Margarita cupcakes pair a perfectly sweet vanilla-lime cupcake with the boozy goodness of tequila. They're a hit at any summer party!
It's always 5 o'clock somewhere, right? When I spotted these margarita cupcakes over at Annie's Eats, I knew I had to make them (the tequila isn't even cooked down!). However, making these turned into a much longer process than required, because in the middle of beating the egg whites, my neighbor spotted my 70 pound dog with a baby bird in his mouth. Not cool.
I am not one to watch any animal suffer needlessly, but the baby bird seemed to be relatively intact. It was slow to move, and covered in drool, but nothing was bleeding. I spent the next 3 hours debating what to do, as the momma bird watched us from a few feet away.
Finally the little bird seemed to come out of shock and went about it's business. I really hope it ended well for the little bird. I was depressed for hours. If a hungry cat had gotten it, I would have been upset, but ok. I would understand if other natural events had occurred, but my dog was simply playing with it. Not cool.
My dark sense of humor couldn't help itself when it came to naming the margarita cupcakes, though...
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Margarita Cupcakes
Discovered on Annie's Eats adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride, who adapted it from Martha Stewart
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 limes, zested and juiced
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the frosting:
- 2 cups sugar
- 8 large egg whites
- Pinch fleur de sel (coarse salt)
- 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2½ tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2-4 tbsp. tequila
Preparation:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 325Ëš F. Â Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Â In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir with a fork to blend. Â 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. Â Blend in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Â Beat in the lime zest, lime juice and vanilla. Â 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. Â 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 the 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. Â 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, 2 tablespoons 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 margarita cupcakes with the buttercream. Â Garnish with lime zest and lime slices as desired.
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PS. if your family is having a huge 4th of July get together, these margarita cupcakes would be perfect. It may quiet the kids a bit and lower stress levels. 😉
Oh, I'm glad the baby bird was OK! These cupcakes are grand....
oooo love the look and sound of these. cake and tequila whats not to like.
You so read my mind!!! I am making something similar for a get together next weekend. Love it!
I'm not used to laughing so hard I snort this early in the morning - between your new name for them and the remark about quieting the kids...man! They look fabulous, too!
I am thinking that these NEED to be added to the dessert list for the weekend. Yum!
mmm! One of my co-workers recently brought in Margarita cupcakes and I have been thinking about them ever since. Your recipe is great, I might have to try it! Beautiful photos too.
These look so tasty! Bookmarking! Cheers!
LOVE the name! They sound delicious! I could go for one right now, I am tired of packing, and could use a break!
LOL!! Perfect! Just the perfect title! And, man, I wish I could pipe like that ... they look amazing!
I've made a piña colada one, a delight, yours must be delicious!!
WOW ... I'd eat that frosting by the spoonful!!
I can see why you rushed to make these cupcakes! I would have been flipping out in that situation- Glad the bird ended up ok!
Amazing cupcakes, congratulations. I'm just wondering where did you find the cupcake liners...!!!
I believe the pink ones came from the market and the green ones were from bakeitpretty.com
Are these the cupcakes that I missed out on?!!!! Dang it!
These look delish! Love the lime zest on the top and your cute cupcake wrappers!
Perfection in a cupcake, you just can't go wrong with tequila! My fam would love these!
These are absolutely gorgeous cupcakes!!!!! I've never made frosting this way but it looks so fab and luscious that I want to try my hand at making it now 🙂
My friend made something similar to this the other day, but she cut holes in the top of the cup cakes and dropped in tiny jelly shots under the frosting!
Ok, thats freakin awesome!
It is definitely 5 o'clock somewhere but even if it wasn't I would still be eating these cupcakes.
So glad to hear the baby birdie was okay!!! And I could totally go for one of these cupcakes and perhaps a margarita in liquid form right about now.
Mmmmm tequila....a cupcake that is perfect to bring the work week to a close. Beautiful.
I love these boozie. What a great Cinqo de Mayo idea I have to keep this in my file. @ The Minister the idea of jello shots in a cupcake wow the possibilities are endless. Lock up the kiddies, the adults are having a party
Oh; poor birdie!!! I'd have done the same thing and felt the same way.
On the cupcakes, let's just say this.... *DROOLS* 😀
Oooo these sound so good!
I drooled significantly when i first saw this recipe on Annies eats, and am craving them even more so now! Your photos are absolutely delicious, i cant begin to imagine what these taste like but i sure would like to find out!! Such a brilliant combo of flavours, and I love your ingenious title - so imaginative! 🙂
Oh, my, these look incredible! Your photos are stunning...mmmmmm. And fingers crossed the baby got back with his mama~
Wow I could use these right now... along with a LARGE marg....
these grown-up cupcakes look great. I have never tried frosting this way but sounds delicious.
Happy 4th of July Kita and thanks for sharing 🙂
Fabulous! There's a little bakery here in Chicago that makes margarita cupcakes and they're really good. I'll have to give yours a whirl now that I have a recipe to work with!