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!

boozy margarita cupcakes on serving dish

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 with lime wedges

Check out more of our favorite fabulous cupcake recipes: 

Black and White Cupcakes 

Caramel Apple Spice Cupcakes

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes


margarita cupcake with icing

Boozy Margarita Cupcakes

Donna Elick
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!
5 stars from 1 review
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Prep Time 7 mins
Cook Time 22 mins
Total Time 29 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Method Oven
Servings 24

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

Serving: 1 | Calories: 393cal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 198mg | Sugar: 42g | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg

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.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Originally published 7/24/12


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43 Comments

  1. Not a fan of "shortening"… I'm guessing doing 1C of butter would work fine…?
    Sounds great.

    1. 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.

  2. 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!

  3. 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.

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