For many years, I thought that I didn’t like margaritas. I realize how wild this sounds. I attribute it to bad Mexican restaurant chains, cheap tequila, and the tooth-rotting sugary bottles of atomic green mixers used by said establishments. My aversion also may have stemmed from that trip to Mazatlán during my freshman year of high school, who knows. Once I had a real margarita made with actual limes and tequila that didn’t come from a plastic jug, I was in love. There really is nothing like an icy cool margie on a warm summer night. But a Margarita Cupcake is pretty dang great too!
Cinco de Mayo is one of my favorite holidays that we celebrate here in the states. It serves as a kickoff to the summer drinking season and arrives just when North America needs to let loose and have cinco too many. The next best thing to an actual margarita is a tequila laced Margarita Cupcake. These cutie cupcakes hit on all of the right flavor spots; sweet, sour, salty and saucy.
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Recipe
MARGARITA CUPCAKES
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Description
These Margarita Cupcakes are infused with lime and tequila, then frosted with a boozy tequila lime buttercream frosting and garnished with lime moons and a crunchy sprinkle of coarse salt.
Ingredients
MARGARITA CUPCAKES
- 1 ½ cups cake or pastry flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (1 stick)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 whole eggs, at room temperature
- 2 whole limes (juice and zest)
- 2 tablespoons tequila blanco (+ 1 additional TB for brushing)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
TEQUILA LIME BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (2 sticks)
- 2 ¾ cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 whole lime juice and zest
- 2 tablespoons tequila blanco
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt for sprinkling
Instructions
TEQUILA LIME BUTTERCREAM
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- In an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar together until pale, light, and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
- Reduce speed to medium and add the eggs one at at time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the lime zest, lime juice, vanilla extract and tequila. Mix until combined. (The mixture may start to look curdled at this point, but don't worry, it will all come back together, stay on the path.)
- Reduce the mixer speed low. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches. Mix only until just incorporated, using a rubber spatula to give it one last mix by hand.
- Using a large cookie scoop, divide the batter between the muffin cups.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, until just slightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating the pan(s) halfway through bake time.
- Allow cupcakes to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack. Once the cakes are cool, brush the tops of the cupcakes with the 1 to 2 tablespoons of tequila mixed with a little lime juice.
- With the whisk attachment on a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Reduce the speed to medium-low, and gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing and scraping the sides of the bowl until all is incorporated.
- With the mixer on medium-high speed, add the lime juice, tequila and salt mix for a couple of minutes, until incorporated and fluffy.
- If the frosting appears a bit too soft, add some additional sugar, one spoonful at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Frost cupcakes with desired frosting tip. Garnish with a lime half moons, lime zest, an additional sprinkling of coarse salt.
Notes
This amazing recipe was adapted from the original recipe for Margarita Cupcakes by the super talented browneyedbaker.com
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
Meg says
Did you use BrownEyedBaker's recipe? The wording is almost verbatim. Make sure you give credit where it's due!
beckysue says
Hi Meg. It is Brown Eyed Baker's amazing recipe! I indeed credited the original recipe and link to it, you can find it right in the recipe section above the ingredients list. I will add another link and reference it in the content as well, in case others miss the link as well.
Anonymous says
Whoops! Must've missed it! Glad to see I was the mistaken one. 🙂
ondrea says
I made these for a Cinco de Mayo party we had at work and they were a big hit! I do recommend using cake flour instead of all purpose, as it keeps them light and fluffy. Thank you for the great recipie 🙂
beckysue says
Yay Ondrea, happy to hear they were a hit at the office! Thanks for the tip, that is a great suggestion..I will definitely use cake flour next time. Feliz Cinco de Mayo!
Dali says
These cupcakes look very yummy , but just wondering
What exactly is 1.5 of flour? Is it 11/2 cup . Just want to be sure. Thanks
beckysue says
Yes, 1.5 cups is the same as 1 1/2 cups of flour. Sorry for the confusion.
Ronda says
I just tried these cupcakes,however I don't drink so I had my friend try it,he loved it.I'm making a bath to sell so I just doubled everything to get my 2 dozen & a half.They came out real good,I'm really proud of myself <3 <3 <3
beckysue says
Hi Ronda! So glad you enjoyed making them, it's a fun recipe to make. 😀
mich says
Can you use the same recipe but to make a cake instead of cupcakes?
Becky Sue says
I have never tried that but I am sure it would translate well. You may need to double to recipe to make a 2 layer cake, though. Let me know if you try it, I'd love to know how it turns out.
Titi Nina says
These are absolutely delicious. I opted for Key Lime Vodka as opposed to Tequila. I omitted the alcohol from the cake, added a lil extra to the frosting and inserted a little vodka pipette (to be squeezed in later). Called it a Key Lime-Tini cupcake. It's a favorite among my friends. Thanks!!
Becky Sue says
All of that sounds phenomenal! I love the idea of using it for macaon filling as well, let me know how that turns out! Yummm.
Jacob says
I need to try to make these ASAP.
Megameg says
Made these fabulous cupcakes for Cinco party last night- awesome! Great moist cupcake too
Becky Sue says
That's so great to hear! I'm so glad you liked them. Happy Cinco de Mayo to you and yours.
Terrie Gal says
I love this recipe. Great post 🙂
beckysue says
Thanks Terrie! 🙂
Tiffany K says
I made these tonight to try them out before I make them for a large taco and tequila party. They are amazing! My boyfriend and I both are very excited to make them for our guests. The sea salt is a must for the outside garnish. It gives it the salt and sweet flavor.
beckysue says
Hi Tiffany! So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Your friends at the taco/tequila party are going to love you! A taco/tequila party is my kind of party...I might have to throw one soon. Enjoy. 😀
Jessica says
I'm making these for a birthday and they prefer sugar on the rim of their margaritas to salt...would it work well if I garnished with sugar and omitted salt? Any other suggestions?
beckysue says
Absolutely! You could even add some fine lime zest to the sugar. I'd use a coarse sugar rather than a granulated sugar. Have fun and let me know how they turn out!
Sue W says
Thanks so much for these incredible cupcakes......I won the "Cupcake Wars" for Respiratory Therapy Week at the hospital I work at.........Everyone loved them....
beckysue says
Hooray! That's awesome, congrats! Keep baking the goods. 😀
Kristen says
have you ever tried this recipe as a cake?
beckysue says
I haven't but I am sure it would be great as a cake as well. Let me know if you try it!