This Fresh Lemon Lime Cake recipe combines lemon and lime juice and zest in a moist pound cake to create the perfect tart and tangy dessert!
When lemon and lime combine, some pretty magical things happen. When you combine that lemon and lime with a moist and delicious cream cheese pound cake, things get pretty epic. And, that’s just what this Fresh Lemon Lime Cake is… EPIC.
Seriously. This is one of my absolute favorite cakes ever. I know I say that about lots of my recipes, but this one is just different. Maybe it’s because we tested this a hundred different ways. I mean we tested it to the extent that we were almost tired of cake… almost. However, we did find that the combination of lemon and lime zest in the cake and lemon and lime juice in a soak/glaze gave it great flavor without being too much.
And that glazey/soakey thing is worth mentioning, too. I love the “soak” that’s in my Pineapple Juice Cake and my Orange Juice Cake, so I knew I wanted something similar. But, using 3/4 of a cup of lemon and lime juice would make it so tart, you wouldn’t be able to eat it. So we scaled things back, added in some powdered sugar, and made the soak more of a glaze. Poking holes in the top of the cake and pouring that glaze over it while it’s warm means all that deliciousness gets down into every slice of the cake adding flavor and keeping it moist. It looks like a big ol’ glazed old fashioned doughnut, doesn’t it?
Now you have got to go make this. If you’re a lover of lemon and lime, you won’t regret it.
Do I have to use fresh zest in this Fresh Lemon Lime Cake?
I know and can feel your pain… the biggest challenge is zesting the lemons and limes. It does take a little time, but that zest is MONEY when it comes to flavoring the cake, so it’s worth it. Just be sure to use fresh citrus when zesting as older peels tend to lose their flavor. The same goes for the fresh lemon juice and fresh lime juice.
You’ll need to use a zester, fine grater, or microplane to make this a little easier. You could certainly peel the rind off and finely chop it, but you’ll need to make sure to not get too much pith (that’s the white stuff under the peel) because it’s pretty bitter and will throw your flavors off. I have a citrus zester, but I use a microplane because it has tons of other uses in the kitchen. (affiliate link)
Can I substitute self-rising flour for the all-purpose flour and baking powder?
I wouldn’t recommend substituting self-rising flour for the all-purpose flour because the amount of leavening isn’t at the same ratio to flour as it is in the recipe. However, you could substitute in cake flour for the all-purpose flour with a few modifications. To use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour in this particular Fresh Lemon Lime Cake, you need to add 2 extra tablespoons of cake flour for each cup of all-purpose flour called for in the recipe. Keep the amount of baking powder the same. Specifically in this recipe, I would recommend adding 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons of cake flour after you add in the 1 1/3 cups of flour it originally calls for. Total that would be 1 1/3 cups plus 1 1/2 teaspoons total of cake flour.
But please keep in mind for other cake recipes, cake flour lends to a lighter, less dense, and more tender cake. While this substitution will work in the case of this Fresh Lemon Lime cake, it could result in a sunken-in and collapsing cake in other recipes.
Tips for the Perfect Fresh Lemon Lime Cake:
Take note of the mixing! And with any pound cake, there’s a fine line between mixing it enough and too much. I always tell folks that beating the sugar and fat, in this case butter and cream cheese, can really take a while – like 5 minutes. But after that step, once you add eggs, flour, and liquid, you only want to beat it enough to just get everything combined.
Room temperature ingredients work best! Be sure that all your ingredients are at room temp. It means that everything is going to emulsify better into the batter, giving you a better-textured cake.
Recipe Card
Fresh Lemon Lime Cake
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temp
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temp
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease and flour a 9"x5" loaf pan. Set aside.
- Use a mixer to beat the cream cheese, butter, and sugar together for about 5 minutes. Add the eggs individually, mixing until each is just combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add the dry ingredients, milk, and lemon and lime zest to the mixture. Mix until combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- In a small bowl, make the glaze by stirring the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lime juice, and water together.
- Leave the cake in the pan and use a skewer or toothpick to poke holes all over the top of the cake. Pour the glaze over the hot cake. Allow it to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then turn out onto a serving platter. Cool completely and serve. Store in an airtight container on the counter.
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
T. Savage
I made this yesterday and it turned out great. Delicious! I was skeptical thinking that the zest wasn’t going to provide enough flavor but it did.
I’m so glad to hear that it turned out great for you! The zest really does pack a punch, doesn’t it? Thanks for giving it a shot and sharing your experience!
Kerry Viney
hi I can’t wait to make this i love pound cake and lemon & lime added will be bliss! if I was to make in a large bundt pan do you think doubling the recipe will be enough? thank you
Hey there! I’m so glad to hear you’re excited to make this pound cake! Doubling the recipe should be just right for a large bundt pan. Just keep an eye on the baking time, as it might take a bit longer. Enjoy baking!
Nan
Sounds delicious! Can’t wait to make this. Not sure what you meant by the following in your post…”I know and can feel your paint” LOL maybe you meant “pain”? Anyway, going to try this tonight.
Simple typo. I can’t afford a full-time proofreader. 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!
Eva
I’ve made this six times already. It tastes fab! It could be Tarte but the frosting brings it just the right amount of lemon/lime flavor. And so easy to do! Thanks for the recipe!
So happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Lauri
I followed the recipe exactly as it was written and it fell after it came out of the oven. It’s edible but disappointed it didn’t look like the picture?!
Sounds like it wasn’t cooked enough and since the batter wasn’t baked, it just collapsed in the middle. How did you test the doneness?
Kate
Delicious!
All I had were limes, so I used all lime zest & juice. Realized too late that I was out of milk but I did have heavy cream and it worked just fine. Great citrus flavor and so moist!
Thanks so much, Kate! We made one this weekend, too!
Judy
Could you make muffins using this recipe?
I’ve not tried that, but it should work. They won’t be light fluffy muffins, but will be more like pound cake – just in muffin form.
Doris
I haven’t made this as of yet but seriously want to but I am put off by the amount of cream cheese. Every pound cake I’ve ever made with cream cheese or heavy cream , when baked, has a ribbon of butter fat going through the cake. I’ve been baking for 55 years and I know about creaming and proper temps for the ingredients. Can I adjust this recipe to feature sour cream instead of cream cheese? I have never had any issues with my recipe for pound cake with sour cream. Perfect in every way. Thanks for a reply.
Hi Doris! I’ve not had the issue with the fat streak, but you’re welcome to try it with the sour cream. I’ve not tested it that way, though.
Doris
Hi Stacey!
I will make the cake probably this coming weekend and use sour cream instead of the cream cheese. Thanks for getting back with me and yes, I will be sure to let you know how my substitution worked out. Blessings!
Let me know!
Rebecca
Very moist and delicious ♥️
Thanks, Rebecca! So glad it turned out great for you!
Georgia Taylor
I made this yesterday and it is scrumptious! There are only 2 of us so a big cake goes to waste. Perfect amount for several days and perfectly tart and sweetn
Thank you so much, Georgia! It’s one of my favorites!
Suz Eaton
Lovely loaf cake. Of course, I had to make it more lemony and added a little lemon extract.
More lemony is never a problem in my book! 🙂
Cathi Partridge
Easy to make. Super moist. Will definitely make again.
So glad to hear it turned out great for you!
Jean Hill
Why don’t you have a Carrot Cake recipe
I’ve just not gotten around to putting it on the site. You can use my Sweet Potato Cake recipe and replace the grated sweet potatoes with carrots. That recipe is based on the wife’s great aunt’s carrot cake recipe.
Jenni J
So, two things. One I didn’t have baking powder so I mixed ACV and baking soda. Secondly, I didn’t have powdered sugar so I strained Greek vanilla yogurt and added lemon juice, lime juice, zest and honey for my “glaze.” Soooo good. My daughter is asking for seconds!
WOW! I’m glad it worked out well and you were able to make it your own!
Sabrina
Hi,
I love lemon pound cake and can’t wait to try this recipe. Will it be okay to substitute self-rising flour?
I wouldn’t recommend it as the amount of leavening isn’t at the same ratio to flour as it is in the recipe.
Joanne
Cannot wait to make this…my son will have a fit I know!! Ty…..joanne
Hope he enjoys it!
Barbara
We are not big citrus fans (shocker I know) but I love the idea of a small cream cheese pound cake with a little glaze. Do you think it would be okay if I just subbed vanilla or almond extract (or both) for the cake and the glaze? Fresh strawberries are everywhere and, if I buy strawberries, my husband expects pound cake and freshly whipped cream to go with them!
Also, can’t wait for an update on your new house. I’m sure it has been all kinds of crazy getting settled but I hope you’ll share with us when you get a chance to catch your breath. Hope you and your family had a blessed Easter.
It should be fine to switch the citrus for the almond, vanilla, or both! Yes, it has been pretty crazy getting settled but we hope to show you guys around soon!
Kaye
I just baked this for my husband. Can’t wait to cut it !
Let us know how you like it!
Barbara Miller
I can’t wait to bake this Lemon Lime Cake. I’m gonna mix the eggs, milk and zest together and add them to the sugar mixture before the flour. I only have a little hand mixer but I bet it will be ok. I’m always excited to see a new recipe from you. Love Ya.
Hope you enjoy it!
Jean Magness
Love it
Thanks so much!