I’m sharing a Moist Lime Cake with a striking green hue and an unexpectedly simple ingredient list that makes it perfect for Halloween or any celebration.

Jump to Recipe

I never meant to fall for a cake that looks like a neon toy, but this Green Cake aka Lime Cake keeps pulling me back. It is a quick, easy to make lime cake that stays soft and moist, and yes the green color makes it weirdly fun for Halloween or any time you want something different.

I use all purpose flour and bright fresh lime juice to get that tart lift, and the result reminds me of a Moist Key Lime Cake From Scratch but a little wilder. If you like Desserts That Are Green you should try this.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

All purpose flour gives structure and carbs, fairly low protein, can make it heavy.
Granulated sugar sweetens, adds moisture and browning, mostly empty carbs, addictive taste.
Eggs bind, give protein, fat and lift, helps crumb and gives richness.
Buttermilk or yogurt adds tang, acidity reacts with leaveners, keeps cake tender.
Neutral oil makes cake moist and tender, carries flavor but no dairy richness.
Fresh lime juice gives bright tartness, zest packs oils for aroma and sharpness.
Powdered sugar glaze adds sweet tang, seals moisture, it’s glossy and addictive finish.

Ingredient Quantities

2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3 large eggs, room temp

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk or plain yogurt

1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil such as vegetable or canola oil

1/4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, optional for richer cake

1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh lime juice, about 4 to 5 limes

2 tablespoons lime zest, packed, from about 2 to 3 limes

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon green food coloring or gel, to taste

Optional: 1/2 cup sour cream or extra yogurt for extra moistness

For glaze: 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9 inch round pan or an 8×8 square pan with parchment, then lightly flour the pan so the cake releases easy.

2. In a bowl whisk together 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour (spooned and leveled), 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Tip: spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off so the cake isn’t dense.

3. In a large mixing bowl beat 3 large room temp eggs until lightly frothy. Add 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk or plain yogurt, 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil, 1/4 cup (57 g) melted unsalted butter if using for richness, 1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons packed lime zest, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. If you want extra moistness stir in the optional 1/2 cup sour cream or extra yogurt. Mix until smooth.

4. Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon green food coloring or gel to the wet mix and stir until you get the shade you want. Start small, gel gives the best color so you don’t dilute the batter.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula or mix on low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix, a few tiny lumps are fine. If batter seems too thick add 1 to 2 tablespoons more buttermilk to reach a smooth, pourable consistency.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and tap the pan lightly on the counter to release big air bubbles. Bake on the middle rack: about 25 to 30 minutes for a 9 inch round, 30 to 35 minutes for an 8×8, until the top is set and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

7. Let the cake cool in the pan 10 to 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing. If you glaze while it’s hot the glaze will soak in and run off.

8. Make the lime glaze by whisking 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice until smooth and pourable. Adjust for thickness: more juice if too thick, more powdered sugar if too thin. Stir in a pinch of lime zest if you want extra zip.

9. When the cake is cool or slightly warm, drizzle the glaze over the top and let it set. Sprinkle extra lime zest on top for color and zing. Slice and serve.

10. Store leftovers covered at room temp up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 4 to 5 days. Bring to room temp before serving for best texture.

Equipment Needed

1. 9 in round or 8 by 8 in square cake pan, greased and parchment lined
2. Parchment paper plus nonstick spray or softened butter for greasing
3. Mixing bowls, at least one large and one medium
4. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale for accuracy
5. Electric hand mixer or a sturdy whisk
6. Rubber spatula for folding and a wooden spoon for scraping
7. Microplane or zester and a citrus juicer or reamer for the limes
8. Wire cooling rack and a toothpick or cake tester for doneness
9. Small whisk or fork and a fine sieve for a smooth glaze if you want it extra nice

FAQ

Q: Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk or yogurt?

Yes, you can. Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup milk, stir and let sit 5 minutes to sour it. You can also thin plain yogurt with a little milk. Using straight milk without souring will make the cake a bit less tender so I dont recommend skipping the acid step.

Q: My cake didnt come out very green, how do I get a brighter color?

Use a gel or paste food coloring not the watery liquid kind, it gives more color with less product. Start with 1/4 teaspoon and add more a little at a time until you like it. Remember lime juice and zest add flavor not color, so the coloring is what controls the green.

Q: Can I swap oil for melted butter or use all butter?

You can replace the oil with melted butter 1:1, for a richer flavor use the optional 1/4 cup plus the 1/2 cup oil or swap all to butter if you like. Oil keeps the cake slightly more moist, butter gives more flavor. Either way, cool the melted butter a bit so it doesnt cook the eggs when mixed.

Q: The cake turned out dense or gummy, what went wrong?

Most common reasons are overmixing after adding the flour, packing the flour into the cup, or overbaking. Spoon and level the flour like the recipe says, mix just until the dry bits disappear, and check doneness a few minutes before the recipe time with a toothpick. Also make sure your baking powder/soda are fresh.

Q: How do I keep the cake extra moist and how long will it keep?

Fold in 1/2 cup sour cream or extra yogurt for more moisture, or brush the cooled cake with a simple lime syrup (equal parts sugar and lime juice warmed until sugar dissolves). Store the cake in an airtight container at room temp for 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days if glazed. You can freeze slices wrapped tight for 2 to 3 months.

Q: Any tips for the glaze and fixing glaze thats too runny or thick?

Mix powdered sugar with lime juice, add juice slowly until you get the thickness you want. If it gets too runny add more powdered sugar, if too thick add a drop of juice at a time. For a shiny finish pour when the cake is warm, for a set drizzle wait until its cooled.

Green Cake (Lime Cake) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: use cake flour for a lighter crumb (substitute 1 cup AP with 1 cup cake flour, or make your own by replacing 2 tbsp of AP with 2 tbsp cornstarch per cup and sifting); pastry flour works 1:1 but will be a bit more tender; for gluten free use a 1:1 cup-for-cup GF blend that contains xanthan gum.
Buttermilk or plain yogurt: make “buttermilk” with 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar, let sit 5-10 min; kefir or thinned sour cream work too (use same volume); powdered buttermilk reconstituted as package directs is fine.
Neutral oil / melted butter: swap with melted coconut oil 1:1 (mild coconut flavor); replace half or all oil with unsweetened applesauce 1:1 to cut fat, cake will be denser and moister; use melted butter 1:1 for richer flavor but slightly firmer crumb; or replace up to half the oil with Greek yogurt for extra moisture.
Eggs: flax “egg” for 1 egg = 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water (good binder but denser result); 1/4 cup applesauce or mashed banana per egg for moisture, expect flavor change; aquafaba 3 tbsp = 1 egg (best for light, airy texture); commercial egg replacer used per package directions.

Pro Tips

1) Measure flour the right way, or your cake will be dense. Weigh 240 g if you can, otherwise spoon the flour into the cup and level it off instead of scooping. If the batter seems gummy or too stiff, stir in 1 tablespoon more buttermilk at a time until it pours a little.

2) Get ingredients close to room temp and mind the butter. Warm eggs trap air better so beat them a bit first, and only add the melted butter once it’s cooled so it doesn’t cook the eggs or make the batter seize. If you want extra moistness, fold in the optional sour cream, but don’t overdo it or the crumb can get heavy.

3) Don’t overmix after adding the flour. Fold gently until most streaks are gone, a few tiny lumps are fine. Overworking the batter makes the cake tough. Pour into the pan, tap it on the counter to knock out big air pockets, and bake on the middle rack for even rise.

4) Maximize lime flavor and get the glaze right. Zest before you juice the limes, use a fine microplane and rub some zest into the sugar to wake up the oils, that adds more zip than extra juice. Start with a tiny bit of gel coloring and add more slowly, it’s concentrated. Wait until the cake is cool or just slightly warm before you pour the glaze so it sets instead of soaking in, and thin the glaze with more lime juice 1 tsp at a time if it’s too thick.

Green Cake (Lime Cake) Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I'm sharing a Moist Lime Cake with a striking green hue and an unexpectedly simple ingredient list that makes it perfect for Halloween or any celebration.

Servings

servings

Calories

362

kcal

Equipment: 1. 9 in round or 8 by 8 in square cake pan, greased and parchment lined
2. Parchment paper plus nonstick spray or softened butter for greasing
3. Mixing bowls, at least one large and one medium
4. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale for accuracy
5. Electric hand mixer or a sturdy whisk
6. Rubber spatula for folding and a wooden spoon for scraping
7. Microplane or zester and a citrus juicer or reamer for the limes
8. Wire cooling rack and a toothpick or cake tester for doneness
9. Small whisk or fork and a fine sieve for a smooth glaze if you want it extra nice

Ingredients

2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3 large eggs, room temp
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk or plain yogurt
1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil such as vegetable or canola oil
1/4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, optional for richer cake
1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh lime juice, about 4 to 5 limes
2 tablespoons lime zest, packed, from about 2 to 3 limes
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon green food coloring or gel, to taste
Optional: 1/2 cup sour cream or extra yogurt for extra moistness
For glaze: 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9 inch round pan or an 8×8 square pan with parchment, then lightly flour the pan so the cake releases easy.
In a bowl whisk together 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour (spooned and leveled), 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Tip: spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off so the cake isn’t dense.
In a large mixing bowl beat 3 large room temp eggs until lightly frothy. Add 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk or plain yogurt, 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil, 1/4 cup (57 g) melted unsalted butter if using for richness, 1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons packed lime zest, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. If you want extra moistness stir in the optional 1/2 cup sour cream or extra yogurt. Mix until smooth.
Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon green food coloring or gel to the wet mix and stir until you get the shade you want. Start small, gel gives the best color so you don’t dilute the batter.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula or mix on low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix, a few tiny lumps are fine. If batter seems too thick add 1 to 2 tablespoons more buttermilk to reach a smooth, pourable consistency.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and tap the pan lightly on the counter to release big air bubbles. Bake on the middle rack: about 25 to 30 minutes for a 9 inch round, 30 to 35 minutes for an 8×8, until the top is set and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Let the cake cool in the pan 10 to 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing. If you glaze while it’s hot the glaze will soak in and run off.
Make the lime glaze by whisking 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice until smooth and pourable. Adjust for thickness: more juice if too thick, more powdered sugar if too thin. Stir in a pinch of lime zest if you want extra zip.
When the cake is cool or slightly warm, drizzle the glaze over the top and let it set. Sprinkle extra lime zest on top for color and zing. Slice and serve.
Store leftovers covered at room temp up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 4 to 5 days. Bring to room temp before serving for best texture.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.