Margarita Cake

My nonalcoholic margarita cake has all the refreshing citrusy flavors of a margarita in a moist, tender, simple-to-make cake. It starts with easy-to-find ingredients and creates a beautiful cake in less than an hour!

Because there’s no alcohol in this recipe, it’s completely family-friendly!!!

What I Love About This Margarita Cake Recipe

This is one of those cakes that I make year-round. It’s perfect for all spring and summer events but also a recipe I reach for when I want to chase away the winter blues with a burst of fresh flavor. It’s perfect for Cinco de Mayo, potlucks, picnics, and family barbecues.

I love that it starts with a cake mix. It makes the cake incredibly moist, dense, and tender (seriously, how the heck do they do that with cake mixes?). The margarita mix, which does not contain alcohol, adds intense citrus flavor.

Then of course we add fresh lime zest and juice. We are talking BIG FLAVOR here! And, to top it off, we bake it in a bundt cake pan so it pops out instantly pretty.

If you love citrus cakes, my pineapple upside down cake is one you won’t want to miss! My hummingbird cake is a fruity southern classic that is an absolute show stopper! If you’re looking for an all scratch citrus cake, my lemon pound cake is sure to please.

Let’s bake this!

Margarita Cake Recipe Notes

• Frozen Mix: Despite what the name margarita cake recipe might imply, this cake has no alcohol. The margarita flavor comes from using those frozen margarita mixes. Just remember you need to thaw the mix before adding.
• Pudding: The secret to making this cake so mouthwateringly moist is pudding! Adding pudding mix to cake is a long-held tradition in the baking world. Similar to the margarita mixes, you can shake up the flavors by grabbing other varieties of pudding. I use lemon pudding in this recipe, but let your imagination soar! If you can’t find the lemon pudding mix at your local market, try Amazon.
• Cake Mix: Double down on MOIST with a cake mix that also has pudding mix in it. Again, you can swap out the flavors according to your tastes, but I use lemon to keep with the citrus theme.
• Limes: Hate juicing limes? You’re in luck! There are plenty of secrets and tips to ease this annoying task. One way to get the most juice out of your squeeze is to roll the lime on the counter before you cut it! This “wakes up” all the juice inside and ensures you get every delicious dropout.
• Bundt Pan: This is the bundt pan I used and I love it. It’s deeply detailed and it creates lots of little indentations to catch the yummy glaze. Remember, bundt pans come in different sizes. This pan is a 10 cup. When the cake bakes, it rises right up to the tippy top, but I’ve never had any problems with it overflowing.

How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?

You can store it for up to a week.

Can You Freeze This Margarita Cake?

Yes! This margarita cake recipe freezes beautifully, with or without the glaze. Obviously, the glaze will be a bit better if you hold off and apply it after you’ve thawed the cake, but you can also freeze it on. Store your cake in the freezer in a sealed container for up to six months.

To thaw, let it sit in the fridge overnight. That’s it! No reheating needed.

Make Ahead Tips

Since this cake whips together so stunningly fast, there really is no make-ahead trick I can give you. This cake does store wonderfully though, so if you need to make it ahead of time, just chill it until you’re ready to serve.

Serving Recommendations

There’s only one way to eat a margarita cake — with margaritas, of course! Pair this cake with my pineapple margarita recipe for a delicious, refreshing tropical dessert. It’s also great with a cup of hot tea or coffee!

Recipe Variations

What variations can we get out of this margarita cake recipe? Plenty!

1. Use the lemon glaze. Swap the glaze from lime to lemon by using the same glaze I use in my lemon buttermilk cake.
2. Top with flaked coconut. Sprinkle some shredded or flaked coconut over the glaze like in my coconut pound cake.
3. Add strawberries. Swap the flavor profile for something akin to strawberry cake and turn it into a strawberry margarita cake!

More Bundt and Pound Cake Recipes

Looking for more bundt cake recipes that’ll please crowds and make mouths water? Check these out!

• Pumpkin Bundt Cake
• Red Velvet Bundt Cake
• Peach Pound Cake
• Strawberry Pound Cake
• Kentucky Butter Cake

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Margarita Cake

Get all the delicious flavors of your favorite refreshing summer beverage in my easy-to-make Margarita Cake recipe! Great for barbecues and birthdays.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Servings: 16 servings

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

Cake:

• ▢ 1 tablespoon lime zest
• ▢ 2 tablespoons lime juice
• ▢ 1 (10 ounces) can frozen nonalcoholic margarita mix, thawed
• ▢ 1/2 cup butter, softened
• ▢ 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• ▢ 1 boxed lemon cake
• ▢ 1 (3.4 ounce) box instant lemon pudding

Glaze:

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• ▢ 3 tablespoons lime juice

Garnish (optional)

• ▢ lime peel

Instructions

Make Cake:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10 cup bundt pan; set aside.
• In a mixing bowl add all of the cake ingredients.
  
• Using an electric mixer, set on low, beat until ingredients are combined. Turn mixer to medium and continue to beat for 4 minutes. Pour into a prepared pan.
  
• Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate and cool completely.

Make Glaze:

• Combine confectioners sugar with lime juice and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cake. Garnish as desired with lime peel.

Fans Also Made:

• 
  Banana Pound Cake
• 
  Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake
• 
  Old Fashioned Pound Cake
• 
  Strawberry Sheet Cake

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Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 299mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 247IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

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