Here’s a delicious Mexican-style cake that doesn’t start with a cake mix! It is a nice, light cake with a touch of margarita flavor on top. Don’t skip the whipped cream and the cute lime slice garnish. This recipe has been featured in a post on The Recipe Girl blog: Mamacita Needs a Margarita Cake.
MARGARITA CAKE
www.RecipeGirl.com
CAKE:
1¾ cups granulated sugar
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup lemon or plain yogurt
LIME GLAZE AND ASSEMBLY:
½ cup superfine sugar
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (preferably Mexican limes)
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp tequila
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch cake pan.
2. Prepare cake: Combine sugar, butter, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl and beat until blended. add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each addition. Mix in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Add the flour and yogurt alternately, beating well after each addition.
3. Spoon the batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
4. Prepare glaze: Combine sugar, lime juice and water in a saucepan and mix well. Cook until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Stir in the tequila.
5. Assembly: Invert the warm cake onto a serving platter and brush with the glaze until it is absorbed. Let stand until cool. Slice and garnish each serving with a twisted lime slice and a dollop of whipped cream.
Servings: 16
Cooking Tips:
*If you’re having trouble inverting the cake onto a serving platter, or if you’re afraid that it might fall apart, it’s ok to just spoon the glaze over the top of the cake while it’s in the pan. Then cut neat slices and transfer to a serving platter.
*If you don’t cook with alcohol, it’s okay to leave it out & just make a lime glaze to drizzle on top.
Recipe Source: Adapted from California Sol Food: Casual Cooking from the Junior League of San Diego
7 Comments
Oh, yay!! Finally a margarita cake that doesn’t use a yucky cake mix. I’m going to make this today! May have to sample our tequila and make sure it has not spoiled…
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This should work as cupcakes, right? I am competing in a cupcake challenge that has a Mexican theme and am still trying to decide if I should bake a margarita cupcake or a horchata cupcake, but I think I’ll use this recipe if I choose margarita. It looks great!
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Lori Lange Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 12:47 PM
@Kim B, I haven’t tried this particular recipe as cupcakes. I made a margarita cupcake once but it had a cake mix as a base http://www.recipegirl.com/2009/05/02/margarita-cupcakes-2/
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Hey Lori,
I have a co-worker with a gluten allergy, but would love to make this cake for her. Any suggestions on substitutions?
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Lori Lange Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 1:49 PM
@Krystal Obbink, I’m sorry to say that I know absolutely nothing about Gluten Free baking! Sorry I can’t be of help…
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This recipe will definitely be dessert for my next Mexican dinner party!
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So glad you posted this! It’s exactly what I’m going to take to work on Cinco De Mayo. No need to even mention the tiny little splash of tequila, right? (Not that it would discourage any of MY co-workers!)
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When you consider that 80 Proof liquor has 40% alchol, and vanilla extract is 35% alchol, it’s not much diffence. We even feed children cakes with vanilla, right? Heck yes..I’d take this cake to work!
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Made this for bunco with the girls only I made a layer cake. Actually 3: Margarita, Strawberry Daq, and Irish Car Bomb in the shape of dice…yes I’m crazy. ANYWAY, the cake is delicious! I had to “taste test.” Right? I made a butter cream frosting and added tequila and lime juice to it. OMG>>>>SO GOOD! Can’t wait for the girls to try it!
Loaded up my party cart with wine (from the grill contest), so thanks again!
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