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Easy Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe with Sweet Citrus Glaze

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.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
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.