Margarita Cake

This easy Margarita Cake is a moist lime bundt cake made with lemon cake mix, instant pudding, frozen nonalcoholic margarita mix, fresh lime juice, and zest, then finished with a sweet-tart lime glaze. It’s bright, family-friendly, and perfect for potlucks, birthdays, barbecues, and Cinco de Mayo.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword bundt cake recipes, Margarita Cake Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 241kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

Cake:

1 tablespoon lime zest
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 (10-ounce) 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

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F (177ºC). 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 it on low, then beat until the ingredients are combined. Turn the 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 confectioner's sugar (1 1/2 cups) with lime juice (3 tablespoons) and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over the cake. Garnish as desired with lime peel.

Notes

Don’t skip the lime zest. Most of the fresh lime flavor comes from the zest, so it really helps give the cake that classic margarita-inspired flavor.
Use room temperature eggs. Room temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the batter and help create a lighter, more even texture.
Bundt pan size. Use a 10-cup bundt pan for this recipe. A detailed bundt pan makes the cake extra pretty and gives the glaze lots of little ridges to settle into. Grease and flour the pan well so the cake releases cleanly.
Grease every detail of the bundt pan. Bundt cakes can stick easily, especially in decorative pans. Be extra generous with baking spray or butter and flour.
Let the glaze drip naturally. Instead of spreading the glaze, slowly drizzle it over the top and let it run down the sides for that pretty bakery-style finish.
This cake tastes even better the next day. The citrus flavors deepen as the cake sits, making leftovers extra delicious.

Nutrition