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Homemade Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe

Moist and sweet, homemade Key Lime Pound Cake bursts with citrus flavor from lime juice, lime extract, and lime zest all of which add layers of depth to the taste. Sweet and tangy lime glaze drizzled over the top enhances this Key Lime Bundt cake with even more flavor and a touch of sweetness.

This rich and buttery key lime pound bundt cake recipe will quickly become a favorite for anyone who tries it.

Top down view of a plate holding slices of homemade key lime dessert - Hostess At Heart
Homemade Key Lime Pound Cake

If you love key lime pie or key lime cheesecake, you are going to love this key lime bundt cake with the key lime glaze. The lime flavor is over the top and the texture is absolute perfection. And just look at how gorgeous it turns out. Perfect for a picnic or special occasion.

Why You’ll Love our Key Lime Bundt Cake Recipe

  • The incredible texture. Look at how the crumb of this cake comes out. Dense, buttery cake batter results in a rich cake that bakes beautifully.
  • The luscious glaze. Flavored with lime juice, this glaze is quite literally and figuratively the icing on the cake. Its the perfect finishing touch.
  • The easy slice. Using a bundt cake pan makes it so simple to cut even, perfect slices for each guest and family member. You get just the right amount of cake every time.
Angled view of a Key Lime Bundt Pound Cake drizzled with lime glaze. Hostess At Heart

Equipment Needed

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Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe

Top-down view of the ingredients used to make a key lime pound cake.
  • All-Purpose Flour. Substitute with cake flour or gluten-free one-for-one flour if needed.
  • Baking Powder.
  • Salt.
  • Unsalted Butter. Make sure all of your ingredients are set out on the counter to room temperature.
  • Sugar.
  • Eggs. Grade A, large.
  • Lime. For juice and zest.
  • Vanilla Extract.
  • Lime Extract. Extracts are a great way to accentuate a specific flavor. They bring intensity.
  • Lime Juice. I recommend freshly squeezed for the best flavor.
  • Sour Cream. Full-fat is recommended for a soft and moist cake.
  • Buttermilk. Full-fat recommended.

Key Lime Glaze Ingredients

Ingredients used to make Key Lime Glaze - hostess at heart
  • Powdered Sugar. Also known as confectioners sugar
  • Lime Juice. I prefer fresh squeezed to bottled lime juice.
  • Vanilla Extract.

How to make Key Lime Pound Cake from scratch

Please note, that the printable recipe card has ingredient quantities, complete instructions, and nutritional information. The following is a quick overview of the recipe.

Step One. Get everything ready to make the Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe.

Pull out all of the ingredients. Preheat the oven. Prepare the cake pan.

Step Two: Mix the dry ingredients.

In a large bowl whisk together dry ingredients and the lime zest together.

Step Three: Mix the wet ingredients.

Cream the butter and sugar. Then add the remaining wet ingredients as described.

Step Four: Combine the mixtures.

Top down view of cake batter in a bundt pan - Hostess At Heart

Mix the wet and dry flour mixture together gradually. Fill the cake pan.

Step Five: Bake your key lime bundt cake.

Bake for 75 to 80 minutes.

Step Six: Cool.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto the cooling rack and let it cool completely.

Step Seven: Mix and Add the Key Lime Glaze.

Variations

This cake doesn’t actually need to be glazed. A simple dollop of whipped topping or a sprinkle of powdered sugar makes a simple but elegant finish. Make sure you let it cool completely so that the powdered sugar doesn’t melt.

Alternatively, thin cream cheese frosting to make a delicious cream cheese glaze.

We love the fresh regular lime juice in this recipe. You can use fresh key lime juice but juicing those little limes is a tedious process. Bottled key lime juice can also be used for that key lime flavor.

Frequently asked questions.

What is the best way to prepare a bundt pan?

You can use a paper towel or a pastry brush and coat the pan with butter or shortening. Add flour (about 1⁄4 cup) and gently tap and rotate the flour around the sides to make sure the surface is completely coated.

My second favorite way to grease a Bundt cake pan is what I learned in a cake decorating class I took several years ago. It combines the grease and flour together and you can make as much as you want. I store it for about 6 months at room temperature. This is how it’s done.

Homemade Pan Release: Take an even amount of flour, vegetable oil, and shortening and blend it together until it becomes a smooth paste. Apply this mixture evenly over the inside of the pan with a brush or papertowel.

Angled view of keylime bundt cake slices topped with glaze - Hostess At Heart

How long do you let a bundt pan cool?

Cool the bundt cake over a cooling wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. You don’t want to overdo this because it can adhere to the sides.

Release the cake – I check the edges to make sure that the cake has been released from the side of the pan. You can use a sharp knife if there are any edges still attached. I then cover the top with a serving plate and flip it over. You can gently shake it to release it as well.

How To Store Key Lime Pound Cake

Best way to store Key Lime Pound Cake

The best way to store pound cake is at room temperature. You can keep it in the refrigerator if you want and may even be able to keep it longer but it will negatively impact the texture and flavor so it is not recommended. Place it in an airtight container at room temperature and it will keep for four to five days.

Can I freeze Key Lime Bundt Cake

Yes. Freeze the whole cake or individual slices in an airtight container. It will keep for three months or more. For individual slices, microwave for twenty to thirty seconds to thaw. For a whole cake, simply set it out on the counter for several hours.

3 plates holding slices of Keylime Pie Pound Cake - Hostess At Heart

Tips for the Perfect Key Lime Pound Cake from Scratch

  • All ingredients should be brought naturally to room temperature. This ensures a nice volume for your cake. Don’t microwave the butter to soften it!
  • Do not overbeat. Once you add the eggs, you just want the yolk to be fully blended.
  • Pound cake works best with real butter because of the fat content ratio.
  • If you want the best texture possible, be sure to cream the butter and sugar thoroughly until velvety smooth. It takes up to seven minutes to do this well.
  • Prepare your bundt pan very carefully and thoroughly.

If you enjoyed our Key Lime Pound Cake recipe check these out!

I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.

Side veiw of a keylime pound bundt cake topped with key lime glaze - hostess at heart

Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe

Author: Julie Menghini
The rich, buttery flavor of our homemade key lime pound cake recipe will push it to the top of your favorites list in one bite.
5 from 5 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword: Bundt Cake, Cake Recipe, Key Lime Recipe
Servings: 16

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • cups unsalted butter 3 sticks softened to room temperature
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 lime zested
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp lime extract
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup buttermilk

Key Lime Glaze

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325 °F. Grease the bundt pan taking care to get complete coverage.
  • In a large bowl whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, and zest set aside.
  • In a separate bowl cream together butter and sugar until just combined with a hand or stand mixer. Add the lime juice, sour cream, and the buttermilk and mix until combined.
  • Add the eggs one at a time mixing after each addition.
  • Add in vanilla and key lime extracts.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredients and stop mixing once incorporated.
  • Carefully pour or spoon batter into greased Bundt pan and shake gently to level and remove air bubbles.
  • Bake for 75 to 80 minutes or until a toothpick insterted into the center comes out clean or with just a crumb or two.
  • Remove the cake from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto the cooling rack and let it cool completely.

Key Lime Glaze

  • Start by mixing powdered sugar and lime juice. Stir until well incorporated. This will be a thick non-pourable mixture.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla or lime extract.
  • Add in water or milk 1 tsp at a time until the glaze loosens to a pourable but is still a thick icing.
  • Put a piece of waxed paper under the cooling rack holding the cake and pour the glaze over the completely cooled cake.

Nutrition

Calories: 489kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 5gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 74mgPotassium: 100mgFiber: 1gSugar: 53gVitamin A: 684IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

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Tableview of a Key Lime bundt cake glazed with Key Lime Glaze - Hostess At Heart
Recipe Rating




Denise

Monday 5th of June 2023

Hi,

At what point are the following ingredients added:

¼ cup lime juice ½ cup sour cream ½ cup buttermilk

Thank you.

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 6th of June 2023

Whoa, I must have been napping when I wrote that one! I added those ingredients to the creamed butter/sugar mixture and have fixed the post. Thanks Denise for bringing that to my attention. I appreciate it.

Michaela Kenkel

Saturday 4th of March 2023

This sounds completely dreamy!! I love key lime anything!

Julie Menghini

Sunday 5th of March 2023

I'm with you! Thank you.

Erin

Wednesday 1st of March 2023

This pound cake was EXACTLY what I was hoping it would be! Awesome lime flavor... and that glaze, too. SO good.

Jennifer

Wednesday 1st of March 2023

Spring has finally reached us so I wanted something bright to ring in the season. This cake was perfect. Of course, I ate way too much so I started giving away slices:)

Mindy

Wednesday 1st of March 2023

Delicious! Love the bold zesty lime flavors in this cake. Easy to make and such a treat with a cup of coffee.

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