Boozy Margarita Cupcakes
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Boozy Margarita Cupcakes are loaded with lime and tequila, the moist and tender cake will draw you in with incredible ribbons of lime zest through out. The icing on the cupcake? A true Margarita frosting!
A frosting spiked with Cuervo Gold tequila and triple sec is brightened with fresh lime juice to make this the most amazing Boozy Margarita Cupcake you will ever sink your teeth into!
Looking for a boozy chocolate dessert, try my these simple brownies.
How to Make Boozy Margarita Cupcakes
TSRI Tip: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own to substitute. To make 1 cup of buttermilk substitute: simply add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup. Fill to the 1 cup line with milk. Allow to set for 5 minutes at room temperature and use as needed.
Helpful Tips:
- If frosting is too thin, add powdered sugar to thicken it, about 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- If frosting is too thick, add cold water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Enjoy!
With love from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Boozy Margarita Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Cupcakes
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 limes – zested and juiced, 2 tablespoon zest, 1/2 cup juice
- 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 sticks, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup Cuervo Gold Tequila
- 1 cup buttermilk, or make your own
Boozy Margarita Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/4 cup Cuervo Gold Tequila
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons triple sec
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For The Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In the bowl that you will prepare cupcake batter, add lime zest and sugar and mash together with a fork (or your fingers), until your sugar is coated in lime oils. Attach bowl to stand mixer and use paddle attachment (or prepare electric mixer). Add butter and whip until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix until combined. Add lime juice and tequila. Your mixture may start to look funny here, just continue on with the next step. It will work itself out.
- With mixer on low add dry and wet ingredients; add 1/3 dry ingredients to bowl, allow that to combine. Then add 1/2 of buttermilk wait for that to combine. Add another 1/3 of dry ingredients and mix. Add other 1/2 of buttermilk and mix. Then finally add remaining dry ingredients. Mix until combined. Stop to scrape down the bowl as often as needed. Do not over mix.
- Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with few moist crumbs.
- Cool on a wire rack. Frost cupcakes with Boozy Margarita Frosting when completely cool.
Boozy Margarita Frosting
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter and shortening on medium speed until completely smooth (about 1 minute). Add 3 cups of powdered sugar about 1 cup at a time, beat until well combined after each addition. Add tequila, lime juice, triple sec and salt, beat to combine. Add remaining powdered sugar one cup at a time. Beat completed mixture for another minute or so until the batter is smooth and fluffy.
- If frosting is too thin, add powdered sugar to thicken it, about 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- If frosting is too thick, add cold water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published 7/24/12
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Not a fan of "shortening"… I'm guessing doing 1C of butter would work fine…?
Sounds great.
I'd like to know also! I don't use shortening!
I only use butter in my buttercream. The shortening gives the buttercream an oily after taste/texture I don't care for. However, an all butter buttercream will "melt" easily in warm weather. Just keep them cool and away from sunlight.
Can I use a cake mix instead of buying cake flour? These look so pretty!!
I haven't made them, but being a baker all my life and reading this recipe…. don't dare use a mix! LOL!! Just take the extra 10 minutes to line up the ingredients. It looks like a very unique, "adult" cupcake. Can't wait to make them!
What an easy cupcake and all the adults enjoyed them!
can you use a different liquor other than tequila
I’m wondering if anyone has made these with gluten free flour. I have a friend who must be gf and she is attending a birthday luncheon for which I am baking. Was going to do a different dessert, but remembered she was gf, so I need to change up my baking plan. Thanks for advice.