Margarita Cupcakes
Lime cupcakes soaked in tequila and topped with a boozy margarita buttercream — a Cinco de Mayo favorite that tastes exactly like the cocktail.
- Prep Time
- 20 min
- Cook Time
- 24 min
- Total Time
- 44 min
- Servings
- 24 cupcakes
Cinco de Mayo means one thing: tequila. Whenever I hear that word I think of Pee Wee Herman dancing on the bar in those big white shoes — an unsolved mystery how that scene ends with the bikers loving him, but here we are.
I had some cheap tequila sitting in my liquor cabinet, but decided to hunt down something better for these. The girl at the liquor store steered me toward Patron Silver and swore by how smooth it was, and she was right — there's a reason the good stuff costs more, and it matters in baking. I only meant to eat half a cupcake to "test" it. I ate the whole thing. For research purposes.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1 small box lime Jello
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup oil
- 1/2 cup tequila
- 8 oz. sour cream
- 1 tsp. salt
For the Icing
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- 2 lbs. powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup tequila
- 1/4 cup non-alcoholic margarita mix
Instructions
- 1Combine all cupcake ingredients in a mixing bowl or standing mixer and mix at medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
- 2Use a cookie scoop to distribute the batter into a lined cupcake pan, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 23-24 minutes.
- 3Cool completely on cooling racks, then brush the tops with a little extra tequila and let the alcohol dry before icing.
- 4For the icing, beat the butter and shortening at medium speed for 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining icing ingredients and continue mixing for another 3-4 minutes.
- 5Spoon the icing into a pastry bag fitted with a decorating tip and pipe onto the cupcakes. Garnish with green sprinkles and colorful straws.
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