I just put together a Margarita Cake with tequila lime buttercream that makes every slice feel like an over-the-top party and you will not want to miss the details.
I’m obsessed with this Margarita Cake, no shame. I crave that bright lime zing and the way the Cake Frosting hits with tequila on the breath.
I love the crumb that actually feels like real cake, buttery and a little tender, and the tang from lime zest that snaps you awake. It feels like a party in cake form.
I want a slice with flaky salt and extra frosting. But mostly I want the whole thing to myself.
Messy, loud, and totally worth it. Bring me cake.
Now. I’ll take coffee with it, in case you’re wondering.
Right now please.
Ingredients
- Flour: the cake’s backbone, gives structure and tender crumb.
- Baking powder: lift and lightness, makes it pleasantly fluffy.
- Salt: wakes up the flavors, keeps sweetness in check.
- Sugar: sweetness and moistness, helps with that fine crumb.
- Butter (cake): rich fat, gives softness and that buttery mouthfeel.
- Eggs: bind everything, add richness and a bit of lift.
- Vanilla: warm background note, makes things taste homey.
- Plus lime zest: bright, aromatic zing that smells amazing.
- Lime juice: tartness that cuts richness and makes it lively.
- Tequila: boozy spark, adds adult warmth and subtle bite.
- Sour cream: keeps cake moist, gives gentle tang and silkiness.
- Milk: thins batter slightly, helps with smooth texture.
- Green food coloring: optional fun, mostly visual pop.
- Butter (frosting): creamy base, makes frosting luscious and spreadable.
- Powdered sugar: sweetness and structure for stable, scoopable frosting.
- Garnish: salt flakes and lime look pretty and add crunch.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 3 limes (about 1 1/2 tablespoons packed)
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup silver tequila, divided (see notes)
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
- Optional: green food coloring, a few drops
- For the tequila lime buttercream
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 to 2 tablespoons tequila, more or less to taste
- Zest of 1 lime
- 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk to thin the frosting if needed
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- Garnish: coarse sea salt or Maldon flakes and lime slices or wedges
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round pans, line bottoms with parchment for easy removal; set aside.
2. Whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl beat 1 cup softened butter with 1 3/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes; scrape down sides. Add 4 eggs one at a time, beating just until combined, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and the zest of 3 limes.
4. In a measuring cup combine 1/2 cup fresh lime juice, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup whole milk and 1/3 to 1/2 cup silver tequila (use 1/3 cup if you want it milder). If you want a pale green cake add a few drops of green food coloring now.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the lime-tequila mixture, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix just until combined; do not overmix.
6. Divide batter between prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs and cakes spring back when lightly pressed. Let cool in pans 10 minutes then turn out to a rack to cool completely.
7. While cakes cool make the tequila lime buttercream: beat 1 cup softened butter until creamy, then gradually add 4 cups sifted powdered sugar. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 to 2 tablespoons tequila to taste, zest of 1 lime and 1/4 teaspoon salt. If frosting is too stiff add 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk until spreadable.
8. Taste and adjust: add more tequila or lime juice if you want a stronger margarita punch, but go slow so frosting doesn’t get runny.
9. If layers are uneven level the tops, place one layer on a cake plate, spread a good layer of frosting, top with second layer and crumb coat. Chill 15 minutes, then finish frosting smoothly. Use leftover frosting to pipe if desired.
10. Garnish with coarse sea salt or Maldon flakes around the edge, and lime slices or wedges. Store cake chilled if not serving right away and let sit 20 minutes at room temp before serving so flavors come through.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven (set to 350 F)
2. Two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans, plus parchment rounds for the bottoms
3. Electric mixer (stand or hand) and a few large mixing bowls
4. Measuring cups and spoons, plus a kitchen scale if you like precision
5. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon or silicone scraper for folding
6. Whisk for the dry ingredients and citrus juice mixing
7. Cooling rack to let the cakes cool completely
8. Offset spatula or butter knife for frosting, and a bench scraper if you want smooth sides
9. Toothpicks for doneness testing, plus a cake plate for assembling and serving
FAQ
Margarita Cake With Tequila Lime Buttercream Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All purpose flour: swap for cake flour (use 2 cups plus 2 Tbsp cake flour for every 2 1/2 cups APF) for a lighter crumb, or use whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for a nuttier, denser cake.
- Tequila: if you want less alcohol use 1/3 to 1/2 cup orange liqueur like triple sec or Cointreau, or substitute equal parts fresh lime juice plus 2 to 3 Tbsp water for a booze free brightness.
- Sour cream: plain Greek yogurt is the easiest swap 1:1 and gives the same tang and texture, or use buttermilk (use 1/2 cup buttermilk plus 2 Tbsp melted butter to replace 1/2 cup sour cream).
- Powdered sugar (for frosting): if you run out blitz granulated sugar in a blender with 1 tsp cornstarch per cup until super fine, but expect a slightly grainier result and taste may be less smooth.
Pro Tips
1) Don’t overmix the batter. Mix until the dry stuff just disappears into the wet. Overworking the flour makes the cake dense, so stop when you still see a few streaks and fold them in gently.
2) Temper the eggs and keep everything room temp. If butter or eggs are cold the batter will look curdled and won’t trap air well. Room temp ingredients make for a lighter crumb, trust me.
3) Use the lower tequila amount to start, taste the frosting as you go. Alcohol can thin frosting fast, so add 1 tablespoon first, then up to 2 if you want a bigger kick. If it gets too thin, chill it briefly or add a bit more powdered sugar.
4) Salt and presentation matter. Sprinkle coarse sea salt or Maldon around the rim right before serving, and let the chilled cake sit 20 minutes at room temp so the flavors, especially the lime and tequila, open up.
Margarita Cake With Tequila Lime Buttercream Recipe
I just put together a Margarita Cake with tequila lime buttercream that makes every slice feel like an over-the-top party and you will not want to miss the details.
12
servings
737
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven (set to 350 F)
2. Two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans, plus parchment rounds for the bottoms
3. Electric mixer (stand or hand) and a few large mixing bowls
4. Measuring cups and spoons, plus a kitchen scale if you like precision
5. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon or silicone scraper for folding
6. Whisk for the dry ingredients and citrus juice mixing
7. Cooling rack to let the cakes cool completely
8. Offset spatula or butter knife for frosting, and a bench scraper if you want smooth sides
9. Toothpicks for doneness testing, plus a cake plate for assembling and serving
Ingredients
-
2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour
-
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
-
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
-
1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
-
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
-
4 large eggs, room temperature
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
Zest of 3 limes (about 1 1/2 tablespoons packed)
-
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
-
1/3 to 1/2 cup silver tequila, divided (see notes)
-
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
-
1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
-
Optional: green food coloring, a few drops
-
For the tequila lime buttercream
-
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
-
4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted
-
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
-
1 to 2 tablespoons tequila, more or less to taste
-
Zest of 1 lime
-
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk to thin the frosting if needed
-
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
-
Garnish: coarse sea salt or Maldon flakes and lime slices or wedges
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round pans, line bottoms with parchment for easy removal; set aside.
- Whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl beat 1 cup softened butter with 1 3/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes; scrape down sides. Add 4 eggs one at a time, beating just until combined, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and the zest of 3 limes.
- In a measuring cup combine 1/2 cup fresh lime juice, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup whole milk and 1/3 to 1/2 cup silver tequila (use 1/3 cup if you want it milder). If you want a pale green cake add a few drops of green food coloring now.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the lime-tequila mixture, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix just until combined; do not overmix.
- Divide batter between prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs and cakes spring back when lightly pressed. Let cool in pans 10 minutes then turn out to a rack to cool completely.
- While cakes cool make the tequila lime buttercream: beat 1 cup softened butter until creamy, then gradually add 4 cups sifted powdered sugar. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 to 2 tablespoons tequila to taste, zest of 1 lime and 1/4 teaspoon salt. If frosting is too stiff add 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk until spreadable.
- Taste and adjust: add more tequila or lime juice if you want a stronger margarita punch, but go slow so frosting doesn't get runny.
- If layers are uneven level the tops, place one layer on a cake plate, spread a good layer of frosting, top with second layer and crumb coat. Chill 15 minutes, then finish frosting smoothly. Use leftover frosting to pipe if desired.
- Garnish with coarse sea salt or Maldon flakes around the edge, and lime slices or wedges. Store cake chilled if not serving right away and let sit 20 minutes at room temp before serving so flavors come through.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 195g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 737kcal
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 21g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.2g
- Monounsaturated: 8.3g
- Cholesterol: 148mg
- Sodium: 250mg
- Potassium: 87mg
- Carbohydrates: 90.4g
- Fiber: 1.05g
- Sugar: 70g
- Protein: 5g
- Vitamin A: 825IU
- Vitamin C: 5.4mg
- Calcium: 44mg
- Iron: 1.25mg
