My favourite cocktail in a cupcake!
If you know only one thing about me, let it be that I love tequila. I don’t drink it by itself anymore (I’ll leave that to my university days), but put in a cocktail and I’m there! Margaritas are my favourite, especially if they’re frozen. Living in the UK though I am horribly deprived of good margaritas, so I just stock up on them when I’m visiting Atlanta! Luckily, I have these yummy cupcakes to keep me happy while I’m at home!
This recipe is not my own, I found it on the wonderful Sweet Revelations. I changed a few things around (like more tequila!), but at it’s core they’re the same. I didn’t use any lime curd and chose to garnish with a sugar, salt and lime mix. I also made mine full sized instead of mini (it makes about 14 full sized cupcakes)
I loved these cupcakes so much I made them my banner image!
These cupcakes are flavoured with lime and tequila and topped with a lime and tequila swiss meringue buttercream. These cupcakes were the first time I had ever made SMBC and I was terrified, but it turned out perfect first try (what a great ego boost!) so if you’re feeling hesitant just go for it! I even made mine without a stand mixer (I wouldn’t recommend that though, it’s harsh on the arm muscles).
Let’s get down to the important part shall we
Lime and Tequila Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 2 eggs,
- 2 limes, zested and juiced
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- tequila (for brushing)
Preheat the oven to 175C/350F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners
Mix together flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
Beat the butter and sugar together on a medium high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one and at a time and beat until fully combined. Add the lime zest and juice and mix well.
On a low speed, add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix until just incorporated.
Spoon until cake cases, about 2/3 full. Bake for approx 18 mins, until cakes are spongey and a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and turn out on to wire rack to cool. Generously brush tequila over the cakes while they’re still warm. If you want the tequila to get right down in there, poke a few holes with a toothpick before brushing. Leave to cool completely.
Lime & Tequila Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 2 cups unsalted butter cubed, at room temperature
- 5 large egg whites
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp of caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 4 tbsp tequila (or to taste)
- 1.5 tbsp lime juice
Grab a saucepan that is large enough to fit your mixing bowl in a few inches, fill it with a few inches of water and bring to boil, reduce to simmer.
In your clean mixing bowl (you’ll want to use the same bowl throughout the process) hand whisk the egg whites and sugar until just combined. Place over the simmering pot and whisk for about 4-5 minutes until the egg whites are hot (150F), the sugar should all be dissolved by then too. Place the bowl back on your stand mixer and using the whisk attachment whisk on medium until the whites have increased in volume and and the outside of the bowl is slightly warm to touch. Be patient because this can take 10 minutes!
Change to the paddle attachment (if you don’t have a stand mixer the beaters on your hand mixer will work fine, it’s what i used my first time making it). Beat on a low speed until the mixture is completely cooled. Increase speed to medium and add butter pieces one at a time. Scrape down the side of the bowl and continue to beat the buttercream until it is smooth and glossy. Don’t worry if the mixture starts to separate, just keep beating and it’ll come back together! Add vanilla, tequila, a pinch of salt and lime and beat until just combined. Pipe onto cupcakes immediately.
Lime, Sugar and Salt Garnish
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp lime zest
Mix all ingredients in a bowl, sprinkle on top of freshly iced cupcakes! Finish it off with lime slices and peel!
ooh look at those meringues in the background, watch this space for cupcakes involving those!
