like, then slice and serve!
Ideas for Success
Listed below are my ultimate suggestions for the most effective selfmade pound cake that’s wealthy and dense, however mushy and moist on the similar time:
Take time to cream the butter and sugar nicely. Beat the butter and sugar collectively, and add the eggs one after the other to include air, for a lightweight and fluffy pound cake.
However don’t overmix the batter. As soon as the dry components are added, be sure to solely combine till every thing is simply mixed. Over-beaten batter prompts gluten, which might result in a tricky, overly dense pound cake.
Examine in case your pound cake is finished by inserting a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clear, your cake is able to come out.
If the highest of the cake is beginning to brown an excessive amount of, tent the pan loosely with a chunk of foil till it’s accomplished baking.
Frequent Questions
Why is it referred to as a pound cake?
Pound cake will get its title from how the cake was initially made (way back to the 1700s!): with one pound every of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs.
How do you retain pound cake moist?
Correct storage is vital to preserving this pound cake mushy and moist. Just remember to maintain it coated hermetic, ideally at room temperature because the fridge tends to dry it out. See under for storage instructions.
Can I take advantage of lime as an alternative of key lime?
Sure. As talked about, in case you don’t have Key limes, you may make this dessert with the juice and zest from common limes as an alternative.
Learn how to Serve Key Lime Pound Cake
The bundt-cake type of this Key lime pound cake makes it good for feeding a crowd! You will get anyplace between 12 and 16 servings out of 1 cake. We love serving slices topped with ice cream or swirled with whipped cream. Add a lime wedge for further garnish.
Learn how to Retailer
Retailer this pound cake hermetic on the counter for as much as 3-4 days. I often don’t advocate storing muffins within the fridge, however in case you stay someplace heat, you can too maintain your pound cake coated within the fridge for as much as 1 week.
Can I Freeze Pound Cake?
Sure! You possibly can freeze this pound cake frosted or unfrosted, both complete or in slices. As soon as the cake is at room temperature, double-wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and retailer it frozen for as much as 3-4 months. Defrost the cake on the countertop earlier than serving.
Key lime pound cake is a simple summer season dessert bursting with recent lime, drizzled with creamy Key lime icing. This simple selfmade pound cake recipe is prepared for the oven in minutes!
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
6 massive eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lime zest
1/4 cup recent Key lime juice
Lime Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons recent Key lime juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour (or powdered sugar) a 10-inch (12-cup) bundt pan, or coat generously with baking spray. Put aside.
In a big bowl, whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, and salt. Put aside.
Within the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the butter and sugar at medium pace till creamy. Add within the eggs one after the other till easy, scraping the perimeters of the bowl as mandatory.
Flip the mixer to low and add within the flour combination and milk in alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour combination till simply mixed. Stir in vanilla, lime zest, and lime juice.
Unfold the cake batter into the ready pan and bake for 75 – 85 minutes, or till the cake is about and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clear. When you discover the cake browning too rapidly, loosely tent a chunk of aluminum foil over the pan to gradual the browning.
Cool the cake within the pan for 20 minutes, earlier than inverting the pan onto a wire rack to chill the cake fully.
Lime Icing: Whisk collectively powdered sugar, Key lime juice, and vanilla till easy. Use instantly. Drizzle onto the cooled cake.
