This easy lime drizzle cake is moist lime loaf cake soaked with tangy lime drizzle. This recipe is perfect for a weekend brunch or an afternoon snack!
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
This lime drizzle cake recipe is a fun and flavorful alternative to the more common lemon loaf cake. Instead of lemon, it’s a soft lime cake soaked with lime drizzle!
Drizzle cakes are soaked with a sugar-lime drizzle when they come out of the oven. The cake soaks up all that flavor and sweetness and becomes extra moist.
For more citrus recipes, try my and my key lime cookies, lemon sour cream cookies, and lemon blackberry cake.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
- Lime pound cake loaf is super easy to make!
- It’s super moist and soft to bite into just like this mango loaf bread.
- Tart lime drizzle is poured over the cake. It intensifies the lime flavor and sweetness!
- Each slice is bursting with lime flavor like these lemon lime bars and fruity pebbles cake.
Ingredients
Below are notes for some of the ingredients for this lime drizzle loaf cake.
- Limes: This recipe uses both lime zest and juice. You’ll need 3 limes plus one more if you want to top it with lime slices. If you have extra limes, make my key lime cookies!
- 2 eggs: Use large room temperature eggs. Take them out of the refrigerator at least one hour before baking.
- Butter: Use melted unsalted butter.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Swap in lemons for limes. It will be full of citrus flavor like my ricotta donuts.
- You can also make a lemon and lime drizzle cake. Use half lemon and half lime!
- For a key lime drizzle recipe, add key limes in place of regular limes. You’ll need more key limes since they are smaller than regular limes.
- I have not made this cake gluten free. Most of my cakes work well with a 1:1 gluten free flour.
- Add 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries. No need to thaw frozen berries.
- For a vegan lime drizzle cake, try this Vegan Coconut and Lime Drizzle Cake by Lazy Cat Kitchen.
Instructions
Step 1: Rub the zest into the sugar. Whisk in the melted butter. Add the lime juice and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the sour cream and oil. Stir in the dry ingredients.
Step 2: Pour batter into a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 42-48 minutes.
Step 3: While the cake bakes, prepare the drizzle. Add powdered sugar to a small bowl. Stir in enough lime juice to make a thin paste.
Step 4: As soon as the cake finishes baking, poke holes allover with a skewer. Pour drizzle over it. Let the cake cool.
Recipe FAQs
One secret to super moist cake is to avoid overbaking. Another secret is to add a drizzle! The cake will absorb the drizzle and become extra moist.
Store lime syrup cake in an airtight container such as a cake dome or cake carrier for 3 to 4 days at room temperature.
To freeze, add the drizzle as directed and allow to cool completely. Double wrap cake in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place in a heavy duty freezer bag. Freeze the lime cake for up to 30 days. Thaw on the countertop overnight.
Natalie’s Top Tips
- Rub the lime zest into the sugar. This helps the zest release its natural oils and brings out the lime flavor.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated.
- Make the drizzle while the cake is baking. Poke holes in the cake and pour the drizzle over top as soon as it’s finished baking.
- Decorate the cake with thin lime slices. For an even easier decoration, zest some lime over the finished cake!
More Recipes You’ll Love
Did you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website? Please leave a 🌟 star rating and 📝 comment below.
Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Lime Drizzle Cake
Ingredients
Lime Cake
- 1½ tablespoons lime zest zest of about 2-3 limes*
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted, slightly cooled
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (29 ml) vegetable oil optional, or substitute 2 extra tablespoons of sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice juice of roughly 1 lime*
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup (76.67 g) sour cream full fat, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract optional
- 1⅔ cups (208 g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Lime Drizzle
- ¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar
- 1½ tablespoons lime juice add enough to make a thin paste, about 1½-2 tablespoons, from about 1 lime
Instructions
Lime Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 8×4 inch loaf pan with nonstick baking spray. Line the bottom and 2 sides of the pan with parchment paper. Spray again.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and lime zest. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar. This helps to bring out the lime flavor.
- Whisk the melted butter into the sugar.
- Whisk in the lime juice and vanilla extract (if using). Scrape down the bowl with a spatula and mix in the eggs one at a time. Whisk in the sour cream and the vegetable oil. (You can use an extra 2 tablespoons of sour cream in place of vegetable oil if you prefer).
- Use a spatula to stir in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Stop mixing when you can no longer see any flour. Avoid overmixing.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix one more time to blend in any ingredients that may be sitting at the bottom of the bowl.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 42-48 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake. While the cake bakes, prepare the lime drizzle and take out a thin skewer.
Lime Drizzle
- Juice the limes. In a small bowl, stir together the lime juice and sugar using a spoon or a fork. Pour the mixture into a small pitcher or glass measuring cup to make it easier to pour over the cake.
- When the cake is finished baking, poke it all over with a thin skewer. Pour the drizzle over the entire cake. The drizzle may pool in the corners but this is normal. It will all get soaked into the cake as it cools.
- Allow cake to absorb the drizzle and cool in the pan completely before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Steven
Very well done! 🙂
Natalie
Hi Steven,
Thank you very much! So happy you enjoyed this cake 🙂
Sameh
Very delicious! 🙂
Natalie
Hi Sameh,
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I’m so happy you enjoyed this cake 🙂 -Natalie
Joseph
Its absolutely delightful! 🙂
Natalie
Hey Joseph,
Fantastic! Thank you for your comment. I’m happy you enjoyed this cake!