These Lime Cream Cheese Cake Bars are a refreshing dessert, and perfect to serve on St Patrick’s Day.
Easy cheesecake bars using a cake mix as a base, cream cheese and lime filling, topped with a crumble of the cake mix mixture. These Lime Cream Cheese Cake Bars are actually a remake of a recipe for lemon cream cheese bars that I have been making for about 40 years.
The original recipe was on the side of a cake box. I still make them frequently and was thinking of that recipe again last week. I decided to change a few ingredients and created this recipe.
These cake bars are great for so many reasons. They are easy to make, and they transport easily if taking them to a party.
Lime Cream Cheese Cake Bars have always been a big hit anytime I make them. Someone always asks for the recipe.
Another variation of these delicious cake bars are
Raspberry Lemon Cream Cheese Cake Bars.
HOW TO MAKE LIME CREAM CHEESE CAKE BARS:
INGREDIENTS:
(full ingredients and instructions on printable recipe card in post)
*Yellow Cake Mix– This makes the easiest crust and crumble topping.
*Vegetable oil
*Eggs
*Cream Cheese– Allow it to soften to room temperature to combine easier with the other ingredients.
*Sugar
*Fresh Lime– May use lime juice.
*Green food coloring (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Assemble the ingredients. Preheat oven.
2. Line a brownie pan with parchment paper.
3. Prepare the crust. In a medium size bowl, combine the cake mix, oil and 1 egg with a fork until combined and still crumbly. Save 3/4 cup for later use. Press the remaining mixture into bottom of the pan. Bake for 9 minutes. Remove from the oven.
4. Prepare the cream cheese layer. Mix together the cream cheese, sugar, an egg, some of the lime juice and zest.
5. Spread cream cheese mixture over the crust. Top with reserved cake mix and return to oven. Bake for 14-18 minutes, or until cream cheese layer is set. Allow bars to cool in pan about 30 minutes.
6. Remove from pan, by picking up sides of parchment paper, and move to a cooling rack. Cool another 2 hours, Wrap in Cling Wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
HELPFUL TIPS FOR SUCCESS:
Use a brownie pan to bake these bars in. (11 x 7 1/2 inch pan). This will make them just the right thickness.
Make sure to line the pan with parchment paper. The bars won’t stick in the pan, and it is easier to remove once baked.
Use a fork when combining the ingredients for the cake mix crust. Do not use a mixer. You want it to retain a crumble consistency, not a cookie dough one.
Do not overcook the bars or they will become dry.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
*Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! I make them a day ahead of time, wrap them tightly in Cling wrap after they are cooled, refrigerate, and cut them the next day.
*Can these bars be frozen?
Yes! I have frozen leftovers from parties, thaw them at room temperature, and they have always tasted great.
LIME CREAM CHEESE CAKE BARS- ST PATRICK'S DAY
Ingredients
- 1 box 15.25 oz yellow cake mix
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 lime
- 1 to 2 drops green food coloring/paste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 11 x 7 1/2 inch pan (brownie pan) with parchment paper.
- Place the cake mix in a medium size mixing bowl. Add the oil and 1 egg. Stir mixture together with a fork until combined and mixture is still crumbly. Reserve 3/4 cup of the mixture for later use. Press the remaining mixture into the pan.
- Bake for 13 minutes then remove from oven to cool.
- Place the cream cheese, sugar and remaining 1 egg into a large mixing bowl. Zest the lime. Place half of the zest into cream cheese bowl. Cut the lime in half and add 2 Tablespoons of the juice into cream cheese bowl. Add food coloring starting with 1 drop or end of a toothpick if using paste, to get a light green tint. Beat ingredients together, with an electric mixture until well combined and smooth. Spread cream cheese layer over the crust.
- Crumble the reserved topping and drop evenly over the top of cream cheese.
- Bake for 14-18 minutes, or until cream cheese is set and top crust seems baked. Remove from oven. Allow to cool in pan about 30 minutes then remove by picking up parchment paper and set on a cutting board.
- Garnish with remaining lime zest.
- Allow to cool about 2 hours. Cut into size of bars desired. Yields 24 (1 1/2-in bars)
- Refrigerate bars prior to serving.
Notes
I am serving these on St Patrick’s Day but I also think they would be a great summertime dessert. Hope you enjoy!
Some other fun St Patrick’s Day recipes are
St. Patrick’s Day Snack Boards, Breakfast Ideas for St Pat’s Day,
St. Patrick’s Day Sizzlin Breakfast Skillets.
*This recipe was shared on Weekend Potluck
@ Sweet Little Bluebird
Interesting!!! I love lemon bars but something with lime might be a wonderful treat for all those hard workers in the office at Amara’s school on Thursday!
These look wonderful! I’m going to try them this week since I have all the ingredients. I see you have lots of great recipes – and they are all special ones that don’t require anything out of the ordinary to make. I like your St. Patrick’s Day ones too!
Thank you very much.
My husband and I just bought a new to us home. The kitchen is bigger and am looking forward to doing more cooking and baking.
I have bookmarked your webpage and will revisit once my kitchen is ready. Will definitely try this one!
How exciting about your new home!! Can’t wait to see pictures and hear more about it.
These look yummy and cute. Thanks for sharing.