Go Back
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Margarita Cake

This cake was fun to develop. I took pieces from a lot different recipes and made it my own.
Prep Time1 hour
Course: Endings
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake, lime, margarita, tequila

Ingredients

Cake

  • 2-1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 3 Tbs. Lime Flavored Gelatin
  • 1 tsp. Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp. Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
  • 2 cups Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups Granulated White Sugar
  • 3 jumbo Eggs, at room temperature
  • 1-1/2 cups Buttermilk, at room temperature

Simple Syrup

  • 1/2 cup Granulated White Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Nellies, Key Lime Juice, can order from Amazon can substitute fresh Lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp. Tequila, Remember if you wouldn't drink it don't cook with it.

Buttercream

  • 2 cups Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
  • 6 cups Confectioners sugar, sifted
  • 2-3 Tbs. Heavy Cream
  • 2 tsp. Vanilla
  • pinch Kosher Salt
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • 3-4 Tbs. Tequila

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
    Butter, flour and line with parchment paper, 3 8" round cake pans.
  • In a small bowl combine all dry ingredients.
    In the bowl of a stand-up mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter unitl ight and creamy, about 3 minutes.
    Gradually add in sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
    Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined, after each egg.
    With mixer on low add dry ingredients to butter, alternating with buttermilk. Beat only until just incorporated, Do not overwork. Start and finish with dry ingredients.
    Beat in vanilla.
  • Divide batter evenly between three pans. I use a large ice cream scoop to make sure it is even.
    Bake 27-30 minutes. You want your tester to come out with just a few moist crumbs.
    Allow to cool completely, on rack, before removing from pans.

Simple Syrup

  • Combine sugar, lime juice and tequila in a small sauce pan.
    Stir over a low heat until sugar is dissolved. Then bring to a low boil.
    Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature

Buttercream

  • In bowl of a stand-up mixer, beat butter until light in color and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
    With mixer on low, add vanilla, salt, zest and tequila.
    Then add confectioners sugar about a cup at a time.
    Change attachment to whisk and beat in cream, on high. You are basically gettting the cream to soft or medium peaks, to hold up frosting. This could take 5-7 minutes.
  • To assemble cakes:
    With a pastry brush, "paint" each layer with simple syrup. You don't want it drenched but you want it coated on all sides.
    Spread enough frosting to cover the top of first layer across the top. Add another cake layer and repeat. For third layer, frost all three layers on the sides and work towards the top. Be generous with frosting. Then smooth tops and frost top layer.
  • Garnish cake with a rim of Flake salt, like Maldon. I like to srpinkle more lime zest over the top and then place a lime wedge for decoration.