Tequila Key Lime Bundt Cake

Bundt cake that is soft and tender, flavored with zesty key limes and a splash of tequila.

Give this tequila key lime bundt cake a try soon!

You’re going to love this Tequila Key Lime Bundt Cake. It’s like a margarita you can eat! Topped with a zest lime frosting on top this dessert is one you won’t soon forget. In true boozy fashion, we make this margarita cake recipe with tequila for a nice depth of flavor, but you don’t have to be a tequila connoisseur to appreciate this cake. The tequila flavor is only alluded to in each bite. The key lime flavor is what hits you first. The fresh citrus sort of explodes with each tender fork full. The reason behind the abundance of key lime flavor in this cake is all the key lime zest and juice that gets swirled into the batter.

Margarita Lime Cake

This margarita bundt cake recipe is very easy to make from scratch which is just one more reason to love it. Seriously though, it is the BEST margarita cake recipe I’ve ever tried. From the soft and fluffy cake packed with flavor to the simple syrup and cream cheese frosting on top, every slice is heavenly. After the cake comes out of the oven, a key lime simple syrup is brushed over the entire cake. The warm cake acts like a sponge and sucks up that silky syrup. The syrup does two things: it enhances the flavor and keeps the cake especially moist. The frosting is as good as any frosting you’ll find on a layer cake. It is ultra creamy and smooth and paced with a delicious citrus tang in every bite.

Ingredients

For the cake, you will need:

• Butter
• Granulated sugar
• Salt
• Eggs
• Baking powder
• All-purpose flour
• Tequila
• Milk
• Key lime zest
• Key lime juice

For the syrup, you will need:

• Key lime juice
• Granulated sugar

For the frosting, you will need:

• Cream cheese
• Powdered sugar
• Key lime zest
• Key lime juice

For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.

How to Make Tequila Key Lime Bundt Cake

For the cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and spray the inside of a 10 cup bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray and then set it aside.
2. In a measuring cup, combine the milk and tequila, and then set it aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add in the salt and then add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.
5. Mix in the baking powder.
6. Add in the flour, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
7. Beat in the key lime zest and juice.
8. Pour your batter into the prepared bundt pan and spread it out evenly with a spatula.
9. Bake in the oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
10. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
11. Top the pan with a cooling rack and hold the bottom of the bundt pan with one hand while holding the cooling rack in the other to carefully flip and invert the cake onto the cooling rack. remove the pan.
12. Use a toothpick or narrow skewer to poke holes all over your cake.

For the syrup:

1. While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup.
2. Heat the key lime juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool slightly.
3. When the cake is ready, brush the syrup over the cake, using as much syrup as possible.
4. If you have leftover syrup, allow the cake to absorb what has been brushed on and then repeat the process.
5. Allow the cake to cool completely.

For the frosting:

1. To prepare the frosting, beat the cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth and creamy.
2. Carefully add in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time until well mixed.
3. Beat in the key lime zest and juice until the frosting is spreadable. Add in more sugar or juice as needed to achieve desired consistency.
4. Slowly drizzle or pipe the frosting over the cake and allow the frosting to set before serving.

Recipe Tips

You can omit the tequila if desired and the cake will still turn out tasting fabulous.

FAQs

How long is lime bundt cake good for?

This cake can be kept stored for up to 5 days if properly stored well covered in the fridge. You can keep the cake at room temperature but once the frosting has been added the cake should be kept in the fridge for food safety reasons as it is cream cheese based which will spoil if left out for more than 2 hours.

Can I freeze margarita cake?

You can freeze this cake either frosted or unfrosted depending on how you want to do it. I recommend freezing the cake on a baking sheet for several hours until solid and then wrapping it well in plastic wrap before placing it into an airtight container to freeze for up to three months. When ready to serve, place it in the fridge for several hours or on the counter for less time so that the cake can thaw before slicing.

Does the alcohol bake out of the cake?

The alcohol in this cake recipe should bake out completely thanks to the extended baking time. While the alcohol is gone, the flavor will remain to make this a delicious cake to enjoy with anyone.

For more tequila recipes, check out these fun suggestions:

• Tequila Key Lime Cupcakes
• Fried Tequila Shots
• Tequila Lime Chicken Pizza

Continue to Content

Yield: 16

Tequila Key Lime Bundt Cake

Print

Bundt cake that is soft and tender, flavored with zesty key limes and a splash of tequila!

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 cups flour
• 1/4 cup tequila
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon grated key limes
• 2 teaspoons key lime juice

For the syrup

• 1/2 cup key lime juice
• 1/2 cup sugar

For the frosting

• 1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon key lime zest
• 3 teaspoons key juice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 10 inch bundt pan with non stick spray and set aside.
2. Combine milk and tequila in a measuring cup, set aside.
3. In the bowl of stand mixer beat butter and sugar and light and fluffy. Add salt. Slowly beat in eggs one at a time, taking care to incorporate each egg into the batter before adding the next. Mix in baking powder. Add the flour, alternating with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat in key lime zest and juice.
4. Pour batter into bundt pan and smooth it out with a spatula. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Top pan with a cooking rack. Holding bottom of the bundt pan with one hand while holding the cooling rack with the other, carefully invert cake to rest on the cooling rack. Using a toothpick or a narrow skewer, gently poke holes over your cake.
5. While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup. Heat key lime juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Cool slightly.
6. When cake is ready, brush syrup over cake, using as much syrup as possible. If you have leftover syrup, allow cake to absorb what has been brushed on, then repeat the process.
7. Allow cake to cool completely.
8. To prepare the frosting, beat cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth and creamy. Carefully add powdered sugar one cup at time. Beat in key lime zest and juice until the frosting is spreadable, adding more sugar or juice as necessary.
9. Slowly drizzle frosting over cake. Allow frosting to set before serving.
10. (I used a ziptop bag for my frosting. Fill bag, snip the corner and quickly drizzle frosting over cake).

Nutrition Information

Yield

16

Serving Size

1 slice
Amount Per Serving Calories 457Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 92mgSodium 354mgCarbohydrates 69gFiber 1gSugar 49gProtein 5g

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