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.
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.
How To Make a Margarita Cake
- Make the Batter: Combine dry ingredients. Combine with wet ingredients.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Make the Frosting: Combine all frosting ingredients.
- Assemble: Stack cake layers and frosting.
- 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
- Non-Alcoholic: Replace the tequila with additional milk to make this treat nonalcoholic.
- Zest: Be sure to zest just the green part of the lime. The white pith underneath is bitter.
- 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.
- Cake Board: Build your cake on a cake board for easy transport.
- Cake Leveler: Get flat cake by layers using a cake leveler to cut off the domes.
- This recipe also makes great cupcakes.
More Cakes To Try
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Margarita Cake
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
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
- 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.
- Non-Alcoholic: Replace the tequila with additional milk to make this treat nonalcoholic.
- Zest: Be sure to zest just the green part of the lime. The white pith underneath is bitter.
- 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.
- Cake Board: Build your cake on a cake board for easy transport.
- Cake Leveler: Get flat cake by layers using a cake leveler to cut off the domes.
I gave this a try for my family and they loved it! Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe.
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 .
I haven’t tried it, but I have heard other bakers suggest mixing flaxseed and water.
Margarita cake sounds so yummy!! This is such a good idea, definitely adding this to my recipes 🙂
This margarita cake is so pretty! It’s such a great idea and would be perfect for an upcoming summer girls weekend.
Everything about this sounds amazing. I love the idea of infusing the flavors of one of my favorite cocktails into everyone’s favorite dessert!