My Lime Drizzle Cake is the perfect summer dessert. This loaf cake is light, airy, and full of bright tangy citrus flavor! The base of the cake features fresh lime zest and lime juice and coconut cream. It is then topped with a sweet lime frosting. If you have ever wanted to make a lime cake from scratch, this recipe is perfect for you.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Making lime cake from scratch can be difficult but this recipe is super easy and fool proof!
- This loaf cake has the perfect balance of flavors. The tartness from the lime zest and juice is balanced by the nutty tones of the coconut cream.
KEY INGREDEINTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
LIMES. Fresh limes are essential. Do not use the bottled lime juice or your cake won't taste like anything! Here is a tip to get the most juice out of your limes. Microwave them for 10 seconds and then roll them back and forth before cutting into them. This will get the juices flowing!
BUTTERMILK. You can use whole milk if you want but I like the tartness of buttermilk. The enzymes in buttermilk also help make your cake super moist!
VEGETABLE OIL. I like to replace half of my butter with oil since it has more fat. The extra fat makes for a super moist cake.
COCONUT CREAM. I like to give my loaf cake a hint of coconut. It goes so nice with the lime. If you can't find coconut cream you can buy coconut milk and just scoop the sold cream off of the top of the can leaving the water behind.
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS WITH TIPS
Lime Cake
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat your butter until soft and airy. Add your sugar and beat until combined. Add your oil and beat until combined. Then add your eggs and beat on high until pale in color. Add your vanilla and coconut cream and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl combine your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until combined.
- Add half of your flour mixture to your batter and mix on low until combined. Then add your buttermilk and mix on low until combined. Then add your remaining flour and mix on low until combined.
- Add your lime juice and zest and mix on low until combined.
- Line your loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing for some overhang for easy removal.
- Add your batter to your loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
- Take out and let cool.
Lime Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat your cream cheese until soft and airy. Add your powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add your lime juice and zest and beat until soft.
- Pour/frost over your cake and enjoy!
EXPERT TIPS
- If you cannot find coconut cream, you can buy coconut milk and just scoop the sold cream off the top of the can, leaving the water behind. In order to do this make sure you use a can that has not been shaken. I recommend buying your can a day or two before baking to assure this. When you open the can, carefully scoop the top cream off without mixing it into the coconut water. This is the same thing as canned coconut cream.
- When zesting your limes make sure to lightly zest the limes and do NOT zest the white part. The white rind of a lime is VERY bitter and it can overpower all of the delicious citrus flavors in this cake!
- To get the most juice out of your lime, I recommend microwaving it for 10 seconds and then rolling it back and forth a few times on a flat surface. The blast of heat from the microwave and the pressure from rolling back and forth will help release a lot of the juices. Then cut and squeeze and watch the juices flow!
FAQ
Can I use bottled lime juice?
NO! Unfortunately when lime juice gets bottled, it looses a lot of the natural lime flavor that fresh limes have. I recommend trying your best to find fresh limes for this dessert.
How do I prevent the cake from sticking to my loaf pan?
To ensure that your loaf cake releases easily from the pan, I recommend either greasing the loaf pan or lining it with parchment paper. My preferred method is using parchment paper because you can leave a little overhand which allows you to easily lift the cake out of your loaf pan.
How do I tell if my limes are ripe enough to juice?
There are a few ways to do this. You can scratch the outside of the lime and take a whiff. If it has a strong lime smell, then it is likely ripe. Also you can try weighing it in your hand. The heavier a lime is, usually the more ripe it is as well.
FREEZING AND STORING
This cake should be stored wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in an air tight container for up to 3 days. You can freeze it like this for up to 3 months.
Lastly, if you try out this Lime Drizzle Cake recipe, be sure to leave a comment/rating on how it turned out. I love hearing from you guys and will try my best to reply to every comment! And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!
CRAVING MORE SUMMER DESSERTS?
- Old Fashioned Cast Iron Peach Cobbler
- Rosemary Lemon Bars with a Shortbread Crust
- Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
Lime Drizzle Cake
Ingredients
Lime Cake
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup salted butter (softened)
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut cream
- 1 cup sugar
- zest of 5 limes
- juice of 2 limes
Lime Frosting
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
- juice of one lime
- zest of one lime
Instructions
Lime Cake
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat your butter until soft and airy. Add your sugar and beat until combined. Add your oil and beat until combined. Then add your eggs and beat on high until pale in color. Add your vanilla and coconut cream and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl combine your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until combined
- Add half of your flour mixture to your batter and mix on low until combined. Then add your buttermilk and mix on low until combined. Then add your remaining flour and mix on low until combined.
- Add your lime juice and zest and mix on low until combined.
- Line your loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing for some overhang for easy removal.
- Add your batter to your loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
- Take out and let cool.
Lime Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat your cream cheese until soft and airy. Add your powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add your lime juice and zest and beat until soft.
- Pour/frost over your cake and enjoy!
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