Strawberry Limeade Naked Cake
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure PolicyApparently, spring brings out the baker in me. I’m not sure what’s happening, but during the past couple of weeks I’ve been baking up a storm. Other than resisting the urge to eat everything I bake, It’s been absolutely fun and completely cathartic.
A few years ago I tried my hand at a naked cake (that is, a cake without frosting on the sides), and since then, I’ve been wanting to make another. So that’s what I did! Voila, my Strawberry Limeade Naked Cake.
To be honest, I have a love-hate relationship with naked cakes. While I like the idea of a no-fuss, rustic, homey-looking cake, there’s also the perfectionist part of me that struggles with “messiness.” (It’s been known to make my eye twitch.)
However, the freedom-loving side of me won out this time around, and I’m so pleased with this pretty but “messy” deliciousness.
As you might expect with a Strawberry Limeade Naked Cake, there’s a lot bright, fresh flavor packed into the layers of this beauty.
For the cake, I went homemade. This allowed me to include pureed strawberries, lime zest, and lime juice. Cake flour and a bit of buttermilk keep the cake light and airy.
Once the cake came out of the oven, I wanted to lock in the moisture and add even more flavor, so I drizzled all three layers with homemade lime simple syrup.
To bring the whole cake together, there’s a strawberry cream cheese frosting made with more of that strawberry puree, lime zest, and lime juice. If you’re looking for a cake with flavor, this is it! My favorite part is that if you look closely enough. you can see the specks of lime and strawberry in both the cake and the icing. I just love that.
Now, if you’re not into the look of a naked cake, I understand. There should be plenty of frosting in the recipe below for you to just go ahead and frost the whole thing. Have it your way, my friends.
To complete the cake, top it off with whole strawberries and slices of lime. In my opinion, that is one beautiful cake. Whether spring or summer, I think you’re going to love baking, sharing, and eating this cake as much as I did.
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Ta da! Beautiful, right?
Now, I know this seems like a lot of steps, but I promise they are easy, and the whole thing comes together pretty quickly. I hope you give this recipe a try.
What are your thoughts on naked cakes? Love them or hate them?
I just made this cake and I have to agree with Tammy in the above review. The cake was too wet with the 4 T of lime syrup put on top of each layer. So when you try to pipe frosting it was just a soppy mess. And to think that the frosting has 6 cups of sifted powdered sugar is really excessive to get it to be firm enough. There is just too much wetness in the frosting, i.e., the strawberries and the puree — it’s just too much. So I couldn’t bring it to my party either. So 3 and 1/2 sticks of butter, 2 blocks of cream cheese, half a dozen limes and all the other ingredients and hours of my time wasted. Sorry for this review but I am an experienced baker and I should have known this wasn’t going to work.
The photos of the cake are beautiful and I was so eager to use it at a party for July 4th. I followed the recipe EXACTLY, which I don’t often do. And the cake was a disaster. The cake was too moist, the frosting could not possibly have been piped, (and I let it sit in the fridge in hopes that it would get more firm) and it literally fell apart under its own weight. Although the bite I had, that didn’t fall in the floor as it broke apart, was tasty, it was a very big disappointment. I had planned for this to be my “presentation” cake…not so much.
Tammy, I’m totally disappointed and very sorry to hear this. I can totally understand you frustration as I’ve had recipes totally fall apart on me too. It’s even worse that it was planned as your presentation cake. I’ll be sure to review and remake the recipe myself to ensure I didn’t make an errors when writing the recipe. (Reading over it, it SEEMS okay.) I also made this in the winter months, so perhaps that had something to do with it?
I’m not sure what could have happened with the cake, but in the future if your frosting ever seems to soft/runny, add some additional confectioner’s sugar to get it to a consistency that works for your application.
I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know about this. My apologies again!
xo Michael
I will go off my diet for this one it looks so good!!
Michael, I made your Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake last night for a co worker’s birthday and took it into work today. EVERYONE loved it! And I mean everyone! It was delicious! I was able to make 6 cupcakes from the batter as well. I will be sharing the recipe with several co workers, as well as your site. The cake was so moist! Thank you for sharing your recipes!
You’re very welcome! I’m so glad it was a success!
xo Michael
Love these cakes! When you are ready to move away from the cold country let me know and I will look for houses in my neighborhood for you to relocate!
Beautiful!! Looking forward to trying this…anything with buttermilk in it has to be good! Thanks, Michael.
Under the simple syrup ingredients, did you mean 1 Tb. lime zest?
Oops! Yes, I do! Thanks. 🙂
xo Michael
I only make naked cakes because my cakes that are frosted on the sides look a mess! Naked cakes are so pretty, in a rustic sort of way! So much easier! This one is lovely, Michael.
This looks so beautiful and yummy! Have you ever thought of opening your own little dessert food truck-maybe in the tropics somewhere? Just saying…
That cake is beautiful and looks so yummy!! I’m definitely going to try it. Lime and strawberry is such a great combination!
As a small town girl and lover of all things rustic and country, I just adore the look of naked cakes. I think they are the prettiest foods. Plus, I’m not a huge frosting fan (although cream cheese frostings have their place in my sugar loving heart) so to me, less frosting is better. I tend to believe that a good, moist cake is delicious enough without frosting! Can’t wait to try this recipe!
That. Is. Majestic! I can’t wait to try!! I usually make my own birthday cake and this just might be the one! That frosting…those flavors…three layers…
This looks delicious! I don’t normally like fruit in my desserts (I’m a chocolate kind of girl), but this looks so good I may just have to try it. Thanks for the awesome recipe and for letting us benefit from your cathartic baking!
This might be the perfect thing to try then! There aren’t any “large” chunks of fruit, but you get all that good flavor.
xo Michael