Easy Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe with Sweet Citrus Glaze

This Easy Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe makes a tender, buttery Bundt cake with a fine crumb, bright Key lime flavor, and a sweet-tart glaze. The scratch-style batter uses butter, vegetable shortening, six eggs, whole milk, Key lime juice, and finely grated zest, then bakes at 325°F for 75 to 90 minutes.

Each slice is rich without being heavy, with a gentle citrus aroma and a glossy confectioners’ sugar glaze that melts into the ridges of the cake. It is a beautiful dessert for spring gatherings, summer celebrations, afternoon coffee, or any time you want a classic pound cake with a sunny Florida-inspired flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This cake brings together the richness of a traditional pound cake and the refreshing character of Key lime. Butter provides classic dairy flavor, while vegetable shortening helps create a soft, fine crumb that stays pleasant for several days.

The lime flavor comes from both juice and zest, so every bite tastes genuinely citrusy rather than simply sweet. A smooth glaze adds another layer of tartness and gives the finished Bundt cake a polished bakery-style appearance.

It is also a dependable make-ahead dessert. The cake needs at least 30 minutes of cooling before glazing, and it can be baked earlier in the day so the crumb has time to settle before slicing.

If you enjoy fruit-forward cakes, you may also like our easy peach cake for another tender seasonal dessert.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The ingredient list is straightforward, but a few details make a noticeable difference. Choose a sturdy 10- to 12-cup Bundt or tube pan, and measure the flour carefully so the cake does not become unnecessarily dense.

• Flour: All-purpose flour forms the structure of the cake without making the crumb too delicate.
• Butter and shortening: The combination brings rich flavor and a soft texture. Both should be softened before mixing.
• Sugar: Three cups sweeten the cake and help create the light texture produced during creaming.
• Eggs: Six large room-temperature eggs add richness, structure, and moisture.
• Milk: Whole milk loosens the batter and contributes to a tender crumb.
• Key lime juice and zest: Juice supplies tang, while finely grated zest gives the strongest fresh lime aroma.
• Glaze ingredients: Confectioners’ sugar and Key lime juice create a quick drizzle. A tablespoon of milk or cream is used only when the glaze needs thinning.

Bottled Key lime juice is a practical choice because fresh Key limes are small and require considerable juicing. Fresh zest is still worth using whenever possible, since the fragrant oils in the peel give the cake its most noticeable citrus perfume.

For another easy dessert built around fruit and a tender cake texture, keep our pineapple lush cake in mind.

How to Make It Step-by-Step

Step 1: Heat the oven to 325°F and prepare the Bundt pan thoroughly. Grease every curve and ridge with care, then dust it with flour, or use a baking spray containing flour to help prevent sticking.

Step 2: Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. This distributes the leavening and seasoning evenly before the dry ingredients meet the wet batter.

Step 3: Place the softened butter, softened vegetable shortening, and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat for about 4 to 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl, until the mixture looks notably pale, airy, and fluffy.

Step 4: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after every addition. Room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly, and adding them gradually helps maintain the emulsion created during creaming.

Step 5: Mix in the Key lime zest, Key lime juice, and vanilla extract. The batter may look slightly different after the juice is added, but it will come together as the flour and milk are incorporated.

Step 6: Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the whole milk in two additions. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, and mix only until no obvious streaks remain so the finished cake stays tender.

Step 7: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Gently tap the pan on a folded kitchen towel once or twice to release large air pockets, taking care not to deflate the batter through excessive handling.

Step 8: Bake for 75 to 90 minutes. Begin checking around 70 to 75 minutes because Bundt pans differ, and remove the cake when a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter.

Step 9: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Invert it onto a wire rack and allow it to cool completely, which takes at least 30 minutes before glazing.

Step 10: Whisk the confectioners’ sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of Key lime juice until smooth. Add up to 1 tablespoon of milk or cream only if necessary, then drizzle over the cooled cake and sprinkle with optional lime zest.

Pro Tips for a Tender Pound Cake

Proper creaming is the foundation of this recipe. Four to five minutes may feel lengthy, but that time helps the butter, shortening, and sugar become light enough to support the cake’s fine texture.

Use room-temperature eggs and butter rather than ingredients straight from the refrigerator. Cold ingredients can make the creamed mixture look curdled and may prevent the batter from combining evenly.

Do not overmix once the flour is added. Mix after each addition only until combined, because excessive mixing can develop gluten and produce a tougher crumb.

Bundt pans vary in color, size, and design, so the clock is only a guide. Start checking at 70 to 75 minutes, and rely on the skewer test instead of waiting for a particular minute mark.

Allow the cake to cool fully before adding the glaze. If the cake is warm, the drizzle may disappear into the crumb instead of forming attractive ribbons over the ridges.

For a different style of celebration dessert, our chocolate poke cake offers a rich contrast to this bright citrus version.

Glaze, Serving, and Storage

The glaze should be thick enough to cling to the cake while still flowing from a whisk or spoon. Add the Key lime juice gradually, and use the milk or cream only when the mixture needs a little extra looseness.

For the prettiest presentation, set the completely cooled cake on a cake stand before glazing. Drizzle slowly around the top so the icing follows the Bundt ridges, then finish with a teaspoon of grated Key lime zest.

Serve slices plain, with coffee or tea, or alongside a small spoonful of softly whipped cream. The cake is rich enough to stand alone, but the cool cream makes the tart citrus flavor especially pleasant.

Keep the glazed cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate it in an airtight container, then let individual slices sit briefly at room temperature before serving.

If you prefer desserts that require no oven time, our no-bake chocolate pudding cake is a helpful alternative for warm days.

Easy Variations to Try

The listed butter-and-shortening formula gives this cake its classic pound-cake character, but there are a few common adaptations. You can replace the shortening with an additional 1/2 cup of butter for an all-butter version with a more pronounced buttery flavor.

For a moister, denser crumb, substitute 1/2 cup sour cream for part of the milk. Keep the citrus quantities the same so the Key lime flavor remains clear.

Regular Persian lime juice can replace Key lime juice when needed. The cake will still be fresh and tangy, though the flavor will be less distinctive than one made with bottled or fresh Key lime juice.

Some shortcut recipes begin with a white or yellow cake mix, lime gelatin, oil, eggs, and lime juice. That approach can be convenient, but this recipe follows the traditional scratch-style pound-cake method for a richer, more homemade texture.

For another chilled fruit dessert to serve beside this cake, see our no-bake pineapple pie.

Easy Key Lime Pound Cake

A tender scratch-made Key lime pound cake with butter, shortening, fresh citrus zest, and a simple sweet lime glaze. This Bundt cake yields 12 to 16 slices and is ideal for celebrations, brunch, or dessert.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 2 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Cake

• 3 cups All-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Vegetable shortening, softened
• 3 cups Granulated sugar
• 6 eggs Large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup Whole milk
• 1/3 cup Bottled or fresh Key lime juice
• 1 tablespoon Finely grated Key lime zest
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups Confectioners’ sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons Key lime juice
• 1 tablespoon Milk or cream, if needed
• 1 teaspoon Grated Key lime zest, optional

Method

 

Step-by-Step

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Thoroughly grease and flour a 10- to 12-cup Bundt or tube pan, or use baking spray that contains flour.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Beat the softened butter, shortening, and granulated sugar for 4 to 5 minutes, until very light and fluffy.
4. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.
5. Mix in the Key lime zest, Key lime juice, and vanilla extract.
6. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions. Mix only until the batter is combined.
7. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
8. Bake for 75 to 90 minutes, checking around 70 to 75 minutes. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
9. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
10. Whisk the confectioners’ sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of Key lime juice. Add the milk or cream only if needed, drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, and finish with extra zest if desired.

Notes

Use room-temperature butter and eggs for the best crumb. Bottled Key lime juice is convenient and widely used; regular Persian lime juice may be substituted, although its flavor is less distinctive. Store the glazed cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer storage.

Final Thoughts

This Easy Key Lime Pound Cake is the kind of dessert that looks special without requiring complicated decoration. A careful creaming step, room-temperature ingredients, a well-prepared Bundt pan, and a little patience during cooling are the keys to a beautiful result.

Expect a golden, tender cake with a buttery crumb, lively lime aroma, and sweet-tart glaze in every slice. Bake it for your next gathering, let it cool completely, and finish it with fresh zest for a dessert that brings bright citrus flavor to the table.