Building on the best base recipes has been the key to my success for decades!
Fluffy Key Lime Cake!
Key Lime Juice adds perfect zing to this already perfect cake recipe
Iced with my 2 ~ 2 ~ 2 Cream Cheese Icing recipe
Each bite somehow reminds me of a Key Lime Cheesecake!
Feel free to change up the icing and the decor to suit your whims
But whatever you do, this easy sheet cake is the stuff backyard summer parties are made of!
No refrigeration needed! Just grab a slice and go!
For an advanced option bake the cake batter into layers and make a Mojito Cake!
Rum, lime juice and a hint of mint in the icing turns this cake into an adult sweet treat!
Or keep it simple with cupcakes iced with strawberry buttercream!
As you can see I got carried away with all the different options for this Key Lime cake recipe!
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE ALL OF THESE CAKES!
Another way to go is to just bake it into a loaf pan for a really easy grab and go slice for whenever the mood strikes!
Notes for Success:
If you are familiar with my bakery yellow cake recipe you will notice I am not using the cake flour as I usually do
I tested it both ways and prefer the 100% all purpose flour here
This is a very liquid recipe and the added key lime juice changes the texture of the original cake formula
So to avoid a heavy gummy texture which often happens when we add fruit juices to cake batter;
I’ve found the all purpose flour prohibits this by absorbing more liquid than cake flour will
I also like the combination of vegan butter & oil together versus just one or the other
But I have done all vegan butter and all oil in the total amount listed of ¾ cup with fine results, but the combination is preferable
For more fluffy cake recipes like this one click the links below!
- White Cake
- Lemon Cake
- Coconut Cake
Truly White ~ Vegan White Cake Recipe
Fluffy Vegan Lemon Cake Recipe
Key Lime Cake

This recipe will make 1-9" x 9" layer cake OR 2- 8" layers OR 3- 7" layers.
The bake time on round cake pans may be slightly shorter, check cakes at 20 minutes
Makes 24 cupcakes~ check at 18 minutes
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter:
- Plant Milk 1 cup (240ml) * I use soy milk for best results
- Key Lime Juice ½ cup (118ml)
- Vegan Butter ½ cup (113g)
- Vegetable Oil ¼ cup (60ml)
- All Purpose Flour 3 cups (375g)
- Granulated Sugar 1½ cups (300g)
- Baking Soda 1 teaspoon
- Salt ½ teaspoon
- Lime zest 1 teaspoon
- Green food color 1 drop *optional
- 1 Recipe 2 2 2 Cream Cheese Icing
Instructions
- Grease and parchment line your cake pan(s) and preheat the oven to 350°F
- Prepare the cake batter:
- Melt the vegan butter and combine it with the vegetable oil
- Combine the soy milk with the lime juice
- In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt and whisk together to incorporate all the ingredients very well.
- Add the all liquids: the plant milk with the juice and the melted vegan butter o& oil and whisk smooth.
- Add the lime zest & food color and whisk smooth
- Divide the batter evenly between your prepared pans.
- Bake immediately in a preheated 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes depending on the cake pans size and thickness of the layers, but always check at around 20 minutes
- (Loaves should take about 45 minutes but definitely check them at the 30 minute mark just to be sure, as all ovens bake differently.)
- I like to do the "toothpick" test to make sure there is no raw batter in the centers before taking them out
- Cool the cakes on a wire rack until you can safely touch them with your bare fingers and then flip them out of the pans carefully to cool the rest of the way.
- Prepare the 2 2 2 cream cheese icing according to the instructions on that recipe page, or build a layer cake as you desire!
Notes
Key Lime cake with 2 2 2 Cream Cheese Icing can stay at room temperature for up to 3 days.
For longer storage wrap cake layers loosely and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
The cake layer(s) can be frozen wrapped well for up to 1 month
This looks delicious but I need to make a dairy and gluten free cake. Do you think this cake recipe would work with 1:1 gluten free flour? (I use Bobs Red Mill)
I believe it would work! Although I have not tried it with this recipe, I have a good feeling the Bob’s will work! (** do a small test to make sure so you don’t waste ingredients!)