Monday, March 11, 2013

Key Lime Pound Cake



So who gets all green for St. Patty's Day? Honestly, I'm really not that into the holiday. When we were kids it was fun to go around pinching people who forgot to wear green but otherwise...it's just another day. There is a big bonus to the holiday and that the food. I love any excuse to eat special food, especially sweets so I was all in when Jen from Jen's Favorite Cookies invited me to participate in a St. Patty's post.

We have this little cupcake bakery here in town. They make the most unbelievable Key Lime Cupcakes. I'd eat them by the dozen if I could afford to. Sadly, the bakery has overhead, blah, blah, blah and one cupcake is about $2.50. Two cupcakes for $5.00, sorry, no way. And they're tiny. The cake part doesn't even fill up the paper wrapper. I'm glad they're doing well, I do try to support local, I'm just not going to shell out the bucks for something I can make myself.


I'm still trying to replicate their cupcakes but I did come up with this fantastic Pound Cake. The flavor is almost identical to those sweet little cupcakes. The cake is just denser, definitely a pound cake. I even found real Key Lime Juice at the store so I didn't have to squeeze harm any Key Limes in the making of this cake.

Be sure to check out all the other wonderful recipes my friends have made for St. Patty's.


1. Key Lime Pound Cake by Joan at Chocolate Chocolate & More
2. Mini Banoffee Pie Tarts by Kelly at Kelly Bakes 
3. Chocolate Bailey's MousseTart from Nancy at Gotta Get Baked 
4. Irish Carbomb Cupcakes from Susan at Girl in the Little Red Kitchen 
5. Pistachio Caramel Cookies from Jen at Jen's Favorite Cookies 
6. Guinness Stout Mini Bundt Cake from Shanna at Pineapple and Coconut 
7. Irish Cheese and Bacon Cheesecake with Walnut Crust by Carla at Chocolate Moosey 
8. Bailey's Irish Cream Cheese Trifle from Anita at Hungry Couple NYC 
9. Key Lime Pie Ice Cream from Renee at Magnolia Days 
10. Pistachio Mousse Cups from Kim at Cravings of a Lunatic 
11. Irish Eggs Benedict from Isabelle Crumb Blog 
12. St. Patrick's Day Cookie Stack from Angie at Big Bears Wife 
13. Guinness Chocolate Cake from Jen at Juanita's Cocina
14. Irish Potato Oatmeal Bread from Sarah at What Smells So Good


Key Lime Pound Cake

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup key lime juice
5 large eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
green food coloring (optional)

for glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons key lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place rack in lowest position. Grease and flour a bundt pan or 2 loaf pans.

In small bowl, combine buttermilk and lime juice, set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time, beating well to fully combine. Combine flour, salt, baking soda and powder in separate bowl, stir to combine. Add flour and buttermilk mixtures to butter mixture, alternating, starting and ending with flour. Do not overmix. Add in food coloring, stir just to combine. Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). Bake for 50-60 minutes, testing with a toothpick for doneness.

Remove from oven and let rest in pan for 15 minutes before inverting onto cooling rack to cool completely.
Prepare glaze by combining powdered sugar and lime juice to a thick pouring consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake. Let cake set for 30 minutes before serving.



I'm sharing at some of these great parties.

40 comments:

  1. I feel the same as you, those cupcake shops charge a lot for a little cupcake and you can make something even better at home. Your cake is such a pretty green color. It has me looking forward to St. Pat's and spring even more.

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  2. ha! I love your comment about harming any key limes ;) There's a few cupcake places here in Philly that make delicious cupcakes, but most of them are $4/cupcake! Granted, some of them have fancy flavors, but I feel like I'm paying for a ton of frosting and I don't even like a lot on my cupcakes to begin with! /endrant. Anyway, this is a gorgeous poundcake and I'm sure it would also translate beautifully to cupcakes! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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  3. Most cupcake places around us are at least $4 a cupcake too. Insane amount for one cupcake that I can make at home too!!! This is such a fun cake! I love how bright green it is!!!

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  4. Sounds absolutely delicious and I just love the color! :)

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  5. I'd rather have these in poundcake form anyways...that way I don't have measured portions. :D

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  6. I grabbed a bottle of key lime juice as a total impulse buy the other day. Obviously, this was the universe's way of telling me that I should make this cake. (Well, either that, or the universe wants me to make key lime margaritas... I'm still trying to sort that out.)

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  7. I'm glad no key limes were harmed in the making of this cake! I'm with Jen, I love pound cake, this looks really delicious.

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  8. It looks great! I love lime flavored desserts, so I'll sure love this one!

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  9. oo I love Key Lime Flavor! this looks and sounds wonderful!

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  10. Yum, key lime pound cake sounds absolutely delicious!

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  11. Joan, I hear ya, girl. I never buy cupcakes because they're always overpriced and they have more sugar laden frosting than the cake portion. I'd much rather bake them myself! Good luck on replicating the cupcake. In the meantime, this pound cake looks divine! I loooooove pound cake and this looks perfectly moist, dense and flavourful. Not to mention that amazing green colour - so festive!

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  12. Oh my goodness ...I love Key Lime Cake Joan! This is definitely on my "to-do" list

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  13. I know, $5 dollars for a cupcake? Pu-lease. They cost like 60cents each to make.

    This is a PERFECT st. patty's day treat! Yum!

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  14. This is spectacular lady. I love a good pound cake and key lime is perfect for St Patty's Day. Green is good. Bring on the green.

    I swear I'm a sucker for the tiny little cupcakes with coloured sprinkles at the grocery store. I don't know why but I occasionally indulge. It's hard to say no. Now Starbucks, whole different story. I once paid $6 for a cupcake and it wasn't that good.

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  15. This is perfect for St. Patty's! I love the key lime!

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  16. I love key lime and this looks amazing!

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  17. Just delicious looking and the color is great! I'm pinning to Bundt-O-Rama!

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  18. I've never really been into this holiday because I'm not much of a drinker. But I love the food people come up with! This looks great.

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  19. Forget St. Patrick's Day, I could go for this pound cake any time and I did just spy key limes at Whole Foods!

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  20. This looks great! Perfect for any time of the year not just St. Patricks Day! Thanks for sharing:)

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  21. I totally agree with the whole "Not gonna pay that much when I can make a cupcake just as good" philosophy. One, OK. Because I like to support local, too. This is pretty amazing-looking pound cake!

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  22. This looks delicious! I love citrus desserts. Definitely going to have to pin and try to make.

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  23. Your cake looks wonderful - what a gorgeous colour and flavour too! I've pinned this on my St Patrick's Day board :)

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  24. What a colorful cake! Love key lime flavor.

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  25. Aha, I love pound cake!!! Key lime is a new twist! Will definitely try this...I happen to like BOTH key lime and pound cakes! Together, they work in perfect harmony!

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  26. wow perfect for st pattys day!! love all the green food around these days!

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  27. $2.50 a cupcake? Then come here, you won't get one for less than $3.50 maybe even $4.
    This cake sounds so refreshing. makes me dream of summer days even more!

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  28. What a great color! And I love lime cupcakes. There's an Epicurious recipe out there and it's absolutely amazing but I'll have to give this a try! Sounds and looks perfect for any day. :)

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  29. Gorgeous cake, the color is so intense! Makes it so perfect for ST Patty's day for sure. Nice recipe!
    I saw this post on the Tuesday Talent Show linky party. I'd love for you to check out a recipe I linked up too, it's perfect for Pi Day tomorrow- it's a traditional Polish Apple Pie called Szarlotka but with less sugar than original. Hope you have a great rest of your day, dear! :)

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  30. Very yummy! I lived in the Florida Keys for a year and a half. I hated living there, but I LOVED all things key lime. I'm pinning this to make during annual vacation there. Thanks for sharing!

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  31. I love the color of this pound cake and the flavor--it must be as beautifully bright as its color. Love it!

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  32. What a pretty cake! Looks super delicious and perfect for St. Patrick's Day! :)

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  33. This looks pretty and I am sure it tastes awesome too ! I love key lime....!!

    http://www.curiositaellya.blogspot.com/

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  34. Love, love key lime! Adding it to a pound cake is genius!

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  35. Ok, I made this wonderful looking cake yesterday and sadly it is very dry and not much flavor except for the frosting. Was there supposed to be a little oil in it or something? It looked beautiful and smelled really good while it was baking. I followed the recipe to the T. Any suggestions?

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  36. Hey Joan! This looks so yummy! I am obsessed with lime anything! I would love for you to share this & any other recipes at my link party: http://dessertnowdinnerlater.blogspot.com/2013/03/sweet-savory-saturdays-4.html

    I hope to see you there!
    ~Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later!

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  37. I'm falling in love with Key Lime. Pinned! Thanks so much for linking up to Two Cup Tuesday at Pint Sized Baker. I look forward to coming back on Monday Night!

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  38. I L-O-V-E pound cake! This sounds delicious!

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  39. Love that color! Looks so delicious makes me want a bite right now :) Pinned Joan! Thanks for sharing at Mom On Timouout!

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