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A layered dessert that combines vanilla cake layers on graham cracker crusts, filled with key lime cream cheese frosting and bright key lime curd, delivering a balanced sweet-tart citrus flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 20 full sheets), plus extra for decorating
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 cups cake flour (384g)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature and cubed (113g)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil (118ml)
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/3 cups buttermilk, room temperature (315ml)
  • 2 tablespoons lime zest
  • 2 tablespoons key lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar (for curd)
  • 1/2 cup key lime juice (for curd)
  • 1 tablespoon lime zest (for curd)
  • 4 large egg yolks (for curd)
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter (for curd)
  • 1 cup salted butter (for frosting)
  • 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese (for frosting)
  • 6 cups powdered sugar (for frosting)
  • 2 tablespoons key lime juice (for frosting)
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (for frosting)
  • 1/2 teaspoon lime zest (for frosting)
  • Fresh lime slices, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease.
  2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until evenly moistened. Divide mixture evenly between pans, pressing into flat, even layers. Bake 8 minutes to set crusts. Remove and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Add cubed room-temperature butter one tablespoon at a time to dry mix, mixing on low speed until mixture looks sandy with coarse crumbs.
  5. Mix in oil until mixture is evenly moistened. Add eggs, buttermilk, lime zest, key lime juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth, scraping bowl as needed.
  6. Divide batter evenly over graham cracker crusts in pans. Bake 28-32 minutes, until a skewer inserted in center comes out with a few crumbs clinging. Cool completely.
  7. Make key lime curd: in saucepan whisk sugar, key lime juice, lime zest, and egg yolks. Add butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thick and coats back of spoon (10-14 mins). Strain curd through fine mesh. Cover surface with plastic wrap; cool completely or chill.
  8. Make frosting: beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, key lime juice, vanilla, and lime zest. Mix until light, fluffy, and spreadable; do not overmix.
  9. Level cake layers if domed. Place one layer on cake plate; spread thin layer of frosting to prevent curd soaking. Transfer 2 cups frosting to piping bag; pipe border around top edge. Spread half of curd inside the border. Repeat with second layer.
  10. Place top layer; frost entire cake, reserving frosting to pipe swirls on top. Press crushed graham cracker crumbs about one-third way up the sides. Pipe swirls on top and decorate with fresh lime slices.
  11. Freeze cake 20 minutes or refrigerate 1 hour before slicing to set frosting.

Notes

Use room-temperature eggs, buttermilk, and butter for best mixing and baking results., The reverse-creaming method coats the flour in fat, resulting in a tender crumb., Don’t overbake; remove cake when a skewer comes out with a few crumbs., Strain curd to remove cooked egg bits for smooth filling., Frosting should be light and spreadable to effectively contain curd filling., Cake layers and curd must be cool before assembly for best stacking and spreading., Layers can be frozen up to 2 months; thaw before assembling., Finished cake can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for 2 months., For thicker frosting layers, increase frosting quantity 1.5 to 2 times., Use Persian limes as a substitute for key limes if needed, adjusting zest and juice for flavor.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingcrumbs.com/key-lime-cake-recipe/