If there’s one dessert I always save a little extra room for, it’s Key Lime Pound Cake. This show-stopping cake delivers everything you crave in a classic Southern treat: it’s rich, tender, and buttery, bursting with vibrant citrus flavor and crowned with a sweet-tart glaze that sings of sunny days. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or just want to brighten up your weekend, this cake brings pure joy to any table — no fancy skills or exotic ingredients required. If you love citrus and crave a dessert that’s equal parts zesty and decadent, you’re absolutely going to fall for this Key Lime Pound Cake!

Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients You’ll Need

What makes this cake shine is how each straightforward ingredient works together to create layers of flavor and that beloved dense yet fluffy crumb. Every element in Key Lime Pound Cake has a role to play, from structure to moisture to brightness.

Butter (unsalted, softened): The heartbeat of pound cake, butter gives this treat its decadent richness and velvety texture.
Granulated sugar: Not just a sweetener, sugar helps give the cake its beautiful golden crust and keeps the crumb moist.
Large eggs: Five eggs add richness, structure, and serious staying power, so the cake slices like a dream.
All-purpose flour: This pantry staple builds the body of the cake while keeping it soft and sturdy.
Baking powder: Just enough to give a gentle lift and tenderness to the dense pound cake crumb.
Salt: Don’t skip it! Salt amplifies every other flavor and balances the sweetness.
Whole milk: This adds moisture, extra richness, and helps the batter blend beautifully.
Fresh key lime juice: The absolute star—key lime juice brings that zingy, citrusy punch and signature aroma.
Key lime zest: Tiny flecks of zest deliver intense floral-lime fragrance in every bite.
Vanilla extract: A spoonful of vanilla rounds out the flavors and makes the citrus really sing.
Powdered sugar (for glaze): For that shimmering, sweet shell on top that traps the tangy glaze.
More key lime juice (for glaze): Brightens the glaze and gives each slice a fresh burst of tart flavor.

How to Make Key Lime Pound Cake

Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Oven

Start by preheating your oven to 325°F (163°C) and generously greasing and flouring a 10-inch bundt or tube pan. This step makes all the difference—taking a moment to get into every nook and cranny ensures your Key Lime Pound Cake pops out with those beautiful ridges and no sticking disasters.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar

In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar. Use a stand mixer if you’ve got one (but a hand mixer or serious whisk power works, too). Mix for about 3–5 minutes until the mixture looks pale, fluffy, and doubled in size. That air you’re beating in gives the cake its lift and signature dense-but-delicate crumb.

Step 3: Add Eggs, One at a Time

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Patience is your friend here—adding the eggs separately keeps your batter smooth and ensures the cake bakes up evenly (and not eggy!).

Step 4: Whisk and Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. This not only blends them thoroughly but also helps avoid any floury lumps in your finished Key Lime Pound Cake.

Step 5: Mix the Milk and Citrus Goodness

In a measuring cup, whisk together the whole milk, key lime juice, key lime zest, and vanilla extract. Combining these “wet” ingredients ahead of time means they blend into your cake batter more evenly—ensuring citrus in every slice.

Step 6: Alternate Mixing Dry and Wet Ingredients

Now for the magic step: Add your dry ingredients to the creamed mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture, starting and ending with dry. Gentle mixing prevents overworking the batter, which keeps the crumb tender (not tough!). Stop as soon as everything is just combined, and you’ll have a lush, velvety batter ready for the pan.

Step 7: Bake to Golden Perfection

Pour the batter evenly into your prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Pop it in the oven and bake for 75–85 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don’t worry if it takes the full time—pound cakes love a long, gentle bake for ultimate flavor and moisture.

Step 8: Cool, Flip, and Glaze

Let your Key Lime Pound Cake cool for 15 minutes in the pan; then, invert it onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Once cooled, whisk powdered sugar with key lime juice to form a silky glaze and drizzle over the top, letting it cascade down the sides in pretty, imperfect patterns.

How to Serve Key Lime Pound Cake

Garnishes

This cake is downright gorgeous on its own, but you can add some flair! Sprinkle more key lime zest right on top of the glaze for a pop of color and citrus perfume. Fresh slices of key lime or even a few edible flowers elevate your Key Lime Pound Cake from homey to festive in seconds.

Side Dishes

Pair a generous slice with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or lightly whipped cream—both mellow the tartness and add even more luxury. For a tropical vibe, try it alongside sweet mango or sliced strawberries. The balance of creamy, fruity, and tart makes for perfection!

Creative Ways to Present

Don’t be afraid to show off! Cut the cake into thin slices and arrange them in a spiral on a serving platter, or serve individual pieces topped with candied lime slices. For parties, cut Key Lime Pound Cake into cubes and skewer with berries for fun dessert kabobs.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The flavors actually deepen and mellow by the second day, so leftovers are never a bad thing!

Freezing

For longer keeping, Key Lime Pound Cake freezes beautifully. Wrap individual slices or the whole cake (unglazed, ideally) in two layers of plastic and a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months, and let thaw at room temperature before glazing and serving.

Reheating

If you like your pound cake warm, zap a slice in the microwave for about 10 seconds, or heat in a 300°F oven for a few minutes. It revives the crumb so it tastes like you just baked it!

FAQs

What if I can’t find fresh key limes?

Bottled key lime juice works perfectly in this recipe. Just make sure it’s 100 percent juice for that authentic tart flavor. And if you want some extra zing, you can increase the amount of zest in both the cake and the glaze.

Can I use regular limes instead of key limes?

Absolutely! Regular Persian limes yield a similar bright citrus flavor. Your cake will still taste amazing and zesty, even if the subtler floral notes are slightly different.

Why did my pound cake turn out dense or heavy?

Dense cakes often result from overmixing once the flour is added, or not sufficiently creaming the butter and sugar. Mix just until the dry ingredients disappear into the batter for the classic Key Lime Pound Cake texture.

Can I bake this cake in a loaf pan?

Yes, you can bake the batter in two standard loaf pans. Start checking for doneness at about 55–60 minutes, and don’t forget to grease and flour the pans well for easy release.

How do I make sure my glaze is the right consistency?

Add the key lime juice to your powdered sugar slowly, stirring until you get a smooth, pourable glaze that’s thick enough to cling but thin enough to drip beautifully over the cake. Adjust with more juice or sugar as needed.

Final Thoughts

This Key Lime Pound Cake always draws rave reviews, and I promise you’ll be hooked after your first bite. Give it a try—you’ll not only fill your kitchen with the irresistible scent of citrus and butter, but you’ll create a dessert worth making on repeat. Don’t be surprised if it disappears faster than you imagined!

Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe

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4.6 from 21 reviews

Author: admin
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Yield: 12 servings 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Indulge in the tropical flavors of this Key Lime Pound Cake. Moist and tangy, this cake is bursting with citrus goodness, perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake:

1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
2½ cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup fresh key lime juice
1 tablespoon key lime zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2–3 tablespoons key lime juice

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Instructions

Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt or tube pan.
Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.
Add eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Prepare dry and wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a measuring cup, combine the milk, key lime juice, zest, and vanilla.
Combine ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture. Mix just until incorporated.
Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 75–85 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool and glaze: Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Prepare the glaze by whisking powdered sugar and key lime juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake before serving.