Need a Cinco de Mayo dessert...or just a delicious tequila-infused cupcake?
These Tropical Margarita Cupcakes are filled with real tequila, lemon and lime flavoring, and just a hint of coconut in the cupcake base! I used some rock candy to make a 'pseudo-salt rim' around the cupcake tops, but you could use large-grain sea salt if you'd prefer!
I won't lie, I didn't like the idea of a margarita cupcake when it first crossed my mind. I'd had one too many unpleasant experiences with overly-sour or overly-salty margaritas at the time, and tequila's not exactly my drink of choice. But when I tried my first tropical margarita...SO much better! I loved the extra coconut flavor in the drink, and NOW I had a margarita I wanted to base a cupcake on!
I know coconut's one of those 'love-it-or-hate-it' polarizing flavors - I've just added a bit to the cupcake base so it doesn't take over the flavor profile, but feel free to add a bit to the frosting if you'd like! Enjoy!
FAQS
"Can I leave out the tequila?"
Absolutely! You'll lose that classic 'margarita' flavor a bit. But it's not a bad idea to leave it out if serving to any crowd that might not all be over 21!
Replace the tequila in the cupcakes with an equal amount of margarita mix, the tequila in the frosting with milk, and replace with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon extract for the cupcake filling.
"Your recipe calls for cake mixes...not really my thing. Can you recommend a scratch recipe?"
- Here's my favorite scratch cupcake recipe - modified to contain the same tropical margarita flavors!
- 1/2 cup butter melted and cooled)
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- Melt butter; set aside to cool. Whisk together dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and beat until blended. Stir in dry ingredients until just combined.
- (Follow the rest of the directions as written below!)
Tropical Margarita Cupcakes
Equipment
- 2 Cupcake pans (24 cups total)
- 1 large cookie scoop (optional; to transfer cupcake batter to pans)
- Squeeze bottle (or additional piping bag)
- Small paring knife
- Drink umbrellas (optional; to decorate)
Ingredients
Tropical Margarita Cupcakes
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1/2 cup butter (melted and cooled)
- 1/2 cup tequila
- 1/4 cup margarita mix
- 4 eggs
- 1 Tablespoon lemon extract
- 1 Tablespoon lime extract
- 1 teaspoon Coconut extract
- 3-5 drops green food coloring (optional)
Margarita cupcake filling
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tbsp tequila
Tequila frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese (one package; softened)
- 1 cup butter (two sticks, softened)
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tablespoons tequila (divided; see instructions)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon extract
- 1 Tablespoon lime extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2-4 drops Yellow & green food coloring ( + additional 3-5 yellow food coloring)
Decorations
- ¼ cup Rock candy (optional; for cupcakes 'salt rim')
- 2-3 fresh limes (sliced and cut into quarters)
Instructions
Tropical Margarita Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 325℉. Prepare cupcake pans with liners and set aside.
- Combine melted butter, tequila, margarita mix, eggs, and extracts in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined, and blend in packaged cake mix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for about 2 minutes, until well blended. Divide into cupcake liners, filling them about ⅔ full.
- Bake 15-20 minutes; until centers are set and a toothpick comes out clean. (Mine took 18 minutes.) Cool completely on wire racks. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired. (This is a great time to make your filling / frosting!)
Margarita cupcake filling
- Meanwhile, make your ganache. Place chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. Add whipping cream and microwave in 30-second intervals on 50% power; stirring in between until fully melted and smooth. Stir in tequila. Chill until thick enough to transfer to cupcakes (though it's the easiest to work with if it's not solidified completely).
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, core them - you can use a cupcake corer, the back end of a large piping tip, or....you can do what I do and cut a cone-shaped core out with a plastic knife. Up to you! Fill cupcake cores with ganache filling - this can be done with a piping bag or a spoon.
Tequila frosting
- Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with tequila and lemon/lime extracts until frosting reaches a pipeable consistency. Add salt and beat until well combined.
- Reserve about ½ cup of frosting for cupcake centers, and color the rest a light yellow-green. Add 1 Tablespoon of tequila and a few drops of yellow food color to the ½ cup of reserved frosting.
Decorating
- Pipe a rim of light yellow/green frosting on top of each cupcake, making the frosting a little bit thicker around the edge. Add rock candy 'salt rims' to the edge frosting (if desired; I liked the look but I know not everyone likes rock candy).
- Microwave reserved 1/2 cup reserved frosting a few seconds at a time, until it's just melted but not hot. Transfer to a piping bag or squeeze bottle. Pipe melted frosting into the center of each cupcake.
- Add a lime wedge and drink umbrella to as many of your cupcakes as you'd like - annnd you're done! Cheers - enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Did you make these Tropical Margarita Cupcakes?
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