Trisha Yearwood Key Lime Cake

This recipe for Trisha Yearwood key lime cake combines the flavors of summer into one stunning dessert. 

Ridiculously moist and bursting with citrus flavors, the cake alone is enough to blow your tastebuds away.

Then there’s the key lime glaze. The balance of sweet and tangy takes the dessert over the top.

Get ready to be whisked away to the tropics with this incredible key lime dessert!

Trisha Yearwood Key Lime Cake

Like a ray of sunshine, this cake is enough to brighten up even the darkest days. 

Trisha’s original recipe calls for a 9x12x2-inch baking dish, which makes a nice sheet cake.

As you can see, mine is round. That’s because I baked three 9-inch rounds and glazed them separately for three different parties!

Either way, it’s a hit.

Infused with juices from lemon and orange, the cake is loaded with citrusy goodness.

Then there’s the key lime glaze. The balance of sweet and tangy takes the dessert over the top.

Tying it together is a buttery cream cheese frosting, which makes any cake taste a thousand times better.

Its richness is a perfect contrast to the lightness of the cake.

Ingredients

Check out everything you need to make this light and airy cake at home for your next summer potluck. 

• Lime-flavored gelatin. It gives the cake its summery color and a burst of lime flavor. 

• Granulated sugar.  To sweeten things up!

• All-purpose flour. The starch that forms the base of the cake. No fancy cake flour is required- all-purpose works just fine. 

• Baking powder and soda.  The leavening agents that make the batter rise.

• Vegetable oil. Using vegetable oil instead of butter makes this cake insanely moist.

• Orange and lemon juice. This citrusy dynamic duo gives the cake its lovely citrus flavor.

• Vanilla extract.  It brings out the flavors of the rest of the ingredients. Everything is better with good-quality vanilla extract!

• Eggs. They bind the ingredients together.

• Key lime juice. Key lime juice has very bold acidic flavors. If you can’t find real Key Lime juice, you can make your own. But more on that a little later. 

• Powdered sugar. Using powdered sugar creates an incredibly smooth and sweet icing. 

• Butter. Adding butter to the rich icing makes it so indulgently creamy. 

• Cream cheese. And cream cheese adds a hint of tang that pairs perfectly with limes. 

Tips for the Best Cake

Check out these quick and easy tips to make your cake the life of the party!

• Can’t find Key Lime juice? No worries! You can recreate its intense acidity by combining equal parts lime juice and lemon juice. 

• Grease the pan well. Grease it generously with butter and coat it with flour. But of course, you can skip out this entire step if you have parchment paper! Just line the pan with a sheet of parchment paper, and you’ll be set.

• Fresh is always best. Fresh lime juice has a brighter and more intense flavor than the bottled kind. 

• Skip the limes. Want a refreshing, citrus cake, but not a fan of lime? You can swap it out with lemon or orange.

• Make it more colorful. Food coloring will achieve a more vibrant shade of green. Add a drop of gel food coloring to the batter. Don’t worry, it won’t change the taste of the cake.

• Add crunch. For more flavor and texture, top your cake with shredded and toasted coconut, fruits, and berries, or toasted chopped nuts.

Can I Make Cupcakes?

Absolutely! Fill cupcake liners ⅔ full and bake them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes.

You can also use other pans to bake the cake in. Just be sure to adjust the baking times accordingly.

• Layer cake. Use three 9-inch round cake pans and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 18 to 20 minutes.

• Bundt cake. Grease and flour a bundt pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

How To Juice a Lime

This cake calls for a lot of limes, and they don’t come cheap. You’ll want to know how to properly juice them to make the most of it.

Here are a few tips to help you squeeze the most juice out of limes:

• Use a gadget. This could be a citrus squeezer, a hand juicer, or a wooden reamer. Any of these tools will yield more juice than solely using your bare hands. 

• Pop it in the microwave. Warm the lime for 20 to 30 seconds to let its juices flow easily. It might be too hot to the touch, though, so give it a minute to cool before you squeeze.

• Roll it against the counter. This motion will pop some of the lime’s segments open, making it easier to juice.

• Slice it lengthwise. This helps if you’re using your hands alone, and makes for an easier grip.

• Juice it with a fork. Poke and twist the segment around a fork to burst more pulp bits.