Bright and buttery with a dense but delicate crumb, this bold ginger lime pound cake is delicious by itself or served with a side of fresh fruit. A few macerated strawberries and a generous dollop of whipped cream are my personal favorites.

This easy lime pound cake recipe calls for fresh lime zest in the batter. The zest delivers a bright burst of citrus throughout the cake. Fresh lime juice in the simple syrup drizzle is also used to finish the cake, and it’s the drizzle that gives this cake its signature moist texture.

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Fresh lime and ginger for the win!

A big, black cat with a lot of attitude guards a tray of Easy Chewy Triple Ginger Cookies — Triple Ginger Cookies with Crystalized Ginger

I love the flavor combination of lime and ginger together – such a lovely, bright and warm marriage. In this recipe, I chose to incorporate The Ginger People Crystalized Ginger Chips for added texture and a little burst of warm, ginger flavor. They come chopped and are perfect for baking. They also make a nice snack when you just want a little something sweet to nibble on.

I also like to use these ginger chips in my recipe for Chewy Triple Ginger Cookies. If you love all things ginger, consider giving them a try as well.

Which butter is best for this Ginger Lime Pound Cake recipe?

If you’ve been reading along on the blog for a while, you probably know by now that I tend to be pretty intentional about which butter I use in a recipe. Not all butters are the same, nor are the interchangeable.

Salted vs. Unsalted Butter. While unsalted butter is exactly what its name implies (no salt added), salted butter contains on average 1 to 2 percent salt. In general (and especially for baking), I prefer to use unsalted butter. It gives me greater control over the food’s flavor.
European-Style vs. American-Style Butter. European butter has less water and a higher fat content than its American counterpart. European-style butter also has a richer flavor as many of them are made from cultured milk. European-style butter is my favorite butter for most bakes and buttercreams.
Sweet Cream vs. Cultured Butter. Cultured butters are made from fermented cream with live cultures, so they often have a more tangy, robust flavor like yogurt or sour cream. The flavor of these butters can vary significantly from one brand to another. Cultured butter can add a nice layer of flavor and complexity to a dish, but if you want to keep the flavor more neutral, choose a sweet cream variety instead. Sweet cream butter uses milk that has not been fermented.

For this Bold Ginger Lime Pound Cake, I prefer European-style butter over American-style butter. European butter has less water and a higher fat content than its American counterpart. The end result is a more tender, moist cake crumb.

While developing this recipe, the extra fat content of European-style butter gave this pound cake a better texture; however, I also needed to take into consideration the flavor of the butter itself and its impact on the taste of the pound cake overall. Because cultured European butters can vary widely in taste, with some lending an aggressively tangy flavor to baked goods, I chose Unsalted Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter for this pound cake recipe. It has a relatively neutral flavor, and added richness deliver a better texture and more tender crumb.

Fresh greens and sliced limes frame a loaf of ginger lime pound cake.Three slices lay stacked on top of each other directly in fromt of the half sliced loaf. A single slice sits centered on a honeycomb textured plate. Pieces of candied ginger and lime zest can be seen throughout the bake. — Patience is rewarded with a generous slice of bold ginger lime pound cake.

Is it ready now? How ’bout now?

I got this question a lot during the development phase. The cake can be eaten once completely cooled. However, if you can stand the wait, wrap the cake in plastic film and let it sit at room temperature until the next day.

Although it may seem cruel to ask people to wait a day or two before cutting into some baked goods, there’s actually a scientific basis for it. As a pound cake cools, the moisture within the cake becomes more evenly distributed. This is especially the case with a drizzle cake. The extra time allows the drizzle to penetrate all the way through – making the taste and texture of the cake even better. The extra time also allows the sharpness of the lime juice to soften. It will still have that signature tartness, but it will be less sharp.

Whenever I’m developing a baked goods recipe, I like to track changes. Like a lot of good recipes, this Bold Ginger Lime Pound Cake improves when it has a little time for the flavors to marry and mellow. Trust me, your patience will be rewarded.

Alternative presentation and baking time

This moist cake holds its shape nicely once sliced. However, if you’ve got gifting on your mind, it can also be made into individual miniature bundt cakes. Depending on the size of your pans, you can expect to get approximately 4-6 miniature cakes out of one recipe. Start with a baking time of 20 minutes and increase the bake time as needed.

Bold Ginger Lime Pound Cake

Recipe by Maria Ostrander Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Intermediate

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Baking time

55-60

minutes

This bold ginger lime pound cake is bright and buttery with a dense but delicate crumb.

Ingredients

For the pound cake
1 1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp.) unsalted, European style butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. fresh lime zest
3 large eggs, room temperature
3 Tbsp. milk (skim, 2% or whole milk will all work)
1 1/2 cups cake flour (sifted first then measured)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup crystalized ginger chips
1 Tbsp. cake flour
For the lime drizzle
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Directions

Prepare the lime drizzle
Combine 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1/4 cup fresh lime juice in a microwave-safe cup. Heat for 30 seconds. Stir and return to the microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir to make sure the sugar crystals are dissolved. Set aside to cool.
Prepare the pound cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare an 8-inch x 4-inch loaf pan by coating with nonstick spray and lining the pan with parchment paper. You can also prepare the pan by spraying and dusting with flour. Set aside the pan until ready to fill and bake.
Sift the cake flour and then measure out 1 1/2 cups into a separate bowl. Add the baking powder and salt and set aside.
In a separate cup, combine 1 Tbsp. of additional cake flour with the ginger chips. Toss to coat and set aside.
Whisk together the eggs and milk. Set aside.
In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl and a hand mixer, combine the butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Over medium-high speed, cream together until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Add the lime zest and 1/3 of the egg mixture until combined. Scrape down the bowl.
Add 1/2 of the flour mixture and combine on low until completely incorporated. Scrape down the bowl.
Add 1/3 of the egg and mix until absorbed into the batter. Scrape down the bowl.
Add the last of the flour and combine on low until completely incorporated. You got it – scrape the bowl.
Add the last of the egg and mix until absorbed into the batter. Add the flour-coated ginger chips and combine on low until completely incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed thoroughly.
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and bake for 55 – 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Finish the pound cake
When the pound cake is finished baking, remove it from the oven and poke holes over the top with a toothpick. Using a pastry brush, immediately brush the top of the pound cake with 1/4 of the lime drizzle. Allow the brushed cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
After 10 minutes, remove the cake from the pan and brush the bottom of the cake with 1/4 of the drizzle. Repeat this process on the sides with 1/4 of the drizzle.
Finish the top of the cake with any remaining drizzle and allow to finish cooling on a baking rack.
The cake is ready to eat once completely cooled. However, if you can stand it, wrap the cake in plastic film and wait until the next day when the drizzle has penetrated all the way through and the taste and texture of the cake is best.

Notes

Why do I have to alternate between the dry and wet ingredients? What purpose does it serve? This recipe calls for adding the wet and dry ingredients in alternate batches to help build structure. Cake flour has a lower gluten content, which is why it is typically better for delicate crumb bakes like cakes. However, if you don’t work the flour enough, the pound cake will be flat and dense. Work it too much, and it will come out tough. By alternating the wet and dry ingredients, you can build structure without overworking the batter.
Why do I have to toss the ginger chips in flour before adding to the batter? Coating fruit, nuts and in this recipe, ginger chips in flour before adding them to the batter helps them to remain suspended in the batter during the baking process. Otherwise, they may sink to the bottom of the bake. It’s not the end of the world, but we’re striving for even distribution with the ginger.