Description
A delicious recipe you can’t resist – made with or without tequila! You will love this Margarita Cupcakes recipe!
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 limes, zested and juiced
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
Margarita Swiss Meringue Buttercream Ingredients:
- 2 cups sugar
- 8 egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature
- 2 1/2 Tbsp. lime juice
- 1–2 Tbsp. tequila
Instructions
To Make Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 325? F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir with a fork to blend. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Blend in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the lime zest, lime juice and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat each addition just until incorporated.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full. Bake 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, brush the cooled cakes with tequila to emphasize the true margarita flavor.
- To Make Frosting:
- Combine the sugar, egg whites, and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved.
- Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.
- Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated. If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (don’t worry, it will come together, though it may take a long time!) Stir in the lime juice and tequila and mix until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes with the buttercream. Garnish with lime zest and lime slices as desired.
Notes
These would also be yummy with some coconut mixed in! Feel free to add a few tablespoons of toasted coconut into the cupcakes, or use it to garnish the frosting.
Adapted from Annie’s Eats, originally from Martha Stewart
Happy Birthday, Ali!! I hope you had a great day. The cupcakes look DELISH!
These look AMAZING! The glory of a margarita without the hangover!
Yum! What a great idea for a cupcake, too. I just might have to try these for myself!
oh wow- just came to you via Mo Pie and I am telling you- these are the best thing I have seen all week- I am so inspired to make them- lovely to find your blog.
That is a gorgeous photo. I’m sure they taste gorgeous, too!
Oh my, margaritas are my favourite drinks, so I know I’d love this! It looks delicious!
Brilliant! I love themed baked goods. Gorgeous cupcakes and great styling in the margarita glass. Happy cinco de mayo!
Yum… I like your logic! These cupcakes look delish! :)
Que rico!!I made these yesterday for my annual Cinco de Mayo party. It was the first time I had ever made anything from scratch! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! Deff a challenge but it was fun ;) They came out perfect! My friends were super impressed. The only question I had was how much salt were you supposed to use in the butter-cream meringue? I would also like to share a tip on the frosting: use room temp eggs (let them sit out for an hour or put them in a bowl of WARM water) or you will be mixing for days! I also made some non-alcoholic cupcakes for the kids and used margarita mix in place of the tequila. Next year when I make them, I will probably use less butter and invest in a quality zester!!! Thank you for this wonderful recipe, I can see this being a family tradition for years to come.
The ingredients for the frosting do not list salt but the directions say to “Combine the sugar, egg whites, and salt in a heatproof bowl”. Can you please confirm if salt is a required ingredient and how much?
Thank you!
Hi I am a student and I was wondering if you can give me permission to let me use your picture for this assignment of mine. If so please reply back!
Thanks a bunch!