I have mentioned before that cake, specifically layer cakes, is not my forte. Just because it is not my forte though does not mean that I should not make one once in a while.
For our Easter lunch a few weeks ago, I wanted to make a cake. At first, it was just going to be a lime bundt cake. I had some homemade strawberry jam though in the fridge that I needed to use for something, so then I came up with the bright idea of a lime layer cake with strawberry jam and white chocolate frosting in the middle.
I had been itching to make a lime cake recipe I found on the internet for quite a while, so I was glad to finally have the chance to make it!
Find the recipe for key lime cake here: Key Lime Cake From Scratch
The above link also includes the recipe for a white chocolate buttercream frosting.
Find the recipe for homemade strawberry jam here: Small Batch Strawberry Vanilla Jam
I didn’t get to take any pictures of the actual process of making this cake, but I can talk a little bit about some of my mistakes (which always seem to be many when I am baking a cake!).
Mistake number one: I didn’t use enough lime zest! I think I used the 6 key limes as stated in the recipe, but I don’t think I ended up with enough lime zest. I probably also should have used a little bit more lime juice. The cake itself definitely needed more oomph to it.
Mistake number two: Sprinkling day-old lime zest on the frosted cake. The lime zest lost its bright green color overnight. I don’t think I need to say what it looked like after sitting in the fridge overnight. I really should have used fresh zest on the cake.
Mistake number three: I thought the cake layers were flat enough after baking and that I didn’t need to level them. I was wrong. I really should have sliced off just a little bit. Because the top of the bottom layer wasn’t flat, the strawberry jam in the middle of the cake kept trying to slide out and down the side of the cake.
Mistake number four: Not doing a crumb coat when frosting. I was in a hurry. I guess I really shouldn’t make cakes when I am in a hurry. Or maybe I should just stick to bundt cakes!
Mistake number five: Using white chocolate buttercream frosting. Because the cake needed more lime flavor and thus wasn’t tart enough, the whole cake was too sweet and just didn’t have enough variances in flavor for me. A cream cheese frosting might have worked better in this case.
Mistake number six: Inferior chocolate candy eggs for the decoration. Those candy eggs in the picture were quite literally only for decoration. I bought them in bulk from a nearby grocery store and they just didn’t taste very good! Even Josh didn’t like them and that is saying something right there!
There weren’t any complaints from the kids about the cake itself, and none from Josh, so that is a good thing. I have to admit though; I think the key lime-mint bundt cake I posted about more than a month ago is still my favorite cake I’ve made so far.
Maybe I will try this recipe again when I am making a cake only for my family. And when I can taste more than one slice!
-Lynn
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In spite of your criticisms of this cake, it’s still better than any that I’ve ever made. It tasted good according to your family and looked great in my opinion. I’ve never done a crumb coat … frostings just aren’t my thing. 🙂
I really need to take some kind of decorating class but I’m not sure when that will happen. In the meantime, my cakes taste better than they look lol
I think it’s a matter of pride, Lynn. You want them to look as good as they taste. I’d like to do that as well. Take a cake decorating class. I joined a FB group to get some tips but they were so far from my level that I quit. Even the YouTube videos are too technical for me. I’ve heard of Wilton (the cake supply company) decorating classes but there aren’t any that I can get to.
I think I will start with Wilton classes. I don’t really like watching videos so I think a class would be best for me.
Working with a bunch of other people would be my preferred choice too.
Dreaming this is in my kitchen NOW!
It’s definitely sweet! 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by!
Now this sounds like a divine combination. Honestly, you had me at white buttercream frosting. That wouldn’t even make it onto the cake if it was me making it haha. The result looks fantastic!
Would you be interested in sharing recipes with our community of passionate foodies? We’re always on the lookout for fun, new and delicious recipes like this one. You can find us right over here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OnlyGoodEats
That is the truth about frosting! I made a vanilla buttercream two days ago that was so yummy I had a hard time not eating it right out of the bowl!
I would love to join a group that shares recipes 🙂 I am always on the lookout for new recipes to try!
Haha I know right, the struggle is definitely real sometimes (ok, all the time!). Fantastic! Hope to see you there!