Margarita Cake

margarita cake

Yield: 16 servings

Prep Time: 25 min Cook Time: 30 min

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.

Ingredients:

CAKE:

1 3/4 cups granulated white sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 Tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup plain or lemon-flavored yogurt

LIME GLAZE AND ASSEMBLY:

1/2 cup superfine granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed

1 Tablespoon water

1 Tablespoon tequila

whipped cream and lime slices, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-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.

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.

*If you don't not have superfine sugar and don't wish to purchase it at your market, simply place regular granulated white sugar in your blender and give it a few whirs until it turns into superfine sugar!

Source: RecipeGirl.com (Adapted from California Sol Food: Casual Cooking from the Junior League of San Diego)

Margarita Party

Margarita Cupcakes, Margarita Cakes and of course Margaritas

My friend sells jewelry, and I decided to help her out and host a Girls Night Out Shopping Party.
Since, I love to have a "theme" for everything....it seemed like a perfect night to make everything "Margarita"

The pitcher had real Margaritas (with Alcohol!),  and the beverage dispenser had lemonade with limes in it for color,  on a separate table I had chips, black bean salsa dip and fruit.

The Margaritas were easy and delicious, I used Jose Cuervo ready made Margaritas WITH alcohol and just poured them over ice. No need for a blender, they were delicious!

As for the desserts, I made Margarita Cupcakes and Margarita Cake!

Here are the recipes

Margarita Cupcakes Recipe

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes

1 box white cake mix

3 egg whites

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon lime zest

8 ounces Margarita Mix (without liquor, I used Jose Cuervo)

2 ounces silver tequila

1 ounce triple sec

For the icing

2 sticks butter

3 tablespoons margarita mix

3 tablespoons triple sec

6 cups confectioners' sugar

pre heat oven to 350

for cupcakes, mix all ingredients with mixer, line cupcake tins with wrappers, pour mixture into wrappers 2/3 full (makes approximately 21 cupcakes)

bake for 18-20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean and they spring back to touch

let cool before icing

for icing:

beat 2 sticks of butter until fluffy, slowly add confectioners' sugar and liquids, alternating sugar and liquids, gradually add confectioners' sugar until desired frosting consistency is reached (you might need to add more liquids and/or sugar) 

Frost cupcakes, the cake is delicious on own, heavy frosting isn't needed. I just added sprinkles to the rim of cupcakes (like a margarita) and cut up little pieces of lime!

please note, I had small margarita candles (Wilton Brand), that I had purchased previously and had saved in my "party stash box", but I think the cut up fresh lime looked even better!
The best part is the presentation of the cupcakes in the margarita glasses. I used rock salt on the bottom of glasses and simply placed the cupcakes on top. How cute is that!
(By the way, next time I will splurge on the green sprinkles. The  green sprinkles were left over from St. Patty's Day.  I will buy the pretty green crystal sprinkles next time!)

Margarita Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

for cake

1 box lemon cake mix

1 (3.4 ounce) box instant lemon pudding mix

1/2 cup frozen limeade concentrate

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

4 large eggs

1/2 cup tequila

2 tablespoons triple sec

for the glaze

2 tablespoons tequila

1 tablespoon triple sec

1/2 tablespoon lime zest

1 tablespoon margarita mix

2 cups confectioners' sugar

preheat oven to 350

combine cake mix with pudding mix, eggs, oil, limeade, tequila, triple sec and water. Mix with electric mixer. Pour into well greased bundt pan.

Bake for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack for 10-15 minutes then remove from pan to cool completely.

Mix all ingredients for glaze with a wire whisk. Add more confectioners' sugar for a thicker glaze. Spoon over cooled cake.

please note...My cake tasted good,even though it was not perfect! I left the cake in the bundt pan too long to cool, and the top of the cake stuck to the pan....ugh....I am sorry it is not picture perfect, but it tasted yummy!

Cheers!