Name: Margarita Cupcakes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 3 teaspoons baking powder; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature); 2 cups granulated sugar; 4 eggs; 2 limes; zested and juiced; 4 tablespoons tequila; 1 cup buttermilk; 2 cups unsalted butter (at room temperature); 4 3/4 cups powdered sugar; 2 tablespoon lime juice; 3 tablespoons tequila; 1 tablespoon lime zest; 2 limes; sliced

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You’re going to love these Margarita Cupcakes! Because sometimes you can’t drink tequila, but you can certainly eat it. I think cupcakes are the perfect ratio of cake to icing and since I love to sip easy cocktails, this recipe was a must make! Boozy cupcakes are a fun dessert idea for parties and these are easy to make and even easier to eat!

I love quick and easy dessert recipes and this one takes things up a notch by having all the delicious flavors of margaritas.

We just got back from a family vacation to Mexico and I had my fill of margaritas. I mean, I was responsible and all, but there’s nothing I love more than sipping margaritas on a beach in Mexico. While I love the flavor of tequila, I absolutely ADORE the flavor of lime.

So it’s really surprising that it’s taken me this long to make Margarita Cupcakes.

How to Make Margarita Cupcakes

Making Margarita Cupcakes from scratch is actually really easy. I often think I am too lazy to bake from scratch but the flavor is really worth it.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE CUPCAKES

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 limes; zested and juiced
4 tablespoons tequila
1 cup buttermilk

FOR THE FROSTING

2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 3/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoons tequila
1 tablespoon lime zest
2 limes; sliced

How to Get More Lime Flavor

The trouble with getting a vibrant lime flavor is that if you add too much fresh lime juice, it can make the batter or frosting too thin. This is why you need to use lime zest. It’s a great way to get in more of that fresh lime flavor without the consistency becoming a problem.

Another way you can do this is with lime oil or extract. Just make sure it’s food safe. You can’t just use any essential oils in baking. This will help add in tons of lime flavor if you need more.

What Kind of Tequila Should I Use?

Tequila is very versatile and can be used not only for baking but for cooking too. It’s great for marinades and for flavoring sauces. While you might be inclined to reach for a really inexpensive tequila, I would suggest otherwise.

Grab something that you wouldn’t gag on if you sipped it. If you’re looking for tequila flavor to shine through these cupcakes, you want it to be the actual delicious flavor of the tequila, not the burn.

I prefer sipping on a clear tequila like, Casamigos Blanco, but I wouldn’t hesitate to use a Resposado in this cupcake recipe.

You’ll be able to taste the tequila even more in the frosting!

Are These Safe for Kids?

Maybe?? While I always thought that alcohol burns off in the cooking process, leaving only the delicious flavor, this might not actually be true. There have been several studies done that prove that there is still a fair amount of alcohol leftover after the cooking process.

It depends on how long something is cooked, the type of pan and several other factors. So to be safe, I would say keep these away from children. And since the frosting is not cooked at all, I would highly recommend not giving your kid the spatula to lick.

DIRECTIONS:

For Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
Add butter and sugar in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.
Add in eggs, one at a time, until mixed.
Add tequila, lime juice and zest.
This may look like curdled milk but it’s actually fine and will smooth out.
In a bowl whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add one cup of the flour mixture at a time to the wet ingredients in the stand mixer.
Add a small amount of buttermilk in between each cup of the flour mixture.
Spoon the batter into each cupcake liner, filling halfway.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool for an hour or so before icing.

For Frosting:

Place room temp butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Add powdered sugar one cup at a time mixing on low until all sugar is added.
Turn the mixer to medium and add tequila, lime juice, and lime zest.
Mix well until frosting is stiff.

If the frosting is not stiff enough, just add a little bit more powdered sugar. If the frosting is too thin, add more lime juice or a little milk.

I’m not an expert at cupcake decorating so typically I would just use an offset spatula to swipe some on the top. If you want them to look nice and finished like in these images, just fill a piping bag with star tip attachment and pipe the frosting onto the Margarita Cupcakes.

I’ve also used a sandwich bag, with the corner cut off, to pipe cupcakes and it works pretty great!

Place a slice of lime on top of each cupcake. And it looks super festive.

Printable Margarita Cupcakes Recipe