If you’re looking for a taste of the tropics, look no further than this lime and coconut cake. Punchy, tangy lime meets the unmistakeable taste of coconut. These two are the perfect combination.

This coconut lime cake is brimming with flavour and texture. Coconut cream gives the most amazing soft texture while filling this cake with coconut flavour. Then lime throughout and in the simple glaze on top, gives it a lovely tang.

Try this coconut and raspberry cake too.

❤️ Why you’ll love it

  • Not just for summer: This cake will brighten up your winter too.
  • Perfect tea time treat
  • Moist and tender
  • Fluffy and light
  • Loaded with both lime and coconut flavour
  • Everyone will come back for seconds
A slice of cake on a small dessert plate.

Ingredients you’ll need

Ingredients for lime and coconut cake on a marble surface.
  • Flour: You just need plain flour / all-purpose flour for this cake. It can be swapped for a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthum gum.
  • Baking powder: Baking powder will give the cake it’s lift
  • Salt: Just a touch of salt to balance.
  • Coconut: This cake has fine desiccated coconut laced throughout. Feel free to top it with some coconut flakes too.
  • Butter: Use unsalted butter.
  • Sugar: Just white granulated sugar in the cake, then icing sugar (powdered sugar) for the simple glaze on top.
  • Eggs: Use large eggs. Free range if you have the means.
  • Coconut cream: Tinned full fat coconut cream gives this cake the most luscious texture. Give the tin a good shake before you use it. Coconut milk will work too but not give such a rich texture.
  • Limes or key limes: Please use real lime juice and zest not bottled lime juice. The bottled variety has preservatives that just change the flavour completely. The number of limes you need will depend on their size and how juicy they are but 2-4 will suit. You can use key limes too which are a little sweeter, but they are smaller so you’ll need more.

How to make lime and coconut cake

Lime and coconut cake is very simple and comes together like most cakes do. It’s quick and the lime glaze literally takes 1 minute to make.

Detailed quantities and instructions in the recipe card below.

A collage of 5 images showing how to make lime and coconut cake.
  1. Cream butter and sugar: Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer until pale and creamy.
  2. Add eggs: Now add 3 eggs but 1 at a time and make sure to beat each until smooth. Also make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time.
  3. Dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and desiccated coconut in a bowl until well combined. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture the butter mixture.  
  4. Wet ingredients: Mix together coconut cream and lime juice, then add half to the batter and mix it through. Repeat this process 3 more times – flour, cream, flour – until everything is incorporated.
  5. Bake: Pour the mixture into a prepared baking tin and bake until a toothpick poked into the centre comes out with just a crumb or two attached.
  6. Glaze it: Make the simple 2 ingredient by just mixing icing sugar and lime juice (or coconut cream) in a bowl, then pour it over the cooled cake.
A whole cake covered in lime glaze on a marble cake plate.

Marie’s top tips

  • Weigh ingredients: For the best results, always weigh flour and sugar where a weight is provided. A little too much flour can make a cake dry. Kitchen scales are cheap so worth investing in for perfect bakes. Storing ice cream
  • All ovens vary: All ovens are different and often thermostats are out of whack. It’s a great idea to keep an oven thermometer in your oven (2 if it’s a large oven) so that you can keep an eye on the true temperature.
  • Don’t overmix: Once you add flour to batter, the more you stir, the more gluten is formed which can create tough or dense cakes. Mix gently and only until just combined.

Lime and coconut cake FAQs

Can I freeze lime and coconut cake?

Yes, this cake freezes beautifully. It’s best frozen in slices so you can thaw just as much as you need. Store them in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Can it be made ahead?

Yes. It will keep very well at room temperature for 3-4 days so you can make it ahead. Slice as close to serving as possible.

Can I substitute the lime with lemon?

Yes. You can swap the lime in this cake for lemon. Or even orange.

Can I use a loaf pan?

Yes. You can bake this cake in a loaf pan roughly 8-9 inches long x 5 inches wide. It will take around 60 minutes to bake, until a toothpick comes out with just a crumb or two attached. You can use a square 8 inch pan as well but the cake will turn out much thinner and won’t require as long to bake.

Storage

This cake keeps well at room temperature for 3-4 days. It’s best on day 1 but still stays lovely and moist as time goes on (especially if it’s still mostly whole – so only cut what you need).

Coconut lime cake freezes well too for up to 3 months. Thaw a whole cake in the fridge overnight or portions on the kitchen benchtop. To keep freezer smells from permeating the cake, wrap it, or the slices, in plastic wrap tightly before placing in an airtight container.

Variations

This lime and coconut cake is perfect just as it is but you can swap the lime glaze for whipped cream (and if you swirl it with lime curd, it’s even better). You could also try a cream cheese frosting or whipped coconut cream.

You can swap the lime for lemon or orange too!

Closeup of a slice of lime and coconut cake.

More recipes you’ll love

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be sure to leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. Thank you!

Hungry for more?

Top down view of a cake cut into slices on a cake plate.

Lime and Coconut Cake

Yield: 10 serves
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 42 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
4.8 from 29 ratings
This lime and coconut cake features deliciously soft andmoist coconut cake and bright, zingy lime. A simple cake that’s beautifullyfinished with a light lime glaze.
Print Rate Pin

Ingredients

  • 195 g plain (all-purp) flour (1 ½ cups / 6.8oz)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup desiccated coconut (90g / 3.2oz)
  • 113 g unsalted butter, softened (½ cup / 4oz)
  • 1 cup white granulated sugar (200g / 7oz)
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¾ cup coconut cream, room temp (canned & shaken well)
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon lime zest (about 2 limes)

FOR THE LIME GLAZE

  • 1 ½ cups icing sugar (powdered sugar) (195g / 6.8oz)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice (extra)

For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / 160C fan forced. Grease then line with baking paper an 8 inch round baking pan or 8 inch spring form pan. Or just line an 8 inch square tin with baking paper – no need to grease).
  • In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the desiccated coconut then whisk it well to combine.
  • In a large bowl using an electric beater or in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until lightened and fluffy, scraping around the bowl regularly (this can take 5-6 minutes).
  • Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until smooth and combined – scrape down the sides as necessary.
  • In a small jug combine the coconut cream (shaken well first) and lime juice.
  • Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir in with a spatula until just combined. Now add ½ of the coconut cream mix and gently mix in. Repeat 3 more times – flour, cream, flour – mixing only until just combined each time.
  • Finally, gently stir through the lime zest.
  • Pour the cake batter into the lined baking tin and spread out evenly.
  • Bake for around 42-44 minutes for a round 8 inch tin or 30-32 minutes in a square tin (or until a toothpick poked into the centre comes out with a few crumbs attached).
  • Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Once cooled, mix together the icing sugar and lime juice and drizzle the icing over the top. Scatter over coconut flakes.
  • Please take a moment to leave a rating and comment below. It helps more than you know.

Notes

  1. For best results you should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar. Kitchen scales are relatively cheap but if you can’t weigh the ingredients, use the spoon and level method (don’t scoop).
  2. All ovens vary – check for doneness 8-10 minutes before the recipe suggests.
  3. You’ll need 2-3 limes, depending on size and juiciness for this recipe.
  4. The lime juice and zest in this recipe can be swapped for other citrus fruits too – try lemon, orange or grapefruit.
  5. This cake can also be made in a loaf pan and will take around 60 minutes to bake.
MORE CAKE RECIPES!
Calories: 425kcal
Author: Marie Roffey
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Australian, Tropical, World
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Nutrition information is approximate only and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use and any changes you make may cause variations.