Strawberry Lime Cake – Vertical Layers!
Strawberry Lime Cake is light and fluffy as well as creamy, sweet, tangy,
and refreshing, with vertical layers, this is a show-stopper. If you liked strawberry limeade Kool-Aid when you were a kid, you have to try this recipe! And you can have this gorgeous dessert on the table in less than 30 minutes so go ahead and preheat the oven.
If you think the first cake came from Betty Crocker, you would be wrong. It was the ancient Egyptians who first made this dish as a sweetened flat bread baked on a hot stone. In fact, their cakes were exactly like bread but sweetened with honey. The name cake actually comes from the Norse word “kaka” although the Greeks called them “plakous” which means flat.
For this yummy strawberry lime cake recipe, all you need are a few ingredients including strawberries, lime, whipping cream, mascarpone cheese, and then the basics like flour, sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs. You can also choose to mix in your own favorites like using lemons instead of limes and some other berries instead of strawberries.
Ingredients needed:
For this scrumptious strawberry lime cake, all you need is the ingredients listed here. Then, when you are ready to start, find the recipe card at the bottom of the page. It has the exact measurements and instructions.
Strawberry filling ingredients:
- Fresh sliced strawberries
- Lime juice
- Granulated sugar
Cake batter ingredients:
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- Lime zest
- Lime juice
- Vanilla extract
Cream ingredients:
- Heavy whipping cream
- Mascarpone cheese
- Granulated sugar
- Lime juice
- Lime zest
- Vanilla extract
How to make strawberry lime cake from scratch?
- Preheat the oven: First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
- Make the strawberry filling: Then, combine the strawberries, sugar, and lime juice in a saucepan and cook on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Combine the flour mixture: In the meantime, stir together the flour and sugar in a large bowl.
- Beat them together: Then, beat the wet ingredients in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until it is thoroughly combined. Add the flour mixture gradually until it is all mixed in. Pour batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Let it cool completely: While you wait for the cake to cool, mix the cream by mixing all the cream ingredients with a mixer in another medium-sized bowl until it is light and fluffy. Set aside four to five tablespoons in a small bowl covered in plastic wrap for topping.
- Pour evenly: Next, pour the strawberry sauce onto the cake and spread it evenly with a wooden spoon. Then, gently spread the cream on top of the sauce.
- Slice and roll: After, slice the cake longways into five long strips. Carefully roll the strips together to make a wheel shape.
- Garnish and serve: Finally, top the cake with cream roses from the remaining frosting and fresh strawberries before serving.
Recipe variations:
- Powdered sugar: For a smoother cream filling, use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar.
- Different flour: Use cake flour for a more tender and light cake.
- Other berries: In the mood for something different? Try blackberries, blueberries, or raspberries instead of strawberries.
- Lemon juice: Similarly, you could also use lemon zest and juice instead of lime.
- Other cheese: Instead of mascarpone, you could use ricotta, cream, or cottage cheese.
- Chocolatey: If you love chocolate, add some melted chocolate to your cream filling or top it with chocolate chips.
How to serve:
This is a good cake for any occasion because it is actually really simple and fast, tastes delicious, and looks professional. You can “wow” all your family and friends with this one. Try one of these fun serving suggestions or share some of your own ideas in the comments below.
- You could also top your cake with powdered sugar for a more refined look and sweeter flavor.
- Spread a layer of strawberry frosting to frost the entire cake before adding cream roses and strawberries. Try our rich and delicious cream cheese frosting mixed with strawberry extract.
- Another great topping for this delicious strawberry cake is lime curd. Try our easy lime curd recipe.
- Or you could try strawberry buttercream or lime buttercream frosting.
- Everything is even better with whipped cream on top. Use our easy homemade whipped cream recipe for this cake.
- To make your cake look even prettier, try adding some green food coloring to half of the cream and red food coloring to the other.
- This would also go great with our strawberry sorbet.
- For more decor, slice fresh limes into thin wedges to top the cake with the strawberries.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this cake with round cake pans?
If you are trying to make a different type of layer cake, you can use three 9-inch round cake pans. Make sure the prepared pans are sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and dusted with flour. Also, be sure they are all level after baking by using a cake leveler. Then, place one onto a cake board and spoon a layer of strawberries and then cream. Place the second cake layer on top and add another bit of strawberries and cream. Finally, place the remaining cake layer on top and coat the whole thing with frosting.
Why is there no baking powder or baking soda in this recipe?
This is a different kind of cake than usual. You may notice that there is also no regular or unsalted butter in the batter. This is a great recipe for those who like to make things fast and easy since this cake is perfect without all those extra ingredients. The reason this works for this recipe is that you do not want your cake to rise much.
Can I use sweetened condensed milk instead of frosting?
If you do not have any frosting, you can make your own. Look in your cabinet and see if you have some salted butter, vanilla, and sweetened condensed milk. That is all you need to make a delicious vanilla frosting. Just whip it until stiff peaks form. You could also use powdered sugar or whipped cream as a topping.
What can I use instead of heavy cream?
There are many different substitutes for heavy whipping cream or heavy cream. For example, you can mix 7 parts half and half with 1 part melted butter. Similarly, you can also try 1/4 cup of melted butter and 3/4 cup of milk. Coconut cream is excellent too, especially for those with special dairy restrictions.
How do I make cream roses?
You can use a piping bag with a star tip. If you do not have a piping bag, spoon the cream into a zipper baggie and cut the tip of one corner off. It works just as well and you do not have to clean it when you are done. Just toss it in the trash can.
What are the nutrition facts in this recipe?
Each serving of this yummy cake has about 643 calories, 35 grams fat, and 18 grams saturated fat as well as 320 mg cholesterol, 250 mg sodium, 30 grams carbohydrates, and 29 grams of sugar. You also get 4 grams of protein, 1 mg iron, 15 mg calcium, 100 mg potassium, 60 mg vitamin C, and 50 units vitamin A.
More strawberry recipes to try:
How to store leftovers:
- Store: You can store your leftover strawberry lime cake in an airtight container. It will stay good in the fridge for up to four days.
- Freeze: To freeze your leftovers, wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container. They will stay fresh for up to three months.
- Thaw: Thaw your leftover cake in the fridge overnight before serving it for the best results.
Baking tips:
- For faster prep time, use a cake mix instead of making your own cake.
- Double the recipe and make two cake layers to make an extra large cake.
- Leave the stems and leaves on the garnishing strawberries for a more professional look.
- If you have a stand mixer, go ahead and use it for easier mixing.
- The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Immediately remove the cake from the pan and put it on a cooling rack to cool completely before finishing.
- To cut some calories and fat, use egg whites instead of whole eggs for two of the eggs.
Strawberry Lime Cake
Ingredients
Strawberry filling ingredients:
- 12 oz fresh strawberries sliced
- 1 lime juiced
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
Cake batter:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 lime juiced and zested
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream:
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream cold
- 12 oz mascarpone cheese room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 lime juiced and zested
Instructions
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper, and lightly spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
Make the strawberry filling:
- In a saucepan, combine the strawberries, sugar, and lime juice, and cook on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Make the cake batter:
- In the meantime, in a large bowl stir together the flour and sugar.
- Next, in a medium bowl, beat with an electric mixer on medium speed the eggs, lime juice, zest, and vanilla, until thoroughly combined.
- Add the flour mixture gradually, and stir with a spatula until it is all mixed in.
- Pour batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven.
- Remove from the oven and let the cake cool to room temperature.
Make the cream:
- In a medium bowl, mix the heavy whipping cream and sugar until stiff peaks start to form. Add the mascarpone and the rest of the ingredients and mix JUST until combined, light and fluffy.
- Set aside about 1/2 cup for the top of the cake.
- Chill the cream for 30 minutes before using on the cake.
Assemble:
- Next, pour the strawberry sauce onto the cake and spread it evenly with a wooden spoon.
- Then, gently spread the cream on top of the sauce.
- After that, slice the cake longways into five long strips. Carefully roll the strips together to make a wheel shape, like in the photo.
- Finally, top the cake with cream roses from the remaining frosting, lime slices, and fresh strawberries before serving.
Nutrition
