Margarita Cupcakes
Mother’s Day is coming up this weekend and like any other good kids, we want to please our mothers – even our Grandmas – by taking her for lunch or dinner, giving her flowers 🌹🌼, gifts 🎁, or cooking her a nice meal at home. Even if you are away like David and I are and not able to see her in person, doing a little something in her honor is really not too much to ask after all the sacrifices she made for us.
The year before I met my husband, I went to Québec to spend some time with my mother Nicole. That weekend, she decided to make a pitcher of Lime Margaritas, one of her favorite drinks. As she was sipping her cocktail, she said that it would be nice to make or bake something using similar ingredients. After a few of those, we came up with a nice Lime Margarita Chicken, lovely Margarita Pork Kebabs and this one… Margarita Cupcakes! 🧁
Not only are they adorable but so scrumptious! With a beautiful moist, lime cake decorated with a light and fluffy Tequila lime buttercream, these Margarita Cupcakes are a great way to enjoy this popular drink in dessert form. They are great for parties, weddings 👰, picnics, potlucks or when you simply want to enjoy something delicious…
Here are a couple of notes for this recipe…
Prior to the cupcakes coming out of the oven, I quickly make a simple syrup with Tequila and agave nectar. As soon as they’re done, I brush some of it on, allowing the mixture to soak into the cake. This alone adds extra moisture and gives another layer of goodness. You can also skip the liqueur and use agave with a touch of water 💧 instead.
Tequila is also used in the buttercream along with Cointreau. It gives a little more flavor that’s closer to the “real” deal. Now just like any other recipe using liqueur or wine 🍷, use a brand you enjoy. If on your last trip to Mexico, you bought a bottle of Tequila you dislike, don’t expect to enjoy your cupcakes when using it. For an alcohol free version, replace Tequila with half-and-half or 35% heavy cream. When it comes to Cointreau, simply use freshly squeezed orange juice.
When I make my buttercream, I use a paddle attachment instead of the whisk because it’s a bummer 🙄 to try dislodging the butter 🧈. As long as you clean the sides of the bowl, the results will be lovely. My husband David is the piper in our family and the tip he’s using is a 1M but 2D or 1B are great alternatives.
What’s nice about this recipe is that they can be made a day ahead including the frosting. If and only “if”, there are leftover Margarita Cupcakes, they can be placed in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months and when ready to be enjoyed, thaw them out in the refrigerator overnight.
Treat your mother and yourself to these easy to make and incredible Margarita Cupcakes 🧁! Packed with fresh lime flavor along with a hint of Tequila-Cointreau, this is a delicious sweet treat to enjoy this coming weekend or for other celebrations like Cinco de Mayo… In case she’s not a big Tequila fan, you could make her some Dulce de Leche Cupcakes, Maple Bacon Cupcakes, or Classic Vanilla Cupcakes as options.
Bon Appétit! 🍽
Here are more scrumptious sweet treat recipes for you to try…😀
– Chocolate Mint Nanaimo Bars
– Cranberry Cream Cheese Crisp
– Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
– Date Squares
– Chocolate Chip Cookies
– Sucre à la Crème – Butter & Cream Fudge
– Lemon Rosemary Madeleines
and for even more dessert recipes 🍰🍩, click on this link… Recipe Category • Dessert
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel 📽 by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube
Margarita Cupcakes
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Ingredients
DOUGH
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. ground Himalayan sea salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature tips & tricks
- 2 tbsp. lime zest
- 2 large free-range eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice tips & tricks
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp. Tequila
- 1 tbsp. agave nectar
TEQUILA LIME BUTTERCREAM
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted or more to taste tips & tricks
- 3 tbsp. Tequila
- 1 tbsp. Cointreau
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp. pure lime extract
- 1/8 tsp. ground Himalayan sea salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tbsp. green sanding sugar, or as needed
Directions
DOUGH
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add sugar, butter and lime zest. Cream the ingredients for 3 minutes on medium speed using the paddle attachment.
- Add one egg at a time, mixing well between each addition.
- Add ½ dry ingredients, ½ milk and ½ lime juice; process on low speed before increasing to medium speed. Repeat with the remaining flour, milk and lime juice, cleaning the sides of the bowl.
- Add vanilla extract and process until just blended.
- Fill the prepared liners to 2/3rds full and gently tap the pan to dislodge any trapped air bubbles.
- Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 22 to 24 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few crumbs.
- While baking, combine Tequila and agave nectar; stir well and set aside
- When done, remove the cupcakes from the heat and brush on with tequila-agave simple syrup. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
TEQUILA LIME BUTTERCREAM
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter on medium-high speed for 2 minutes using the paddle attachment.
- Add confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low speed at first and increase to high before adding the next cup.
- Add Tequila, Cointreau, vanilla extract, lime extract, and salt. Process the mixture on low speed, until nicely combined; taste and adjust if necessary.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes using a 1M tip, 1B or 2D and garnish with lime slices, lime zest or sanding sugar.
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