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Key Lime Layer Cake
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Key Lime Layer Cake

A three layer Key lime layer cake with a lime flavored cream cheese frosting.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Key Lime Layer Cake
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 32 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes
Servings 12
Author Anna
Cost 5

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour (330 grams)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (400 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil (or canola) or use ½ cup each neutral oil and coconut oil
  • 1 cup fresh or bottled key lime juice (Nelly & Joe's)
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime zest

Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened (230 grams)
  • 8 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter, softened (114 grams)**
  • 3 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar (1 pound) (Can use less)** (442 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Garnish

  • 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut toasted

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 3 9-inch round baking pans with flour-added cooking spray or grease, line with parchment and dust with flour.
  • Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together into a mixing bowl.
  • Add eggs, oil and lime juice mix on medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy.
  • Add sour cream and zest; mix until smooth. Pour cake batter evenly into cake pans and bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean (mine took 32 minutes).
  • Cool in pans for 5 minutes and then turn cakes out onto cooling racks. Cool for 1 hour.
  • Spread frosting over cakes, stack and ice the whole cake with frosting. Spread toasted coconut over top and down sides.

Frosting

  • In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla, then add 2 cups of powdered sugar.  Beat in the lime juice – beating and scraping sides of bowl all the while, then (if not sweet enough) add remaining powdered sugar ½ cup at a time until you reach desired consistency and sweetness.  Adjust with more lime juice if desired.
  • Toasted Coconut: Spread on baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated 375 for about 5-10 minutes. Stir often. Let cool. I like to cook mine until some of the coconut is lightly browned.

Notes

I like a less sweet frosting, so I start with 2 cups of sugar and add more as needed. The frosting will be a bit softer without the extra sugar.