Table of Contents
Key Lime Pie Layer Cake
This website uses affiliate links which may earn commission for purchases made at no additional cost to you.
This Key Lime Pie Cake layers tender lime cake, graham cracker filling, and tangy cream cheese frosting into a perfectly sweet-tart dessert that tastes just like key lime pie, but dare I say…better?
Incredible Key Lime Pie Cake
Take all the sunshiney, sweet-tart flavors of classic key lime pie and stack them into the dreamiest cake you’ve ever seen. This Key Lime Pie Cake is made with soft, tender lime cake layers, a buttery graham cracker filling, and the creamiest cream cheese frosting. Basically, if key lime pie and a layer cake had a very cute, very delicious baby… this would be it.
This dessert is the perfect mix of playful and sophisticated, and it’s just the thing to wow your friends at a spring brunch, summer BBQ, or really any event where dessert is involved (which, in my world, is always).
What ingredients do you need to make this key lime cake?
Now I’ll be straight with you: this cake requires a little extra work. You’ll need to make 4 different components to assemble such a glorious cake: key lime cake layers, a key lime simple syrup soak, graham cracker filling, and cream cheese frosting They come together to make a cake that feels bakery-level special! Here’s what you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour – for structure and a tender crumb.
- Baking powder & baking soda – the leavening duo that keeps your cake fluffy.
- Fine sea salt – a pinch to balance the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter – for richness and flavor.
- Granulated sugar – to sweeten and add moisture.
- Large eggs – room temperature for best mixing.
- Fresh lime zest – this is where that vibrant lime flavor starts.
- Fresh lime juice – bonus points if you use key limes, but regular limes totally work.
- Buttermilk – keeps the cake soft and tender.
- For the graham cracker filling:
- Graham cracker crumbs – channeling the crust of a key lime pie.
- Unsalted butter – melted, to bind the crumbs together.
- Brown sugar – adds a caramelly depth.
- For the cream cheese frosting:
- Cream cheese – tangy, smooth, and perfect for pairing with lime.
- Unsalted butter – soft and ready to whip.
- Powdered sugar – for sweetness and structure.
- Lime juice & zest – to brighten and flavor the frosting.
Our tips for making picture perfect layer cakes
Look, I get it. Layer cakes can feel intimidating, but with the right tricks, you’ll feel like a cake pro in no time.
- Level those cakes: After baking, use a serrated knife to slice off any domed tops so your layers stack evenly.
- Chill before frosting: Pop your cake layers into the fridge (or freezer for 20 minutes) before you frost to prevent crumbs from mixing into your beautiful frosting.
- Offset spatula > butter knife: An offset spatula will make your frosting look clean and professional without 37 accidental finger swipes.
- Don’t skip the garnish: A sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs, lime zest, or thin lime slices will take your cake from “cute” to “Instagram-famous.”
How to prep ahead to make assembling your key lime pie cake easy as pie (heh)
Layer cakes are an act of love… but they don’t have to be an act of last-minute stress. I love to break up the work of them so assembling is a breeze.
- Bake the cake layers in advance: Once cooled, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to a day, or freeze for up to two months.
- Make the cake soak and mix the graham cracker filling early: Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Assemble in stages: Bake one day, frost the next. This keeps everything manageable and way more enjoyable.
Happy baking, my friends! Enjoy!
xxx
For the cake
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons key lime zest
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 2/3 cup all-purpose
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/3 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed key lime juice
For the key lime soak
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
For the graham cracker filling
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon key lime zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed key lime juice
- Pinch of salt
For the cream cheese frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon key lime zest
- Pinch of salt
- Key lime slices, for topping the cake
Instructions
- First, make the cake. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 8-inch round pans with parchment paper and grease the sides with cooking spray. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the sugar and key lime zest, rubbing the zest into the sugar with your fingers. Add the butter and oil to the bowl and beat with the whisk attachment, on low speed until combined so the oil doesn’t fly everywhere. Gradually increase the speed to medium-high and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes. - Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- In a small bowl combine the milk and key lime juice. Stir and set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding in the dry ingredients and the milk and key lime juice. in 3 additions (you’ll add half the dry, then all of the wet, then the other half of the dry). It’s okay if the batter still has a few lumps in it–you don’t want to overmix.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between your prepared pans, using the spatula to spread the batter into a flat, even layer. Bake until the cake has risen, the top springs back to the touch, and a butter knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Place the cakes on a cooling rack and allow them to cool slightly. To remove from the pan, drag a butter knife around the edge of the cake, then carefully flip the cakes out onto a cutting board, peel away the parchment paper, and re-invert it, right-side up onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake has cooled, make the key lime syrup. Combine the key lime juice and sugar in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir until the sugar is melted completely into the juice. Set aside to cool.
- Next make the graham cracker filling. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, honey, key lime juice and salt in a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Next, make the frosting. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream together the butter and cream cheese until completely smooth, about 45 seconds. Add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed gradually increasing to high until smooth. Add the vanilla, key lime zest and salt, and beat to combine. Scrape down the bowl and transfer about ⅓ of the frosting to a piping bag for the center layer of the cake.
- Assemble the cake. Place the first cake down on a cake stand to serving plate and generously soak the top with the key lime syrup. Pipe frosting all over the top of the cake, making a large border around the edge of the cake so that the center is lower and the sides come up high. Spread the graham cracker mixture into an even layer within the frosting border.
- Place the second cake on top of the first and generously soak the top with the key lime soak. Use the rest of the frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake. Top with thinly sliced key limes to garnish and place in the fridge until ready to serve!
Hello
I am a food blogger. I search for recipes and write to my blog. we have a small team of two people.
My Name is Shubham Patel And My partner name is Jenish Pateliya. we both work on this website.