Key Lime Poke Cake

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By: Jill Mills Posted: May 8, 2024 Updated: May 12, 2024

This Key Lime Poke Cake is a delicious moist white cake filled with a key lime pie mixture and topped with whipped cream – perfect for Summer!

Easy Key Lime Poke Cake Recipe

It’s so easy to jazz up a boxed cake mix! Poke cakes are incredibly popular and there are so many flavors to choose from. If you are a lover of key lime pie, this poke cake recipe perfectly captures the flavors that you know and love from the classic dessert. Key lime is deliciously tart and sweet. It’s one of my favorite fruits to bake with. 

I love to make this key lime poke cake during the summer. We enjoy it at home as a quick and yummy dessert that’s tasty even on a hot day in the middle of August. It’s great to share, too. We host family gatherings and I’ve made this recipe several times at guests’ request.

Why You’ll Love This Key Lime Poke Cake

• Fresh lime flavor. The fresh key lime juice and zest brighten up the flavors of this poke cake.
• Perfect for summer. This easy recipe is great to share at a family barbecue.
• Great to make ahead. Bake the cake a day or two ahead and let it sit in the refrigerator, soaking up the sweet lime and condensed milk mixture. Serve it when you’re ready. It’s super tasty when it’s chilled!

Key Ingredients

The ingredients needed for this key lime poke cake are extremely affordable and easy to find all year round. 

• White cake mix: Use any brand of white cake mix that you like. I prefer white over yellow because the neon green food coloring shows up better. 
• Sweetened condensed milk: This is a classic poke cake ingredient that keeps it soft and rich.
• Whipping cream: Heavy whipping cream is added to very slightly thin out the condensed milk to ensure that it soaks into every part of the cake. 
• Key lime: I use fresh key lime juice and zest to really drive that lime flavor home. I reserve some slices and zest for garnish to decorate it at the end.
• Neon green food coloring: This is optional, but I love the classic lime green color. 
• Whipped topping: Instead of frosting, this key lime poke cake is topped with a light and creamy whipped cream so you get that prominent lime flavor in every bite.

How to Make Key Lime Poke Cake

Making this poke cake with lime is so incredibly easy to make. I even like to get my kiddos involved. Their favorite part is poking all the holes in the cake, of course!

• Prepare the oven and baking dish. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×13 baking dish with oil, butter, or non-stick spray. Set it aside.
• Make the white cake batter. Combine all of the ingredients needed for the white cake according to the box’s directions. Pour the batter into the greased baking dish. 
• Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake the cake for 25-30 minutes. It’s ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

• Cool. Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes when it comes out of the oven.
• Poke the holes. Using the spoon handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the cake. 

• Prepare the soaking mixture. Add the condensed milk, lime juice/zest, cream, and a few drops of food coloring to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add more food coloring until you reach your desired color. 
• Cover the cake. Pour the key lime mixture evenly over the top of the cooled cake. Spread it with a spoon to ensure it gets inside all of the holes.

• Top with whipped cream. Spread a layer of whipped cream over the top of the finished poke cake. Garnish with lime zest and slices.
• Refrigerate. Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour so it can absorb the condensed milk mixture. 
• Serve. Slice and enjoy!

More Key Lime Recipes

• Key Lime Cupcakes
• Key Lime Truffles
• No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake
• Key Lime Pie Fudge
• Easy Key Lime Pie

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Key Lime Poke Cake

This Key Lime Poke Cake is a delicious moist white cake filled with a key lime pie mixture and topped with whipped cream – perfect for Summer!

Servings: 12 Servings

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Chill Time: 1 hour hr

Total: 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

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Ingredients

  

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• ▢ 1 15.25 ounce box white cake mix
• ▢ 3 ea Eggs
• ▢ 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 3/4 cup water
• ▢ 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• ▢ ¾ cup whipping cream
• ▢ ½ cup Key lime juice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon grated lime peel
• ▢ Neon green food coloring
• ▢ 1 8 oz container whipped topping
• ▢ Lime zest and slices for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
• In a large bowl whisk together the cake, mix, eggs, water and oil the box calls for.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool slightly.
• Using a large straw or end of a wooden spoon poke holes all over the cake.
• In large mixing bowl whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, whipping cream, lime zest and a few drops of green food coloring.
• Pour the filling all over cake using a spoon to get the filling into all the holes.
• Spread the whipped cream evenly over the top of the cake.
• Garnish with more lime zest.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Slice and serve!

Last Step:

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Notes

• Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• You can use regular lime juice if you cannot get key lime juice.
• You can use a yellow cake mix if you like.

Nutrition

Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 304mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 225IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 1mg

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