Boozy Sweets From the Big City, Margarita Cupcakes
Pull up a bar stool. Or an office chair. Maybe even a reclining Adirondack chair by the pool. Because no matter where you indulge in these margarita cupcakes, you’ll be transported to a dreamy beach lined with sandy towels and sun-baked flip-flops. Just hope no one steps on a pop-top and has to head on back home.
And by big city, I mean Minneapolis.
If you like margaritas, you’ll enjoy these light little cakes spiked with tequila and a twist of lime. Top them with a generous helping of the tart, salty frosting and it’s like licking the rim of your icy margarita.
The recipe is new to me. A fellow blogger from the Minneapolis area, Michelle Hals, shared it with me at Minnesota Blogger Conference (now Twin Cities Collective). The recipe comes from her parents who got it from her dad’s cousin when he made the treats for a high school reunion.
Thank you for sharing this family recipe with us, Michelle. And for sharing your chocolate cake with fudge frosting recipe too.
I lovingly call Minneapolis the big city because I used to live there and now I live on an acreage in southwest Minnesota.
Sweet wishes,
Margarita Cupcakes with Salty Lime Frosting
Equipment
- muffin pan
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 16.25 oz white cake mix, 9×13 cake mix
- 7½ oz margarita mix, non alcoholic
- 2 oz tequila , or triple sec
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 egg whites
Simple Lime Syrup
- 1 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 cup sugar
Salty Lime Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 5 cups powdered confectioners sugar
- 3 tablespoons lime juice, or 4 if needed for spreading consistency
- ½ teaspoon salt
- a few dashes of green food coloring if desired
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease muffin pan or line with cupcake papers.
- In a medium bowl, add all ingredients and beat on medium-high until fluffy.
- Evenly divide batter into 18 cupcakes.Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack.
Simple Lime Syrup
- Combine the lime juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar completely dissolves. Bring it to a boil and continue to boil for 3-5 minutes until it becomes a golden color. Cool.
- Poke holes in the cupcakes with a toothpick. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the syrup over the tops of the cupcakes. Let soak in for 10 minutes and then frost the cupcakes.
Salty Lime Frosting
- In a medium bowl, cream the butter. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the lime juice and salt, beating until desired spreading consistency. Add small amount of green food coloring if desired.
- Generously spread the frosting on cupcakes.
Nutrition
All text and images © Staci Mergenthal • Random Sweets
Glad you liked the recipe! They look delicious and I love your suggestions for improving the recipe. I’ll have to try those ideas next time I make them.
Thanks again, MIchelle for sharing the recipe with me. They were a fun treat to share with my co-workers. Everyone loved them!
Salty.
Love the simple syrup poke-cake idea! These sound like a really great excuse to go to the liquor store.
Yep, Heather – any reason to go to the liquor store. 🙂 When I go, they ask me what I’m baking because that’s what most of my hard stuff is for.
Mmmmm!! These look absolutely delicious!
Thanks, Jill! Congrats on recently starting your blog.
Thank you. I’m having a great time learning how to blog!