Key Lime Cake

1. Stage

Preheat the oven to 350°F:

2. Stage

Prepare the pans: Grease three 8 or 9-inch round cake pans with butter. Line the pans with parchment paper and grease the parchment. Dust the bottom and sides of the pans with flour and tap out the excess.

3. Stage

Combine the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Stage

Combine the wet ingredients: In a small bowl or a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream, key lime juice, and vegetable oil until combined.

5. Stage

Beat the eggs and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the lime zest and sugar. Using your hands, rub the key lime zest into the sugar to release the oils in the zest. Set the bowl in the base of your stand mixer and fit the mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat the mixture on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. You can also do this in a large mixing bowl and use an electric hand mixer.

6. Stage

Combine the wet and the dry: Add one third of the flour mixture into the egg mixture and beat on low speed until incorporated. Pour in half of the sour cream mixture and beat just until combined. Continue alternating the dry and wet ingredients, making sure to end with the dry ingredients and mixing until just combined and the ingredients are incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl in between additions to ensure the batter mixes evenly.

7. Stage

Bake the cake: Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared cake pans. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. The edges of the cake will be golden and will start to pull away from the sides of the pan. The cake should spring back when gently poked with your finger.

8. Stage

Cool the cake layers: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

9. Stage

Make the frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, and salt on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.

10. Stage

Add the lime, vanilla, and powdered sugar: Add the key lime juice and zest, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium and continue mixing until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. The frosting will be much thicker than standard buttercream frosting. If the frosting seems too soft, place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to stiffen. If it still seems too runny, add more powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.

11. Stage

Apply a layer of frosting to the cake layers: Place one of the cake layers right-side-up on a large plate or cardboard cake round at least 2 inches larger than the cake. Use an offset spatula or a butter knife to spread a thick layer of frosting, 1/2 to 1 cup, evenly over the layer. Add another cake layer and spread another layer of frosting. Top with the remaining cake layer, placed upside-down, so the top of the cake is smooth and flat. Make sure that the cake layers are centered and the top of the cake is level.

12. Stage

Apply the crumb coat: Spread a generous amount of frosting over the top and sides of the cake using an offset spatula or the straight edge of a large butter knife. Use the spatula to spread the frosting into a thin, even layer. You should be able to see the cake through the frosting. This thin layer of frosting is called the crumb coat and helps catch any loose crumbs on the outside of the cake so that the final layer of frosting doesn't have any crumbs caught in it.

13. Stage

Refrigerate the cake: Place the cake, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes for the frosting to set. Cover and refrigerate the bowl of frosting as well.

14. Stage

Frost the cake: Remove the cake and the bowl of frosting from the refrigerator. Stir the frosting to smooth it out. Spread a generous amount of frosting over the top and sides of the cake as before, this time leaving a thicker layer of frosting. Use the offset spatula or the back of a butter knife to smooth the sides.

15. Stage

Make the whipped cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to stiff peaks on medium-high speed, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stiff peaks stand straight up on the beaters when lifted out of the whipped cream.

16. Stage

Pipe the whipped cream: Use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip to pipe 12 rosettes of whipped cream along the top edge of the cake.

17. Stage

Garnish the cake: Garnish as you wish with lime wedges or rounds and sprinkle the top of the cake with lime zest. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. Did you love this recipe? Give us some stars below!