Indulge in this Key Lime Pound Cake and enjoy the delightful flavor of tangy citrus. This cake is made with cake flour and cream cheese, creating a fine-textured dessert that is never dry.
Key Lime Pound Cake with Cream Cheese
This key lime-flavored pound cake is delicious! It cooks at a low temperature and comes out of the oven golden brown. Unlike many other pound cakes, it does not quickly dry out and retains its fresh taste longer. Adding cream cheese is the secret to this cake remaining moist and delicious.
Limes for Key Lime Pound Cake
Key limes are smaller than familiar green limes (or Persian limes) and harder to find. Key limes turn from green to yellow as they ripen and can be mistaken for mini lemons. However, they are always labeled as Key limes when you buy them. If you cannot find them, substitute Persians or use bottled key lime juice because the flavor difference will be hard to discern in baked goods.
Flour
Use Cake Flour for Key Lime Pound Cake
Use cake flour in this recipe. It is a fine flour with lower protein content than all-purpose flour, which makes a tender cake. If you don’t have access to cake flour, you can easily make your own with all-purpose flour and cornstarch.
How to Make Cake Flour
- Measure 1 cup of all-purpose flour.
- Remove 2 tablespoons of flour from the measured 1 cup
- Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the flour.
- Do this for every cup of flour called for in the recipe.
- Sift the flour and cornstarch mixture together. As shown in the above photo, I use a wire-mesh strainer and stir the flour and cornstarch with a whisk to sift it.
How to Measure Flour
Measure the flour accurately when making a pound cake because too much can make a dry cake. Follow these steps when measuring:
- Use a cup with a flat top instead of a glass cup intended for liquid ingredients.
- Add flour to the cup, being careful not to pack it.
- Run a knife across the top of the cup to level the flour.
- Repeat until all the cups are measured.
- Sift the flour with the other dry ingredients.
Mixing the Batter for Key Lime Pound Cake
The batter for this cake will be thick and creamy, and it mixes quickly.
Preparing the Pan for Key Lime Pound Cake
Use shortening to grease the cake pan. I have found that a basting brush works best because you can spread the shortening faster than other methods. After smearing the pan with shortening, dust it with flour. Then, pour out any excess flour from the pan.
A Large Cake
This recipe makes a large cake, so use a 10-inch wide tube pan. The pan should also be deep to accommodate all the batter, so be careful not to use a shallow pan. Run a knife through the batter to help settle it in the pan.
Fine Texture
This cake has a fine texture, as shown in the photo (below). TIP: Use a serrated knife to cut cake slices.
Glaze for Key Lime Pound Cake
This cake recipe includes a glaze to spoon over the cake. The cake tastes fine without the glaze, but it adds a nice touch!
I hope you enjoy this key lime pound cake! Below are some other pound cake recipes. Click on the name or photo to link to the recipe.
Key Lime Pound Cake
Equipment
- (1) 10-15 cup Bundt pan
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ยฝ cups butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- โ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lime extract
- 2 tablespoons lime zest
- 3 cups cake flour, sifted
- ยผ cup key lime juice
- extra shortening for coating pans
- extra flour for dusting pans
Glaze
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 tablespoons key lime juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 ยฝ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Use a basting brush or hand to grease a large pound-cake pan with shortening. Dust it with the flour. Shake out any extra flour once the pan is coated.
- Use a mixer to beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
- Add the sugar a cup at a time and beat until well mixed.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until incorporated.
- Add the salt, vanilla, lime extract, and zest to the batter. Beat until combined.
- Place the flour in a measuring cup, leveling the top with a knife. Repeat until 3 cups are measured. Sift the flour and then alternate adding it and the lime juice, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 75-80 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with crumbs.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack and then turn out onto a cake plate or cooling rack. Cool completely.
Glaze
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the key lime juice, vanilla, and salt. Beat well.
- Add the sugar 1/2 cup at a time and beat until smooth. Drizzle on top of the cake.