Cinco de Mayo Margarita Cupcakes

I decided to make cupcakes for the end of the year meeting with my students. Since it was Cinco de Mayo, I whipped up Margarita cupcakes (a recipe I had been dying to try) and red velvet cupcakes. The Margarita cupcakes are really easy since it starts off with a boxed cake base. It was pretty good. All my students loved them. The cupcakes were devoured. There are recipes out there with tequila, but since they were for students, though they are college student, I thought I would be a responsible adult and keep that out for this run.



Margarita Cupcake + Lime Cream Cheese Frosting
From: Hostess with the Mostess

Cupcakes:
1 box white cake mix
8 oz margarita mix (liquid)
2 oz tequila
1 oz Grand Marnier
3 egg whites
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp grated lime zest

Lime Buttercream Icing:
8 Tbsp butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp lime juice (approx 2 fresh limes)
1 Tbsp margarita mix
1 tsp lime zest
4-5 cups powdered (confectioners’) sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350º and prepare muffin pans.

2. Combine margarita mix, tequila, and Grand Marnier in a large glass and stir well. (I did not use tequila or Grand Marnier, I increased the margarita mix to 10 oz)

3. In large bowl, combine cake mix, egg whites, lime zest, vegetable oil, and margarita mixture from step one. Stir ingredients together, then beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for approximately 2-3 minutes.

4. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin pans. Fill each cup/liner about 2/3 full.

5. Bake at recommended temperature on cake mix box (usually 325º – 350º) for 20 – 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Icing:
6. In a large bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, lime juice, margarita mix, and lime zest. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

7. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and continue beating until smooth. If icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar, a couple tablespoons at a time.

8. Spread icing generously on each cooled cupcake* or use a pastry bag to frost.