Key Lime Cake is made with a boxed cake mix and tons of delicious lime flavor! This easy key lime cake has fresh berries, lime flavored frosting, and is a refreshing dessert that looks and tastes amazing!
Making this key lime cake recipe is so simple, with minimal ingredients it comes together quickly and is an incredible dessert. This key lime dessert is a wonderful, soft and fluffy cake with a lovely, creamy lime frosting that does not disappoint!
Amazing Key Lime Cake
This simple to make Key Lime Cake is one of those cake recipes that everyone loves, it is a great ode to the timeless Key Lime Pie, but in cake form. I am a huge fan of Key Lime Pie, I love limes in drinks, food, candy, they are just so delicious. So this recipe was born from a love of this citrus fruit and it is absolutely delectable! The lime flavor is not overpowering, it is just the right amount to satisfy the lime craving and wrapped in a soft and moist cake is just so perfect. This dessert is also great for when you want to create a beautiful and fancy treat, but without all the effort. We use a boxed cake mix with a couple additional ingredients, it makes the whole process so much easier!
Why you should try this delicious recipe today!
- Simple ingredients. This recipe is so easy, the cake is made with a boxed cake mix and a few additional ingredients to add that extra zest of lime flavor. Most of the ingredients can be found in your kitchen so no need for an extra trip to the store to whip up this sweet treat!
- Zesty flavor! If you are anything like me and love limes, you will love this cake. Lime flavor is so vibrant and refreshing, this makes for a great spring or summer dessert. Serve is up at a back yard BBQ or any family gathering, watch how quickly it disappears!
- Beauty and function. When you are looking for a cake recipe to impress a crowd, this is it. The cake not only tastes ridiculously amazing but it is so pretty too. This recipe delivers on the presentation of the dessert and the taste and flavor too. It is a win win recipe!
Key Lime Cake ingredients
Cake batter
-Cake Mix: You will need 1 box of white cake mix ( As well as the oil and eggs according to package directions, water is substituted with lime juice).
-Lime juice: Adding in 3 tbsp lime juice will give this cake a sensational and refreshing flavor. You can use fresh squeezed lime juice or bottled, either way the flavor will be amazing.
Lime Frosting & Fruit topping
-Cool whip: You need 1 8-ounce container Cool Whip for the creamy and fluffy cake topping.
-Condensed milk: Use 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk to create a perfect frosting consistency and flavor.
-Lime juice: Adding in 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (3-4 limes squeezed) will kick this cake frosting flavor up a notch.
-Lime zest: For extra flavor and attractiveness, make some lime zest for the cake topping.
-Fresh fruit: Using 2 cups raspberries or blackberries (or both!) gives this cake a beautiful appearance and additional delicious flavor too.
Step by step on how to make Key Lime Cake
Prep
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray two 9 inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
Cake Batter
In a large bowl, combine the dry cake mix, oil and egg as directed on the cake mix box.
Instead of using water as directed, add in the 3 tbsp of lime juice.
Proceed to pour the cake batter into the two prepared cake pans evenly distributing the better between the two.
Place cake pans in the preheated oven and bake for the recommended time on the cake mix box. Make sure to let the cakes cool completely before adding the topping.
Zesty Lime Frosting & Fruit Topping
First, zest the limes and set aside to sprinkle on the top of the cake.
Next, squeeze the limes and extract the juice for the frosting.
In a medium size bowl, combine the condensed milk and lime juice together and whip for about 4-5 minutes with an electric mixer.
After that, fold in the Cool Whip and stir to combine well.
If you want the topping to have a festive green tint, add a couple drops of green food coloring.
Assembly
Place one cake on a cake plate and smooth half of the frosting on the top.
Then sprinkle half of the berries on top of that cake and frosting, this is the center of the cake.
Next, place the other half of the cake on top of that and smooth the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake.
Proceed to put the rest of the fresh berries on top of the cake and sprinkle with the reserved lime zest too.
Place the cake in the fridge and refrigerate for about 2-3 hours before serving.
Slice, serve and enjoy!
KEY LIME CAKE
Ingredients
- 1 white cake mix add oil and eggs according to package directions- NO THE WATER THOUGH.
- 3 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 cups raspberries or blackberries or both!
- 8 oz container Cool Whip thawed
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup fresh lime juice 3-4 limes squeezed
- lime zest
- green food coloring (optional)
Instructions
Prep
- Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 9 inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
Cake Batter
- In a large bowl, combine the dry cake mix, oil and egg as directed on the cake mix box.
- Instead of using water as directed, add in the 3 tbsp of lime juice.
- Proceed to pour the cake batter into the two prepared cake pans evenly distributing the better between the two.
- Place cake pans in the preheated oven and bake for the recommended time on the cake mix box. Make sure to let the cakes cool completely before adding the topping.
Zesty Lime Frosting & Fruit Topping
- First, zest the limes and set aside to sprinkle on the top of the cake.
- Next, squeeze the limes and extract the juice for the frosting.
- In a medium size bowl, combine the condensed milk and lime juice together and whip for about 4-5 minutes with an electric mixer.
- After that, fold in the Cool Whip and stir to combine well.
- If you want the topping to have a festive green tint, add a couple drops of green food coloring.
Assembly
- Place one cake on a cake plate and smooth half of the frosting on the top.
- Then sprinkle half of the berries on top of that cake and frosting, this is the center of the cake.
- Next, place the other half of the cake on top of that and smooth the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake.
- Proceed to put the rest of the fresh berries on top of the cake and sprinkle with the reserved lime zest too.
- Place the cake in the fridge and refrigerate for about 2-3 hours before serving.
- Slice, serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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How long will key lime cake last?
This cake should be stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, and it will be good for 3-5 days. The whip cream frosting base is best if kept cold.
CAN YOU REPLACE THE COOL WHIP?
If you can’t find Cool Whip where you live or you prefer not to use it in recipes, you can use stabilized whipped cream instead. If you just use regular whipped cream, the consistency will be too light and the cream will not hold up very well when mixed into the filling. It’s very simple to make your own stabilized whipped cream and it just takes a few minutes!
To make stabilized whipped cream, you will need the following ingredients:
- 4 ounces of cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream.
- Beat the cream cheese with the powdered sugar and vanilla until soft and smooth.
- In a separate bowl, beat the whipping cream just until soft peaks form.
- Add the cream cheese mixture to the whipped cream and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
A little tip for making whipped cream faster. Use a metal bowl for whipping the cream and place the bowl in the freezer for about 30 minutes before you make the whipped cream. This will significantly decrease the amount of time that you will need to beat the whipped cream – the process will go much faster!
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER DELICIOUS CAKE RECIPES:
- Blueberry Pound Cake
- Easy Pineapple Cake
- Banana Pound Cake
- Easy Lemon Cake
- Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake
- Raspberry Jello Poke Cake
- Lemon Pound Cake Muffins
- Oatmeal Cake
- Buttery Blueberry Cake
- Caramel Apple Poke Cake
- Reeses Chocolate Dump Cake
- Apple Dump Cake
- Chocolate Chip Banana Cake
- Peaches and Cream Poke Cake
- Frosted Applesauce Cake
Key Lime Cake made with a cake mix and tons of lime flavor! Add fresh berries and a lime flavored whipped cream for a light, refreshing dessert that looks much fancier than it is!
Sam says
This key like cake was delicious!! I was planning to freeze half of it but we finished it in a few days haha
Allison says
The bright and refreshing flavors were perfect for this winter day. It tastes like summer! Thanks for sharing!