Coconut Soaked Lime Cake
This incredibly fluffy Coconut Soaked Lime Cake is saturated in sweetened coconut milk and topped with a homemade coconut whipped cream. Imagine a cross between a tres leches cake and a poke cake, where it’s not as soaked as tres leches but still achieves the perfect texture! This cake is light and not overly sweet, making it the perfect easy dessert for summer!
When the warmer weather rolls in, I love making desserts that highlight the light freshness of summer. Using citrus fruits and tropical coconut flavors is a great way to get that summer feel, and I was inspired to make a cake using those flavors with an indulgent texture and taste.
I came up with a delicious cross between a tres leches cake and a traditional Midwestern poke cake, where it’s not as moist as tres leches but the coconut soak still gives the light and fluffy sponge cake a decadent texture and mouth feel. Even with the soaked cake, it still stays light and refreshing with the help of a creamy coconut whipped cream finish that makes each bite feel like a tropical escape!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Refreshing Flavor: The combination of lime zest, juice, and coconut milk gives the cake a bright, tropical taste that’s perfect for summer.
- Easy to Make: Simple ingredients and straightforward instructions mean you can whip up this cake quickly and easily.
- Perfect Texture: The coconut soak makes the cake moist without becoming soggy, giving it a balance of tenderness and fluffiness.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: You can prepare the cake a day ahead making it ideal for summer parties or events.
Limes vs Key Limes
When it comes to adding fresh lime flavor to desserts, you first want to make sure you’re not using a bottled lime juice. Those tend to contain other preservatives that throw off the taste. Your options for lime flavor are using fresh limes or key limes. BOTH can be used for this cake, but they do have slight differences in taste!
Limes:
- Larger than key limes
- Thick, bright green skin
- More acidic with a slightly bitter flavor
- Widely available and generally more affordable
Key Limes:
- Smaller in size with a thinner, yellowish-green skin
- More aromatic and floral
- Has a sweeter, more tart flavor compared to regular limes
- Often used in classic key lime pie recipes
- Harder to find
You can choose based on your personal preference or what you have available!
Whether it’s a backyard barbecue, pool party, or family picnic, this cake’s refreshing, zesty flavor pairs with fresh fruit like berries or pineapple, it’s a great companion to a scoop of mango sorbet or a dollop of coconut ice cream, or serve with a tropical fruit salad. This key lime cake also goes well with a poolside Spicy Passion Fruit Margarita, Raspberry Smash Paloma, or a glass of Bourbon Peach Sweet Tea!
Coconut Soaked Lime Cake FAQs
Yes, you can substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Make sure the blend contains xanthan gum to help bind the ingredients better.
While lime and coconut are a great combination, you can swap the lime juice and zest for lemon, orange, or grapefruit to experiment with different citrus flavors.
You could mix the lime juice and zest with lemon or orange for a bright, tangy twist on this tropical cake. For a slightly tangy contrast to the lime and coconut flavors, replace the whipped cream topping with cream cheese frosting. Add a splash of rum or coconut liqueur to the coconut soak for an extra layer of flavor and a boozy kick.
Store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Cover it well to keep the whipped cream topping fresh.
Freeze the unfrosted and unsoaked cake by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and storing it in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before adding the coconut soak and whipped cream topping.
Yes! Bake the cake a day ahead, pour on the coconut soak, and refrigerate overnight. Add the whipped cream topping just before serving for the freshest presentation before an event.
For more fruity Summer desserts, check out my:
- Coconut Mango Cheesecake Bars
- Fresh Peach Cobbler
- Lemon Zucchini Bread
- No Churn Churro Ice Cream
- Roasted Strawberry Cheesecake
- Iced Lemon Loaf Cake
- Key Lime Cookie Pie
Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram if you make this coconut soaked lime cake. I love seeing my recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!
Watch how to make this Coconut Soaked Lime Cake!
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Coconut Soaked Lime Cake
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 12 slices
Description
This incredibly fluffy lime cake is soaked in sweetened coconut milk and topped with coconut whipped cream. Think of a cross between a tres leches cake and a poke cake, where it’s not as drenched as tres leches but the soak isn’t thick enough to produce the poke cake effect – all while producing a delicious texture. It’s also incredibly light and not too sweet, making it the perfect easy cake for Summer!
Ingredients
Coconut Soaked Lime Cake
- 1 3/4 cups (225g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cup (250g) granulated sugar
- Zest of 6 limes, divided
- 1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter, room temp
- 3 tbsp coconut oil (refined or unrefined), room temp
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (60g) lime juice (about 3 to 4 of the zest limes)
- 13.6 oz can full fat coconut milk, divided
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, divided
- 1/2 tsp coconut extract
Coconut Whipped Cream
- 2 cups (480g) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/2 tsp coconut extract
- Sweetened coconut flakes, for topping
Instructions
Coconut Soaked Lime Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the sugar and zest of 3 limes. Using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar to release even more flavor.
- Now add the butter and coconut oil and mix until creamy and well combined, about 1 minute. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until completely blended, about 30 seconds.
- Dump in the dry ingredients and mix. About halfway through, pour in the lime juice and 1 cup (240g) coconut milk and continue to mix until smooth and combined. At the very end, switch to a silicone spatula to mix by hand to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
- Spread the thin batter in the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until evenly puffed and the center springs back when lightly tapped.
- While the cake bakes, combine the coconut soak ingredients in a pourable container: remaining coconut milk from the can (a little over 1/2 cup), 1/2 cup (120g) sweetened condensed milk, zest of 2 limes, coconut extract, and 2 tablespoons of water. Use a fork to beat until smooth and fluid.
- When the cake is fresh from the oven, use a skewer or fork to prick holes all throughout the cake. Pour the soak evenly over the cake and wait a couple minutes for it to disappear and sink in. Transfer to the refrigerator uncovered for about 1 hour to cool completely before topping (if you plan to keep the cake in the refrigerator for longer, cover with plastic wrap after it has completely cooled).
Coconut Whipped Cream
- Using a hand or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream on high speed just until it ever-so-slightly starts to thicken. Then pour in the rest of the can of sweetened condensed milk along with the coconut extract and whip until it reaches soft peaks.
- Spread the smooth whipped cream over the cooled cake and top with coconut flakes and zest of the remaining 1 lime.
- When slicing and serving the cake, the soak can make the bottom a little bit sticky so I suggest using a small spatula to lift out the slices. Enjoy!
Equipment
Buy Now → - Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cooling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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Meet Jenna
I’m the creator, baker, and photographer behind Butternut Bakery. Here I share desserts for every diet because I believe everyone should have a chance to indulge!
I made this exactly as written and received rave reviews. Thank you so much and I look forward to making more of your recipes
Switched to baking this cake instead of the insanely highly reviewed NYT carrot cake I made LAST year for the Bday party based on Instagram Reel seduction 🙂
It was a HUGE hit at the grown up birthday party. SOO many people asking for the recipe.
I’ll send them this way.
Changes I made: misread and only bought 5 limes instead of 6, so I was down a little in the zest but 5 limes made the requisite 1/4 cup of lime juice. Did not buy coconut extract. Used vanilla extract instead. Used unsweetened coconut flakes on top. Could have added more. Zest grating and lime juicing were the most time consuming parts.
Turns out very well. I added some coconut rum to the cake soak and also some coconut cream to the heavy cream whipped topping. Also, used King Arthur gluten-free flour and it baked up nicely.
Would you clarify exactly how much sweetened condensed milk goes into the whipped cream. From the posted recipe it is 10oz! I don’t think that’s right?
Why 2TB corn starch? Just made cake hoping that wasn’t a typo?
Please let me know
Thank you
Confused… In the video it shows you pouring Nellie & Joe’s Key West Lime Juice into the batter, but no mention of it in the recipe or tips. I have some on hand & would prefer to use plus if it saves time juicing limes!
Hi, I noticed you poured some Nellie and Joe key lime juice in he batter in the video. Do you recommend that?
I made it an it was delicious! I made no changes except for using salted butter because it is what I keep on hand. Definitely a treat, but not overly sweet at all.
Just FYI there is no mention of the vanilla in the cake prep instructions! I just added when I mixed all the wet ingredients. Amazing and addictive cake!
Hi!! Would this be able to be made as a 2 or 3 layer cake?