Margarita Cupcakes with Salted Tequila Frosting

Margarita Cupcakes with Salted Tequila Frosting make the PERFECT dessert for Cinco de Mayo, taco Tuesday, ladies night and more! This dairy free dessert tastes like its boozy namesake. Makes 6 cupcakes.

I like margaritas as much as the next person within reason… (Y’all know me and tequila have a long, dark history.)

But… and I know this is going to come across as a shock…

Why does Cinco de Mayo have to be all about the drinks?

Yes, I realize this is the pot calling the kettle black. It’s well-known around these parts that I adore festive cocktails for all occasions.

But today, we’re making a boozy dessert that’s going to make tequila fans so happy.

Other non-drink Cinco de Mayo dishes: Ground Beef Tacos / Caramelized Onion Guacamole / Pork Carnitas Enchiladas / Creamy Chicken Enchilada Bruschetta (Instant Pot Appetizer) / Guacamole-Stuffed Fajita Burgers / Black Bean Dip

Tools and Products to Make Margarita Cupcakes

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• Muffin tin.
• Cupcake liners.
• Zester.
• Citrus juicer.

How do I make these Lime Cupcakes with Margarita Frosting?

Make the cupcakes.

Preheat the oven, and place six cupcake liners in a cupcake/muffin tin. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites and granulated sugar. (You can also use a hand mixer to beat these together a little quicker.)

Measure in the coconut oil, vanilla extract, lime zest, lime juice and tequila. Whisk until all the wet ingredients are combined.

Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl, and whisk until the ingredients are combined and smooth. (The batter will be very liquidy.)

Measure the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ of the way full.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool and come to room temperature before frosting them.

Make the salted tequila frosting.

In a large glass bowl, combine the powdered sugar and salt. Whisk together until combined, then pour in the tequila and water.

Whisk until the mixture is smooth. (It will be relatively thick.)

Transfer the frosting into a decorating bag, then when the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost them. Zest additional lime zest over the tops of the cupcakes, and serve!

Frequently Asked Questions about Margarita Cupcakes

Why do you call them margarita cupcakes?

Because they taste like their namesake, right down to that strong tequila kick after the lime does its tart-sweet thing.

The cupcakes themselves are plain vanilla, infused with lime and tequila.

The frosting calls for sugar, salt and tequila and offers a salty kick. (Because who doesn’t love their margarita salted?!?)

I can see these cupcakes being dangerous, which is why I intentionally made this recipe a small batch to make just SIX cupcakes.

How can I make these Margarita Cupcakes kid-friendly?

Omit that tequila, friends. While they won’t have that boozy kick anymore, if you want to serve these to kids, the alcohol shouldn’t be in them.

The ounce of tequila in the cupcakes themselves will bake out in the oven, so that shouldn’t be a concern. (If you are concerned about this or just don’t want to have any tequila in the cake or frosting, I get that! Replace the tequila with water in the cupcakes.)

Swap the tequila in the frosting with water, too. You’ll have Lime Cupcakes with a salty-sweet margarita-esque frosting. 

Another idea is to use freshly squeezed lime juice in place of the tequila. This will give your cupcakes and frosting more lime kick, if you’re into that kind of thing.

What occasions can I make these cupcakes for?

Taco Tuesday!

Cinco de Mayo!

Any evening you’re hosting friends and want a fun, boozy dessert to serve after dinner.

You ready to learn how to make this goodness yet?

It’s easy! Here’s how I did it:

Yield: 6 cupcakes

Margarita Cupcakes with Salted Tequila Frosting

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 13 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

Margarita Cupcakes with Salted Tequila Frosting make the PERFECT dessert for Cinco de Mayo, taco Tuesday, ladies night and more! This dairy free recipe, which makes SIX cupcakes, tastes like its boozy namesake. Lime zest and lime juice add tartness to the batter. Once baked, decorate with salty-sweet tequila frosting, then serve. Moist and flavorful, Margarita Cupcakes with Salted Tequila Icing are sure to be a winner at your next get-together!

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Ingredients

Margarita Cupcakes

• 2 egg whites
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
• Zest of 1 lime
• 1 oz. silver tequila
• ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Salted Tequila Frosting

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ½ oz. silver tequila
• ½ oz. water
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Make the Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place six cupcake liners in a cupcake pan, spray lightly with nonstick baking spray, then set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites and granulated sugar.
3. Measure in the coconut oil, vanilla extract, lime zest, lime juice and tequila. Whisk until all the wet ingredients are combined.
4. Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl, and whisk until the ingredients are combined and smooth. (The batter will be very liquidy, so don’t be discouraged.)
5. Measure the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ of the way full.
6. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let the cupcakes cool and come to room temperature before icing. (This should take 30 or so minutes, depending on how warm your kitchen is.)

Make the Frosting

1. In a large glass bowl, combine the powdered sugar and salt. Whisk together until combined, then pour in the tequila.
2. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. (It will be relatively thick.)
3. Transfer the frosting into a decorating bag or a plastic bag for decorating, then when the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost them.
4. Zest additional lime zest over the tops of the cupcakes, and serve!

Notes

Originally, this recipe called for an ounce of tequila in the frosting. If you'd like yours super boozy, do that! If you're into a milder tequila taste, do ½ oz. tequila and ½ oz. water.

To make these cupcakes completely kid-friendly: Swap the tequila with water. While the tequila in the cupcakes will bake out, I understand not wanting to use tequila in something you're planning to serve kids. The water swap works in both the frosting and the cupcake. You can also use freshly squeezed lime juice in place of the tequila if you want extra lime kick!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  USA Pan Cupcake and Muffin Pan
• 
  Parchment Paper Cupcake Liners
• 
  Duralex Glass Bowl Set
• 
  Microplane Zester/Grater
• 
  OXO Good Grips Wire Whisk (11-Inch)
• 
  Wilton All-In-One Disposable Decorating Bag with Star Tip (4-Count)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 231 Total Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 6g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 521mg Carbohydrates: 37g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 27g Protein: 2g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.

How do you feel about margaritas?

Would you try a boozy cupcake?

The photos and recipe for these Margarita Cupcakes were originally published on April 26, 2017. The text of this blog post was updated on April 29, 2019.