Makes 12 cupcakes
These vegan margarita cupcakes are a tangy, tequila-spiked, lime-kissed party in a cupcake liner. They’ll make your tastebuds tipsy.
They’re from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World, originally published as “Mucho Margarita Cupcakes,” and somehow they’ve never officially made it onto the site, even though they’re one of the most popular vegan cupcakes from the book. People still post them on Instagram all the time, almost 20 years after the book came out. Thanks to you all, the recipe lives on.
If you’re new here, here’s the deal: a soft lime cupcake with a shot of tequila in the batter, topped with a pale green tequila lime frosting and a rim of coarse green sugar that mimics the salted rim of a margarita glass. They’re also seriously pretty. Between the pale green frosting, the sparkly green sugar rim, and a little lime wedge on the side, these are the kind of vegan cupcakes that look staged for a photo even when you just set them on the counter.
You can use whatever sugar crystals you like. In the cookbook we used a rainbow of colors, but the monochromatic green look is very now, very gallery opening.
A tiny pinch of kosher salt in the frosting is the secret. Sweet and salty is classic at this point, and here it nails the margarita effect, making every bite sweet, tangy, and a little savory, just like its namesake.
These are boozy, grown-up cupcakes, perfect for Cinco de Mayo, a bachelorette party, an adult birthday, or any occasion where a cocktail is on the table. If you want to make them alcohol-free, you can leave out the tequila and they’re still fantastic. More on that in the FAQ.
Why These Vegan Margarita Cupcakes Are So Awesome
The trick is getting the margarita flavor into every component, not just the top. Three things pull it off:
Lime in the cupcake and the frosting. Fresh lime juice and zest go into the batter, and more lime juice goes into the frosting. Bottled lime juice is a non-starter here. You need the brightness and the oil from the zest to carry the flavor. Use fresh lime.
Tequila in the cupcake and the frosting. Two tablespoons of tequila in the batter, one tablespoon in the frosting. The alcohol cooks off in the oven but the flavor stays, and the raw tequila in the frosting adds a real cocktail bite. Silver or blanco tequila is the best choice. Gold works, but silver lets the lime sit up front.
The salted rim, reimagined. A rim of coarse green sugar finishes the cupcake like a margarita glass. You get the sweetness of the sugar, the crunch of the rim, and a savory edge from the salt all in one bite. If you like your margaritas without a salted rim, leave the salt out of the frosting and you’ll still have a great cupcake.
Photos by Hannah Kaminsky
Cupcake Mixology: How To Make Margarita Cupcakes
This margarita cupcakes recipe is simple. Whisk the wet ingredients, sift in the dry ingredients, fill your cupcake liners, bake about 20 minutes. Done. The frosting is a quick buttercream you make while the cupcakes cool.
Since these are from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World, here are a few of the book’s cupcake tips that still hold up almost 20 years later.
Line your muffin pans immediately after preheating the oven. You want them ready and waiting when the batter is complete.
Don’t overfill the cupcake liner. Two-thirds to three-quarters full is right. They’re going to rise and you don’t want them to come out muffin shaped. (Or maybe you do, we don’t know.)
Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. This keeps them from going soggy on the bottom.
Make sure the cupcakes are fully cooled before frosting. Spreading icing on a warm cupcake is the work of fools.
If you don’t have an oven thermometer, don’t come crying to us.
Getting the Sugar Rim
Pour your coarse sugar crystals onto a small plate. Frost each cupcake all the way to the edges, then gently roll the outer edge and tops of the cupcakes through the sugar so it sticks to the frosting around the rim. If it feels too messy, skip the rolling and just sprinkle the sugar on the edges by hand. Both look great.
Margarita Cupcake FAQ
Can I make these margarita cupcakes alcohol-free? Absofrigginlutely. Leave out the tequila in both the cupcakes and the frosting. In the cupcake batter, replace the 2 tablespoons of tequila with an extra 2 tablespoons of soy milk. In the frosting, skip the tablespoon of tequila and add a little extra lime juice if it needs more liquid. You’ll still get all the lime flavor and the salted-rim effect. Great for kid-friendly parties or anyone not drinking.
Can I use a different oil in these margarita cupcakes? For sure. Any neutral oil works. Vegetable oil, avocado oil, or light olive oil are all good. Skip extra virgin olive oil because the flavor is too strong for these, and skip coconut oil because it’ll solidify if your other ingredients are cold. Canola is what the original recipe calls for, but you won’t taste the difference.
What milk can I use in these vegan cupcakes? Any unsweetened non-dairy milk. Soy milk and rice milk are what the original recipe calls for. Oat milk, almond milk, cashew milk all work too. Use unsweetened so the cupcakes aren’t too sweet.
What kind of confectioners sugar should I use? The cheap stuff. Beet sugar confectioners sugar, if you can find it, whips up nice and fluffy. The organic or health food store confectioners sugar is often clumpy, doesn’t get as airy, and the frosting ends up denser and off-color. No offense to health food stores. Not a dealbreaker, but the cheap kind gives you a better result.
Is tequila vegan? Silver or blanco tequila is your safest bet. Aged and flavored tequilas can contain non-vegan additives. To verify any specific brand, check Barnivore.com.
Can I make these vegan cupcakes gluten-free? Hells yeah. Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur. The texture will be different depending on the brand, but they’ll still bake up nicely.
Can I make these margarita cupcakes ahead of time? You can bake the cupcakes up to 2 days ahead and store them unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature. Make the frosting up to 3 days ahead and keep it refrigerated, then bring it to room temperature and give it a quick whip before using. Frost the cupcakes and apply the sugar rim the day you’re serving for the best look.
How do I store these margarita cupcakes? Frosted cupcakes keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring refrigerated cupcakes to room temperature before serving so the frosting softens back up.
Can I make this into a margarita cake? Yup yup yup. Double the recipe and bake in a 9-inch greased springform pan at 350°F for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, then slice the cake in half horizontally to make two layers. Doubling the buttercream will get you enough to fill the middle and frost the top. If you want to cover the sides too, triple it. Once frosted, rim the top edge with the coarse green sugar the same way you would a cupcake. It looks striking at cake scale, like a giant margarita glass rim.
More Vegan Cupcakes To Try:
Margarita Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1½ teaspoons finely grated lime zest
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk or preferred vegan milk
- ¼ cup canola oil or other neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons tequila silver or blanco
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the margarita icing:
- ¼ cup vegan butter softened
- 1 tablespoon soy milk or rice milk
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon tequila
- Tiniest drop of green food coloring optional
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar sifted
- Generous pinch to ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt optional
For decorating:
- About ½ cup coarse green sanding sugar or rainbow
Instructions
Make the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, lime zest, soy milk, canola oil, tequila, vanilla, and sugar.
- Sift in the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until the batter is smooth.
- Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters of the way full. Bake 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Letting them rest for an hour or two helps the flavor develop.
Make the margarita icing:
- In a small bowl, blend the vegan butter with a fork until soft and fluffy. Stir in the soy milk, lime juice, tequila, and food coloring if using. You want just a pale green tint, lighter than mint green.
- Sift in 2 cups confectioners’ sugar and blend (an electric mixer on low speed helps here) until creamy and smooth. If it’s too liquidy, sift in another tablespoon or two of confectioners’ sugar until the texture is thick but spreadable.
- Stir in the salt if using. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Assemble:
- Pour the coarse green sanding sugar onto a small plate.
- Spread the icing on each cooled cupcake, going all the way to the edges.
- Gently roll the outer edge and tops of the cupcakes through the sugar so the rim gets coated.
