If you like fresh lime desserts and key lime pie, you’ll love key lime poke cake. The cake is light and soft with the fresh, tangy flavor of delicious key limes, and a sweet creamy topping.

Try it for yourself, and you’ll see that it’s too good to last very long.

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Easy Step-By-Step Instructions for Key Lime Poke Cake

Summer cake recipes — In bowl of stand mixer, mix cake according to package directions.

Homemade Poke Cake — Pour batter into prepared cake pan, and bake as instructed on package.

Poke Cake Recipes — Allow to cool completely.

Key Lime Poke Cake — Then using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes half-way through the cake spaced about 1 ½ inches apart.

Key Lime recipes — In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk, ¾ cup of the whipping cream, and 1 teaspoon lime zest, and whisk well.

Lime poke cake — Add ½ cup key lime juice, and whisk again. It will start to thicken.

Poke Cake Recipe — Quickly pour over cake, spreading to fill in holes.

Cover and chill for several hours or overnight. Honestly, the longer the better; even a couple of days, to allow that lovely fresh lime flavor to infuse the cake.

How to make Key Lime Poke Cake — An hour before serving, sprinkle ½ teaspoon unflavored gelatin 1 tablespoon cold water in a small heatproof bowl, and let rest for 5 minutes. Then heat in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds until the gelatin melts into a clear liquid. Set aside to cool for no more than 3 minutes while you quickly begin whipping the cream.

Stabilized whipped cream — Add one or two tablespoons of the cream to the warm gelatin, stirring quickly to temper the gelatin. If you skip this step the gelatin may seize when it hits the cold cream, and you will end up with gummy lumps. Turn the mixer speed to lowest setting, and slowly add the creamy gelatin, mixing it in as you go. Continue beating to stiff peaks

Key Lime Poke Cake Recipe — Spread over lime filling, and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Key Lime cake recipe — … serve, garnished with sliced limes and lime zest, if desired

Free Printable Recipe for Key Lime Poke Cake

Key Lime Poke Cake

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Ingredients

1 15.25 ounce white cake mix plus ingredients to make according to package directions
1 can 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
2 ¼ cups heavy whipping cream divided
½ cup key lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
½ teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 tablespoon cold water
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Cake Directions:

Grease 13 x 9 cake pan, and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix cake according to package directions.
Pour batter into prepared cake pan, and bake as instructed on package.
Allow to cool completely. Then using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes half-way through the cake spaced about 1 ½ inches apart.

Lime Filling Directions

In a medium mixing bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, ¾ cup of the heavy cream, and lime zest, and whisk well. Add lime juice, and whisk again. It will start to thicken. Quickly pour over cake, spreading to fill in holes. Cover and chill for several hours or even a few days. It takes time for the lime flavor to infuse the cake.

Cream Topping Directions

An hour before serving, sprinkle ½ teaspoon unflavored gelatin ove 1 tablespoon cold water in a small heatproof bowl, and let rest for 5 minutes. Then heat in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds until the gelatin completely dissolves into a clear liquid. Set aside to cool for no more than 3 minutes while you do the next step.
Quickly start whipping the remaining 1½ cups heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla. When soft peaks begin to form, add one or two tablespoons of the cream to the warm gelatin, stirring quickly to temper the gelatin. If you skip this step the gelatin may seize when it hits the cold cream, and you will end up with gummy lumps. Turn the mixer speed to lowest setting, and slowly add the creamy gelatin mixture, whipping it in as you go. Continue beating to stiff peaks
Spread over lime filling, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Serve, garnished with sliced limes and zest, if desired.
Store tightly covered in refrigerator.

Notes

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