Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe with Key Lime Cream Cheese Glaze

Key lime pound cake is a traditional dessert that has been enjoyed by many for generations. This sweet treat is made with a classic pound cake recipe and infused with the bright and tangy flavor of key limes. The cake is then topped with a creamy key lime cream cheese glaze, adding an extra layer of flavor and texture.

The History of Key Lime Pound Cake

The origin of key lime pound cake can be traced back to the southern United States. Key limes were first introduced to the region by Spanish explorers and quickly became a staple ingredient in many traditional southern recipes, including pound cake. The combination of the dense and buttery pound cake with the bright and tangy flavor of key limes was a hit and has been enjoyed by families for many years.

Tips On How To Make The BEST Key Lime Pound Cake

1. Go gentle with the mixer. If you want to avoid those infamous gummy pound cake streaks in your finished cake, then keep that mixer on a low-medium. Over creaming the butter and sugar or flour results in a streaking pound cake. So be sure not to overdo it. Mix just until everything is combined on a low-medium speed.

2. Use natural lime extract for a stronger lime flavor. Throwing in a bunch of key lime juice and key lime zest into this pound cake to increase the lime flavor isn’t a great idea. If you want a stronger lime flavor try adding more lime extract or poking a few tiny holes in the cake and brushing with with a simple syrup make with sugar and key lime juice. This is what I do when I make natural citrus cakes normally, but I didn’t think this key lime pound cake needed it. The icing packed enough key lime punch.

3. Serve the next day. If possible make this key lime pound cake the day before you want to serve it. Any pound cake is better the next day IMO but this is especially true for citrus pound cakes. By the next day the key lime flavor is much stronger and the overall taste is perfectly balanced. Of course it taste delicious the first day as well!

Key Lime Pound Cake w/ Key Lime Cream Cheese Icing

Homemade Key Lime Pound Cake w/ Key Lime Cream Cheese Icing! Bakes up dense and moist with plenty of fresh key lime flavor!

Ingredients

CAKE

3 cups all-purpose flour sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons key lime zest (zest from about 4-5 key limes)
1½ cups unsalted butter softened
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lime extract
1/4 cup key lime juice (juice from about 4-5 key limes)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk

KEY LIME CREAM CHEESE ICING

2 oz cream cheese softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup key lime juice (juice from about 4-5 key limes)
1/4 cup milk (use enough to make icing pourable)
1-2 teaspoons key lime zest (plus more for garnishing if desired) (zest from about 4-5 key limes)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and lightly flour a 9½ inch bundt pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and key lime zest. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using low mixer speed cream together butter and sugar just until combined.
Mix in eggs, one at a time until combine.
Mix in vanilla and lime extract.
Mix in key lime juice, sour cream and buttermilk.
Gradually add dry mixture into wet mixture until batter is fluffy and combined (DO NOT OVER MIX)
Spoon batter into prepared pan and shake the pan to level it out and remove air bubbles.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes (may need a few extra minutes. I usually underbake slightly to get that perfect moist and velvety texture. Remember cake will continue to cook as it cool)
Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.
When pan is cool enough to touch, remove cake from cake pan and allow cake to cool completely on the cooling rack.

MAKE THE GLAZE

To make the glaze, combine all glaze ingredients until smooth and silky.
Drizzle glaze over compleltey cooled cake and garnish with key lime zest.

Notes

*This pound cake tastes great the first day but even better the next day! If making for a special occasion, make it the day before.