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Boozy Margarita Cupcakes Recipe

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You’re going to love this boozy Margarita Cupcakes recipe! Because sometimes you can’t drink tequila, but you can certainly eat it. This easy recipe uses a simple vanilla cupcake recipe and infuses it with lime flavor. Spiked with tequila, the cupcakes are fluffy and moist. 

Alcohol infused cupcakes are a fun dessert idea for parties and these boozy cupcakes have the flavor of a margarita. 

Margarita Cupcakes with tequila-infused buttercream on a wooden table.
Let’s make this boozy Margarita Cupcakes recipe.

Margarita Cupcakes are boozy and delicious

Margarita Cupcakes combine a few of the things I love, tequila and lime.

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.

Related: Sangria Cupcakes

I think cupcakes are the perfect ratio of cake to icing and since I love to sip easy cocktails, this boozy tequila cupcake recipe was a must-make!

These tequila-infused cupcakes are great to serve at any party!

Ingredients

A light photo of some cupcake ingredients in the background with written lists of ingredients needed to make margarita cupcakes and the frosting to go with them.
What you need to make margarita cupcakes.

Making Margarita Cupcakes from scratch is actually really easy. I often think I am too lazy to bake from scratch (I mostly make cake mix desserts) but the flavor is really worth it. 

Scroll to the end of the post for a printable recipe card with measurements and instructions. 

For the cupcakes

  • flour
  • baking powder
  • salt
  • butter
  • sugar
  • eggs
  • 2 limes
  • tequila
  • buttermilk

For the frosting

  • butter
  • powdered sugar
  • lime juice
  • tequila
  • lime zest
  • limes

These are pretty basic cupcake ingredients. But where the flavor comes through is in the tequila and lime juice. Use your favorite tequila no need to buy a special bottle

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

How to make Margarita Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.

Tequila infused buttercream frosting being made in the bowl of a stand mixer.

Make the cupcakes

Step 1

Add butter and sugar in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and beat for 2 minutes.

Step 2

Add in eggs, one at a time, until mixed.

Step 3

Add tequila, lime juice and zest.

Step 4

In a bowl whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 5

Add one cup of the flour mixture at a time to the wet ingredients in the stand mixer.

Step 6

Add a small amount of buttermilk in between each cup of the flour mixture.

A cupcake pan with batter for Margarita Cupcakes in a cupcakes liners.

Step 7

Spoon the batter into each cupcake liner, filling halfway.

Step 8

Bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool for an hour or so before icing. 

Make the frosting

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

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

margarita cupcakes, frosted with Tequila lime buttercream in polka dot cupcakes liners sitting on a table.

If you’re a margarita fan, you’ll love these cocktail-inspired margarita cupcakes. With fluffy cake and a tequila-infused frosting, these will remind you of that beach vacation with every bite. 

You may not have added tequila to cupcakes before but you’ll really love how they turn out. These make a fun edible gift idea for any adult celebrating a birthday and, of course, for any Mexican fiesta your host. 

Tips

The tequila and lime may make the batter look like curdled milk but it’s actually fine and will smooth out.

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.

But if your find one that is food safe, it will help add in tons of lime flavor without too much liquid. 

You’ll LOVE these easy Margarita Cupcakes! You may have to adjust the tequila and lime to get the flavor to your preferences but once you do, you’ll want to make these for all your parties! 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are cupcakes with tequila 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. 

The science really 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. In my opinion, if they got ahold of one, it wouldn’t be the end of the world, but because I can’t definitively answer that for you, I would keep them some without tequila. 

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 (which is aged and a slightly oaky flavor) in this cupcake recipe. 

More Cupcake recipes

More Boozy Desserts to Make

Close up of a frosted margarita cupcakes infused with tequila and topped with a lime wedge.

Easy Margarita Cupcakes

These easy Margarita Cupcakes are fluffy and moist with tons of lime flavor. Spiked with tequila, these boozy cupcakes taste just like your favorite summer cocktail but are perfect for your dessert table.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Calories: 437kcal

Ingredients

FOR THE CUPCAKES

FOR THE FROSTING

Instructions

For Cupcakes:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
  • Add butter and sugar to stand mixer with a paddle attachment and beat for 2 minutes until fluffy (medium speed).
  • Add one egg at a time until mixed. 
  • Add in tequila and lime juice and zest (this may look like curdled milk it’s fine and will smooth out).
  • In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. 
  • Add one cup at a time of the flour mixture to the mixing bowl of wet ingredients. 
  • Add a little buttermilk in between each cup of the flour mixture.
  • Spoon the batter into each cupcake liner filling half way. 
  • Bake for 25 about minutes. 
  • Remove from oven and let cool for an hour or so before icing.

For Frosting:

  • Place room temperature butter into the mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. 
  • To the mixing bowl, add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, on low speed until all sugar is added. 
  • Turn the mixer up to medium speed and add in tequila, lime juice, and lime zest. 
  • Mix well until the frosting is stiff (if too thin, add more powdered sugar – if too thick, add more lime juice)
  • Put frosting in an icing bag with piping tip or sandwich bag with the corner cut to pipe the cupcakes or use an offset spatula. 
  • Place a slice of lime on top to garnish.

Notes

The tequila and lime may make the batter look curdled but it is fine, it will smooth out. 
You can use blanco or reposado tequila in this recipe. Or leave it out if you don’t want them boozy. Just replace the amount of tequila with water or another liquid. 
 

Nutrition

Serving: 24cupcakes | Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 119mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g
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2 Comments

  1. If I were to use a box cake mix and frosting. What would recommend?
    For tequila margarita cupcakes

    1. For the cupcakes, I would use a white cake mix and follow the directions on the back of the box. But I would replace some of the water (which is probably around 1 1/4 cups total) with tequila and lime juice and some water. The recipe calls for the juice and zest from 2 limes so I would keep that. I would use about 1/4 – 1/2 cups of tequila and the rest water. I haven’t made them this way so I’m not sure exactly how much tequila flavor will come through. But in most of my other boozy cupcakes I use 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup of alcohol. I wouldn’t recommend trying to add flavoring to store-bought frosting. I haven’t worked with those so I’m not sure it would turn out. Good luck! If you make them, let me know how they turn out!

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