Easy Margarita Cupcakes + Margarita Buttercream Frosting
“Fluffy, homemade Margarita flavored cupcakes with tequila and cointreau! Topped with margarita buttercream frosting! Perfect for summer parties!”
Watch me make these margarita cupcakes with margarita frosting from start to finish!
Margarita cupcakes…ahhh… just the name makes me smile. Actually margarita anything makes me smile! Margarita watermelon anyone? Or perhaps this blackberry margarita is more your thing, no? OK try this strawberry margarita punch! Look, call me a lush if you must, but margaritas are everything I tell ya! It’s pretty much the only cocktail I order when I go out.
With all the different flavor varieties who doesn’t love margaritas???? No seriously show them to me. Ga’head, point them out. Give me 5 minutes and some ice, tequila, cointreau, salt, sugar and fresh lime and I betcha I can change their minds! Boom! *Snappin in a Z formation*
Today we’re making margarita cupcakes because Cinco Demayo is right around the corner and you lushies smart, beautiful people in blog land has been requesting these things! I am here to deliver the goods! I like to make you guys happy so..yeah, I HAD to make them…for you. Because it’s all about YOU not me. : )
These margarita cupcakes are not for the kiddos people so don’t let them see you making them. My boys were devastated they couldn’t have any. They are use to me saying “no this mama’s special punch baby. Let me get you some juice ok punkin” but they were not understanding how I could have “mama’s special cupcakes” as well.
All was well when I promised them we’d do an ice cream bar and make rainbow cupcakes over the weekend.
These margarita cupcakes are so good y’all!!!! If you don’t like classic margaritas then you probably won’t like these. They are full of lime & tequila flavor! The texture is so light and fluffy thanks to the addition of heavy cream! Sorry buttermilk. I still love ya but sometimes heavy whipping cream is in order.
To top these boozy cupcakes I decided to go with an amazing sweet and tart margarita flavored buttercream frosting! Which is also full of tequila, lime, and cointreu! Did I mention we also brush these with a simple syrup. Yeeeep you guessed it, it’s also full of tequila, lime juice and cointreau!
Just layers and layers of margarita flavor all up and through!! These cupcakes are perfect for adult parties and cookouts! I made them for my last girls night in and everybody loved them!
Note: The frosting tastes better the next day when it’s had a chance to mellow out a bit. It’s pretty bold and strong right when you make it. I usually make it the day or a few hours before I need it. Store it in the fridge until you’re ready to frost the cupcakes.
Get the Recipe: Margarita Cupcakes
Ingredients
CUPCAKES
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tablespoon lime zest, can use more if you like
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons tequila
- 2 tablespoon cointreau, orange liqueur
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
MARGARITA GLAZE
- 1 tablespoon tequila
- 1/2 tablespoon cointreau
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
MARGARITA FROSTING
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 tablespoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon tequila
- 1/2 teaspoon cointreau
- Pinch of salt
- GARNISH: Sliced limes, lime zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F.
- Place cupcake liners into pan and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl stir together oil and sugar.
- Mix in eggs, lime zest, lime juice, lemon extract, vanilla extract, tequila, and cointreau.
- Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.
- Mix in heavy whipping cream.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pan.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes (check on it at the 18 minute mark)
- Mix together margarita glaze ingredients.
- Brush the tops of the cupcakes with the glaze and let cool slightly before removing the cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, cream together butter and powdered sugar.
- Add lime zest, tequila and cointraeu.
- Mix until fluffy. (add more powdered sugar if needed)
- Add a pinch of salt.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes and garnish with sliced limes and set if desired.
Video
Notes
I made these cupcakes for a couples game night, and they were a hit just the right balance of lime and tequila flavor!
Could this be made into a 9inch cake? Or should I use a yellow cake recipe?
I love the flavor of these! I followed the recipe to the TEE but unfortunately I haven’t been able to get them to bake right. I preheat the oven on 325 and cook them for 20-22 minutes and they still aren’t all the way cooked at the top. So I keep them in there for another 5 minutes and they’re dry. Not sure what’s going on but I’ve gone through
3 batches 🙁 Should I bake them at 350? Because I noticed some of your other cupcake recipes are cooked at 350.
Good Morning!Can I make this as a cake? If not, what modifications should I make ? Thank you
OMG! I just made these and they are perfectly moist and delicious. The frosting is just as great. Don’t change anything on the recipe except for extra lime zest if you prefer a more lime flavor to pop. But this made me 14 standard cupcakes. 325 top rack at 20mins exactly.
Hi, can I exclude the alcohol in this recipe? I am just after a zesty lime flavoured cupcakes.