Key Lime Cake

Square close up of a glazed key lime bundt cake.

This easy key lime cake is loaded with bright citrus flavor and has a wonderfully moist, tender crumb. Baked in a Bundt pan or a 9x13 with a box of white cake mix and lime Jell-O, it comes together in minutes and looks far more impressive than the effort involved. Finished with a simple lime glaze, it's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword key lime bundt cake, key lime cake, key lime cake recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Cooling Time 2

Total Time 2 55

Servings slices

Calories 314kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Equipment

Bundt pan
9 x 13-inch baking pan

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1 (15.25 ounce) box white cake mix
1 (3 ounce) box lime Jell-O mix (dry, do not prepare)
4 large eggs
¾ cup water
¼ cup key lime juice
½ cup vegetable oil
Zest from 1 lime

For the Glaze:

1 ¼ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2-3 tablespoons key lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional garnish: whipped cream, fresh lime zest, fresh lime slices

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a Bundt pan or a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat together the cake mix, dry Jell-O mix, eggs, water, lime juice, oil, and lime zest for about 3 minutes until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pan on the counter once or twice to release air bubbles.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when gently pressed, about 40 minutes for a Bundt pan or 28-32 minutes for a 9x13-inch pan.
Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Turn the Bundt cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely before glazing. If using a 9x13 pan, no need to invert; allow to cool completely in the pan.
Once the cake is completely cool, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the sifted confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, and vanilla extract until a thick, pourable glaze forms. If the glaze is too thick, add more lime juice one teaspoon at a time. If too thin, add more powdered sugar.
Pour or drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. Let it set before slicing.
Slice and garnish each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh lime zest or lime slices, if desired.

Video

Notes

Bundt pan prep: Grease every ridge thoroughly with butter and flour or a nonstick baking spray. After baking, don't leave the cake in the pan for more than 10–15 minutes or condensation will affect the crust.
The Jell-O mix: Use the dry mix straight from the box. Do not prepare it. The gelatin adds moisture and keeps the crumb tender for days.
Key lime juice: Bottled key lime juice (such as Nellie & Joe's) works well and is easy to find in most grocery stores. Regular fresh lime juice is a fine substitute.
Glaze timing: The glaze must go on a completely cool cake. Glazing a warm cake will make it thin and runny before it sets.
Glaze consistency: A good glaze drizzles off the spoon in a slow, steady ribbon. Too thick: add lime juice a teaspoon at a time. Too thin: add more sifted powdered sugar.
9x13 option: Same batter, faster bake (28-32 minutes). Easier to slice for a crowd; skip the invert step. Consider frosting with cream cheese frosting instead of the drizzled glaze.
Make-ahead: This cake actually gets better overnight. Bake the day before, cover, and glaze just before serving.
Storage: Cover loosely at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freezing: The un-glazed cake freezes well, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight and glaze before serving.

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