My strawberry margarita cupcakes are the perfect slightly-boozy way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo! I made moist, tender cupcakes with fresh strawberry puree, then topped them with a buttercream frosting made from strawberry liqueur and zesty lime. Everything comes together quickly for a festive and summery dessert!
Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Lime Buttercream
I love making my sprinkle-filled piñata cupcakes for a kid-friendly Cinco de Mayo treat. But let’s be honest — I’m here for the margaritas! Inspired by favorite icy drink, these strawberry lime margarita cupcakes are filled with a deliciously sweet and zippy taste.
I made some strawberry cupcakes from scratch, using Greek yogurt for added moisture and real strawberries for authentic flavor. They’re super easy to whip up, but feel free to start with a strawberry cake mix if you want to speed things up. Next, I added a tequila-based strawberry cream liqueur to my lime buttercream for a boozy surprise, and it came out perfectly. The result is incredibly delicious cupcakes that are sure to get the party started!
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Strawberry Margarita Cupcakes Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 2 Cupcake Tin(s)
- High Powered Blender
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Piping Tip Set (optional)
Ingredients
Strawberry Cupcakes:
- 1 pint fresh strawberries
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature (1½ sticks)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup Greek yogurt *
- 4 large eggs room temperature
Strawberry Lime Buttercream:
- 7 cups powdered sugar
- 1½ cups unsalted butter room temperature (3 sticks)
- 50 milliliters strawberry cream liqueur optional**
- 4 teaspoons lime zest
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Decorate:
- 15 whole fresh strawberries (optional)
- 2 whole fresh limes thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 (12-count) cupcake tins with paper liners. Set aside.
- Make the strawberry puree ahead of time so it has time to cool. To do so, blend the strawberries and water until you have 1¼ cups of strawberry puree. Pour into a microwave-safe bowl and place it into the microwave for 45 seconds and stir. Continue to microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between. Once your puree has reduced to ½ or ¾ cup, set aside to cool.1 pint fresh strawberries, 1 tablespoon water
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.2⅔ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together for 60 seconds on medium-high.¾ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add in the cooled strawberry puree and Greek yogurt and mix.½ cup Greek yogurt
- Add in the eggs and mix well.4 large eggs
- Fold in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Fill each cupcake mold ¾ full with the batter.
- Bake for 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool.
For the Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the powdered sugar, unsalted butter, strawberry cream liqueur, lime zest, and salt on the lowest speed, then increase the speed to medium and mix for 1 minute before increasing to high. Let mix on high for at least 3 minutes.7 cups powdered sugar, 1½ cups unsalted butter, 50 milliliters strawberry cream liqueur, 4 teaspoons lime zest, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Check the consistency and add lime juice as needed to thin it out. Once you have achieved a good consistency, let it whip for 2 more minutes.2 tablespoons lime juice
- Once cooled, frost the cupcakes with the strawberry tequila lime buttercream. Garnish with strawberries and lime wheels, if desired.15 whole fresh strawberries, 2 whole fresh limes
Notes
- Make this recipe easier by starting with a box of strawberry cake mix! Bake up some simple strawberry cupcakes according to package instructions, then top them with the buttercream.
- Don’t over mix the batter when you add the flour, it should be just combined. If you over mix the gluten will over develop and you will have chewy cupcakes rather than light and fluffy.
- Allow enough time for the strawberry puree to cool. Don’t add it to the rest of the ingredients if it is still warm.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting them.
Reduce the Strawberry Puree for Maximum Flavor
Instead of just blending the berries and tossing them in, I cook the strawberry puree down to concentrate the flavor. This reduction step removes excess water (which can make cupcakes gummy or heavy) and locks in a bold strawberry taste. That makes these margarita cupcakes fluffy instead of soggy, with a true strawberry punch you won’t get from jam or extract alone.
If you’re in a hurry, you can do the reduction the night before and let it chill in the fridge. This guarantees the puree is completely cool before mixing it into your batter.
How to Make Strawberry Lime Cupcakes Step-by-Step
Make the Strawberry Puree: Preheat your oven to 350°F, line 2 (12-count) cupcake tins with paper liners, and set aside. Blend 1 pint of fresh strawberries and 1 tablespoon of water until you have 1¼ cups of strawberry puree. I did this in a blender, but a food processor or stick blender also works. Pour the puree into a microwave-safe bowl and place it into the microwave for 45 seconds, then stir. Continue to microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between. Once your puree has reduced to ½ or ¾ cup, set it aside to cool while you prep the batter. Alternatively, you can reduce the puree on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring frequently. The puree can be made one day in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
Whisk the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine 2⅔ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and 1¼ teaspoons of kosher salt. Set aside while you prep the wet ingredients.
Cream the Butter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat ¾ cup of room-temperature unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar together for 60 seconds on medium-high. It should look pale in color and fluffy.
Add the Puree: Add in the cooled strawberry puree and ½ cup of Greek yogurt and mix on medium speed. The mixture should look thick and have a lovely pink color. It may look slightly chunky, but that is nothing to worry about; it’s just the strawberry pieces.
Add the Eggs: Add in 4 large, room temperature eggs and mix well. The batter should look thin and runny now.
Combine the Batter: Fold in the flour mixture until just incorporated. I recommend doing this part with a rubber spatula to ensure you don’t overmix the ingredients. The batter should be quite thick and scoopable.
Portion the Cupcakes: Fill each cupcake mold ¾ full. I like to use a cookie scoop so my cupcakes are all about the same size. This also cuts down on messy drips.
Bake the Cupcakes: Bake your strawberry cupcakes in the preheated oven for 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Once baked, remove them from the oven and let them fully cool before frosting them.
Make the Frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 7 cups of powdered sugar, 1½ cups of room-temperature unsalted butter, 50 milliliters of strawberry cream liqueur, 4 teaspoons of lime zest, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt on the lowest speed until the powdered sugar is at least halfway incorporated. If you increase your speed right away, the powdered sugar will fly out of the bowl. Once the powdered sugar is halfway incorporated, increase the speed to medium and mix for 1 minute before increasing to high. Let mix on high for at least 3 minutes.
Check the Consistency: Once your buttercream has come together and is smooth, determine if the consistency is to your liking. If it is too thick, you may add 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, whipping well in between. The longer you whip your frosting, the more air will be incorporated and the fluffier it will be. Once you have achieved a good consistency, let it whip for 2 more minutes.
Frost the Cupcakes: Once cooled, frost the cupcakes with the strawberry tequila lime buttercream. I used a Wilton 6B piping tip. To garnish, thinly slice 2 whole fresh limes, cut halfway through each slice, and gently twist it. Place it on top of the buttercream, slightly to one side so that there is room for a strawberry. If you have small strawberries, place one on top of each cupcake (15 whole fresh strawberries total). If you have large strawberries, slice them in half and place a half onto each cupcake next to the lime.
How to Store
Store leftover strawberry margarita cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying chilled or at room temperature.
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