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Margarita Cake

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My margarita cake features a super moist white cake spiked with tequila topped with a fluffy lime frosting. It tastes like a margarita in cake form.

a slice of margarita cake topped with lime buttercream and a lime slice.

We love margaritas and cake around here. Combining them into margarita cake makes a dessert you'll never forget.

We all know how delicious that first sip of a margarita is, right? Imagine combining that with the taste of the moist, delicious cake. It's like having a nightcap and a late-night snack, all in one.

If you're looking for a unique and delicious cake, this margarita cake recipe needs to happen ASAP. You'll enjoy eating every single bite.

Perfect For

  • Cinco de Mayo
  • 21st Birthday
  • Summer Parties

Why I Love This Cake

  • Boozy Cake: What's better than cake? Boozy cake. Our homemade cake batter is moist, fluffy, and spiked!
  • Stable Frosting: Using shortening and butter in the frosting helps it keep its shape. The lime also prevents from being "too sweet."
  • Showstopper: This impressive cake looks like it came from a bakery.

Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips

  • Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Be sure to replace these ingredients every 6-12 months as they can lose their effectiveness.
  • Butter: If you don't have unsalted butter on hand, use salted butter and omit the added salt.
  • Egg Whites: Separate eggs by pouring them back and forth between the shells. There are also a number of egg-separating gadgets out there.
  • Tequila: Use a mid-shelf brand you enjoy drinking. I like Patron or Jose Cuervo.  Use leftovers in our Sangria Margarita or our Blue Margaritas
  • Milk: Use whole milk for the best results.
  • Lime Juice: Use freshly squeezed lime juice if possible. The bottled stuff tends to be too acidic and can taste artificial.

a slice of margarita cake with the whole cake in the background garnished with lime.

How To Make a Margarita Cake

  1. Make the Batter: Combine dry ingredients. Combine with wet ingredients.
  2. Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes.
  3. Make the Frosting: Combine all frosting ingredients.
  4. Assemble: Stack cake layers and frosting.
  5. Garnish: Garnish with lime slices and lime zest.

Leftovers

  • Storage: Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • Freezing: Freeze for up to 3 months.

Tips

  1. Non-Alcoholic: Replace the tequila with additional milk to make this treat nonalcoholic.
  2. Zest: Be sure to zest just the green part of the lime. The white pith underneath is bitter.
  3. Juice: Microwave for 20-30 seconds, then roll the lime on the counter to get the most juice possible. If you don't have a juicer, use your muscles and give each lime half a good, hard squeeze.
  4. Cake Board: Build your cake on a cake board for easy transport.
  5. Cake Leveler: Get flat cake by layers using a cake leveler to cut off the domes.
  6. This recipe also makes great cupcakes.

a margarita cake garnished with lime slices and lime zest on a green tablecloth.

More Cakes To Try

Snickers Cake

Twix Cake

Chocolate Coca Cola Cake

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cake

Reese's Cup Cake

Strawberry Cake Roll

Cookie Monster Cake

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📖 Recipe

Margarita Cake

A super moist white cake spiked with tequila topped with a fluffy lime frosting. It tastes like a margarita in cake form.
5 from 10 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 12 Slices
Calories: 1632kcal

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 6 Cups Flour
  • ½ Teaspoons Baking Soda
  • 3 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 2 Teaspoons Salt
  • 3 Cups Unsalted Butter Softened
  • 4 Cups Sugar
  • 4 Egg Whites
  • 3 Teaspoons Vanilla
  • 1 ½ Cup Whole milk
  • ½ Cup Lime Juice
  • 1 Cup Tequila
  • Lime Slices and Zest For Garnish

For the Lime Frosting

  • 1.5 Cups Butter Softened
  • 1.5 Cups Shortening
  • 6 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1.5 Tablespoons Lime Zest
  • 3 Tablespoons Lime Juice
Don't lose this recipe. Pin for later!

Instructions

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease (3) 9-inch cake pans with pam baking spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  • In another large bowl, cream butter, vanilla, and sugar. Stir in lime juice, tequila, and lime zest. Stir in egg whites.
  • Gradually add dry ingredients a little at a time until just combined.
  • Evenly divide the batter between the 3 cake pans.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool completely.

For the Frosting

  • In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Mix until smooth.

Assembly

  • Scoop around 1 cup of frosting onto the first cake layer and spread until smooth. and smooth evenly
  • Repeat with the second layer. Then top with the third layer.
  • Frost the sides and top of the cake. Pipe dollops of icing using a star tip if desired.

Notes

Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
  • Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Be sure to replace these ingredients every 6-12 months as they can lose their effectiveness.
  • Butter: If you don't have unsalted butter on hand, use salted butter and omit the added salt.
  • Egg Whites: Separate eggs by pouring them back and forth between the shells. There are also a number of egg-separating gadgets out there.
  • Tequila: Use a mid-shelf brand you enjoy drinking. I like Patron or Jose Cuervo. 
  • Milk: Use whole milk for the best results. 
  • Lime Juice: Use freshly squeezed lime juice if possible. The bottled stuff tends to be too acidic and can taste artificial. 
Tips
  1. Non-Alcoholic: Replace the tequila with additional milk to make this treat nonalcoholic. 
  2. Zest: Be sure to zest just the green part of the lime. The white pith underneath is bitter.
  3. Juice: Microwave for 20-30 seconds, then roll the lime on the counter to get the most juice possible. If you don't have a juicer, use your muscles and give each lime half a good, hard squeeze.
  4. Cake Board: Build your cake on a cake board for easy transport. 
  5. Cake Leveler: Get flat cake by layers using a cake leveler to cut off the domes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 1632kcal | Carbohydrates: 177g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 97g | Saturated Fat: 51g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 29g | Trans Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 187mg | Sodium: 656mg | Potassium: 289mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 127g | Vitamin A: 2184IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 3mg
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5 from 10 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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11 Comments

  1. Would there be a way to make the frosting without shortening?

    1. Krystle Smith says:

      Hi Brooke!

      You can use an equal amount of butter just be aware the texture will be different. It makes the frosting stable and less likely to melt.

  2. 5 stars
    I gave this a try for my family and they loved it! Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe.

  3. Bedabrata Chakraborty says:

    5 stars
    I never knew of margarita cake. An excellent idea i think . I use rum while baking but thank you for suggesting tequila . Quick question, can you suggest an alternative to eggs? Many of my family and friends are vegetarians .

    1. Krystle Smith says:

      I haven't tried it, but I have heard other bakers suggest mixing flaxseed and water.

  4. Ntensibe Edgar says:

    5 stars
    Nnniiiiccceeeee...I'd like to try this cake! It looks exactly like the kind of cake I enjoy having. Thanks for sharing it's recipe.

  5. 5 stars
    This is a divine recipe and every bite of that cake seems to be great and delicious.

  6. Tweenselmom says:

    5 stars
    Margarita cake sounds so yummy!! This is such a good idea, definitely adding this to my recipes 🙂

  7. Fransic verso says:

    5 stars
    I would never think to try something like this. It looks so good and looking at the picture and want to try it.

  8. Stephanie says:

    5 stars
    This margarita cake is so pretty! It's such a great idea and would be perfect for an upcoming summer girls weekend.

  9. 5 stars
    Everything about this sounds amazing. I love the idea of infusing the flavors of one of my favorite cocktails into everyone's favorite dessert!