This moist pound cake is a riff on my popular vegan lemon loaf cake which gets rave reviews year round. Packed with lots of zippy lime flavor, this is truly the best cake for lime lovers!
Note: This recipe was originally written as a poke cake, but after more testing, I've kept the lime drizzle as an optional extra step, as it truly doesn't need it! You can find it in the notes of the printable recipe card at the end of this page.
🧾 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this key lime pound cake from scratch:
Ingredient Notes
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Non-Dairy Milk: This will be mixed with fresh lime juice to make vegan buttermilk. I prefer soy milk, but you can use oat milk or almond milk.
- Fresh Limes: You'll need the zest of 4 regular limes (usually labeled as Persian or Tahitian limes) or 8 Key limes which are smaller and a tad sweeter with a floral flavor. This recipe also calls for freshly squeezed lime juice, but you will have some leftovers from the zested limes which you can use in recipes like lime curd or Key lime pie.
- Olive Oil: If you don't like the taste of EVOO in your baked goods feel free to swap in any light-tasting oil such as sunflower or canola oil instead.
- Vegan Unsalted Butter: This adds to the richness of the cake while olive oil helps to keep it moist for days. Make sure you let the melted butter cool to room temperature before adding it to the batter.
- Dairy-Free Greek Yogurt: Reach for vegan Greek-style yogurt, vegan sour cream, or thick coconut yogurt. This packs so much moisture into the cake.
- Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioner's sugar or icing sugar, this powdery white sweetener is the key to making a satiny smooth glaze. If you're out, you can easily make your own using granulated sugar, cornstarch or potato starch, and your food processor.
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🔪 Instructions
Here are step-by-step images showing a visual of how to make this delicious key lime pound cake. As always, please refer to the detailed printable recipe card at the end of this page for full measurements and written instructions:
First, add the dairy-free milk and lime juice to a small bowl, stir, and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. This will create a lovely vegan buttermilk swap and make a fluffy cake!
Step 1: In a large bowl, rub the freshly grated lime zest into the sugar using the tips of your fingers. The mixture should almost feel wet as the natural oils are released from the limes.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients (melted butter, olive oil, and vanilla extract) and whisk until combined. Then stir in the lime buttermilk mixture.
Step 3: Fold the dry ingredients into the batter in 2 parts (all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt). Mix until just combined.
Step 4: Pour batter into a prepared pan lined with parchment paper, then add a thin strip of cold butter to encourage a crack down the center of the cake during baking.
Step 5: Bake in a preheated oven until golden brown, then let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully transferring it to a wire rack to cool further.
Step 6: In a medium bowl, mix more lime zest, yogurt, and powdered sugar until smooth. Spread it over the cooled cake and decorate the top with fresh lime slices.
💭 Recipe Tips
Prepare your loaf pan. Lightly grease an 8-inch loaf pan with some oil or vegan butter and place a sling of parchment paper inside it. The butter helps the parchment to stay in place and the parchment helps you to easily lift the cake out once baked.
Don't overmix the batter. As soon as there are no visible streaks of the dry ingredients, STOP. This will help ensure your cake comes out light and fluffy.
Let the glaze set before slicing. Wait 30 minutes to an hour (if you can!) to let the sugar glaze harden, giving you nice clean cake slices.
💬 FAQs
Nope! This glazed lime pound can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you don't have a suitable container, wrap it well in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can extend the shelf life slightly to about 7 days in the fridge. Alternatively, feel free to wrap it well and freeze it for up to a month.
Key lime season runs from June through September, while Persian limes are generally available year-round. If you prefer the more floral key lime flavor I say go for fresh key limes, otherwise, regular limes will work beautifully!
Absolutely, when I originally wrote this recipe it was a drizzle cake, but I decided to keep that step optional, seeing as the cake is already incredibly moist and flavorful without it.
Simply combine 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar with 40 ml (2½ tablespoons) of freshly squeezed lime juice. Once the cake is baked, immediately poke holes with a bamboo skewer while still hot. Then drizzle the lime syrup all over the surface of the cake.
This part is important, allow the cake to cool in the tin completely for an hour before removing it from the pan.
🍞 More Vegan Loaf Cakes
📖 Recipe
Vegan Lime Pound Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 120 ml (½ cup) soy milk *note 1
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) lime juice freshly squeezed *note 2
- Zest of 4 limes freshly grated (approx 4 regular/8 key limes) *note 2
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 75 g (2.6 oz) vegan butter melted and cooled to room temperature
- 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil *note 3
- 140 g (⅗ cup) vegan Greek-style yogurt *note 4
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour (plain flour), sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Lime Glaze (optional)
- 120 g (1 cup) powdered sugar (confectioner's/icing sugar)
- Zest of 1 lime or 2 key limes *note 2
- 1 tablespoon vegan Greek-style yogurt *note 4
- 1 teaspoon lime juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to fan-forced 160°C/320°F or conventional 180°C/356°F. Lightly grease an 8" loaf tin and place a sling of parchment paper into it to help lift the cake out once baked.
- Make "buttermilk": Add the soy milk and lime juice to a jug, stir, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
- Flavor the sugar: Add the lime zest and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar until it feels "wet".
- Wet ingredients: Add the melted butter, olive oil, vegan yogurt, and vanilla extract and whisk to combine. Then add the vegan buttermilk (milk and lime juice mixture), and whisk again.
- Dry ingredients: Add the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl with the wet ingredients in 2 parts, and gently fold with a rubber spatula until just combined and there aren't any visible pockets of flour - be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Bake: Transfer the cake batter to the prepared loaf pan. Place thin strips of vegan butter or a knife dipped in olive oil down the center of the loaf, this will help the loaf crack in the center once it bakes. Bake on the middle shelf for 50 minutes. Check the cake is ready by inserting a knife or toothpick into it, which should come out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack. (see note 5 for drizzle cake option)
- Make the glaze: Meanwhile, add the powdered sugar, lime zest, lime juice, and yogurt to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Once the cake has cooled, place a sheet of parchment paper under the cooling rack to catch any icing. Pour the glaze on top of the cake, you can add more or less depending on your taste. Decorate with fresh lime slices.
Notes
- Soy Milk: Swap for almond milk or oat milk.
- Limes: Use organic if possible, and wash thoroughly before use. Zest the limes before you juice them.
- Olive Oil: Or neutral oil like canola (rapeseed) or sunflower oil.
- Greek-Style Yogurt: I use Alpro Greek-style plain yogurt (soy-based) sometimes labeled as Skyr or protein yogurt. Swap for thick coconut yogurt or vegan sour cream.
- Drizzle Cake: Combine 100 g (½ cup) sugar with 2 ½ tablespoons of lime juice. Once the cake is baked, immediately poke holes with a bamboo skewer while still hot. Then drizzle the lime syrup over the cake and let it cool in the tin for an hour.
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Second time making this cake, and a success again! Complimented by my in-laws, family friends, and even a complete stranger.
This time, I swapped the glaze for a cream-cheese based icing (icing sugar, vanilla, lime juice, lime zest)
I ran out of oat milk so I used some sour cream (120g) with +/- 30ml of lime juice instead. The result was a slightly denser cake but, due to the high fat content, still very moist and "bouncy". I wonder if some coconut cream might have the same effect!
Is it possible to add some more lime juice?
I just made the cake 1 hour ago, and personally would have loved/expected a more intens lime flavour, or will this taste increase the next day?
Hi Roos,
I wouldn’t recommend adding extra lime juice, as it would throw off the texture. But you can definitely add more lime zest, the flavor should already be quite prominent, so feel free to add as much zest as you like to taste. The flavor will also develop a bit more by the next day 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing such a delightful recipe.😍😋💚👌🙌
This is delicious and the texture is absolutely perfect! Moist yet with the firmness and density expected of a poundcake. The flavour is subtle but clearly present and it's not overly sweet.
I modified the glaze a bit as the yogurt I had was a bit too tart (could be because I did not use vegan yogurt!) and the result was a bit unpleasant with the lime upon first try. I tried again with oat milk and pad of whipped butter to thicken. I also macerated my lime slices for a little extra sweetness 😀
I'm not vegan but I love using vegan recipes as a member of my household cannot have eggs, and as we are not big milk drinkers so we seldom have it at home.
Hi Camille,
Thank you so much for the thoughtful feedback, I’m so glad you enjoyed both the texture and flavor! I absolutely love your idea of macerating the lime slices for extra sweetness 🙂
I’d love to make this but do you know if gf flour would work in this recipe? 😄
Hi Alicia,
I haven’t tested this one with gluten-free flour, so I can’t say for certain how it would turn out. Some readers have had success with a few of my other cake recipes using King Arthur Measure for Measure, but I can’t personally guarantee the results here. If you do give it a try, I’d love to hear how it goes! 😄
Absolutely love this recipe. Cake turned out fantastic and the whole family loves it!
Hi Euying,
So happy to hear that, thank you! I'm thrilled it was a hit with the whole family 🙂
Made this cake a few times now and it's one of the best cakes I've ever made. It is so moist and fluffy and it keeps fresh for several days. Could I swap the limes for fresh oranges instead? Thanks for all the lovely recipes 😃
Hi Liz,
So happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the cake, that makes my day! 😊 Yes, you can definitely swap the limes for fresh oranges. Just keep in mind it’ll give the cake a sweeter, slightly milder citrus flavor, but it should still be lovely. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
I tried the orange version - it was really lovely too and sweeter as you said, but not too sweet! (I used 2 oranges). Thanks again 😀
Hi Liz,
So glad to hear that, I must give this a try. Thanks so much for reporting back!
I made this for our Easter brunch. Another fantastic recipe! Thank you!
Thanks so much for your lovely feedback, Lisa 🙂
Did you candy the limes that you placed on top of the pound cake?
Hi Lisa,
No they are just regular fresh limes 🙂
This pound cake was great. Everyone loved it. Will definitely make it again & again.
Hiya!
That's wonderful to hear, thank you so much for your feedback 🙂
This is my go-to lime/lemon cake recipe. Both taste and texture are excellent. It's hard to stop eating it!
Hi Tamar,
That’s so lovely to hear, thank you! I’m really glad it’s become your go-to recipe 🙂
A good recipe but 2 issues: 1) using 1/2 cup of powdered sugar is well below 120 grams, maybe the recipe is supposed to 1/4th? 2) the recipe doesn’t mention when to mix the sugar and lime mixture.
*supposed to be 1/4th cup
**doesn’t mention when to include the lime/sugar mixture with the other ingredients in the recipe
Sorry for typos!
Hi Kip!
Correct, 120g is actually one full cup - thanks so much for the heads up! Re: the lime sugar mixture, the ingredients are added to this mixing bowl, as it says "add". Hope this makes sense, and I'm happy you enjoyed the recipe!
This was very delicious I didn’t have limes so I used lemons and it came out great.
Thanks so much for your feedback, Ashley. I love that you used lemons!
Loved this cake. Everyone who tried it raved about it. Big hit. Will make again
Hi Jose,
That's fantastic, thank you so much for your lovely review!
I would give this recipe 10 stars if I could! Delicious, moist, and beautifully balanced. I was worried with the addition of the sugar syrup and the drizzle that it would be too sweet, but it was heaven! It was not too sweet and the citrus packed a punch without being too overpowering. Will definitely be making this again!
Hi Kat,
Aw this is so lovely to hear! Thank you so much for your incredibly kind review 🙂
Hi
I want to make this recipe what should I use to make this fluffy. Hand mixer?
Hi Rose,
You don't need a hand mixer, just a regular whisk 🙂
Looking fluffy and yum. LOVE. If I half the recipe and make cupcakes with it will the cake still be fluffy?
Thanks Tamanna! I think so, just cut the baking time down to 20-25 mins max I'd say!