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colorful vertical buttercream ruffles, piped on a tequila infused cake
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4.94 from 15 ratings

Tequila Cake

This tequila-infused layer cake is made with lime cake layers, and a tequila lime buttercream! It's the perfect boozy cake for Cinco De Mayo, or for anyone who loves tequila!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Additional Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Cakes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16
Calories: 658kcal

Ingredients

Lime Cake Layers:

  • 2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 276 grams
  • 2 cups granulated sugar 400 grams
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 6 grams
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt 3 grams
  • 2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 150 grams - 1 and 1/3 sticks
  • 2/3 cup large egg whites, room temperature or about 5 egg whites (185 grams)
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature 240 grams
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil 14 grams
  • 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 12 grams
  • zest of 1 small lime 4 grams

Tequila Lime Simple Syrup

  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar 132 grams
  • 1/2 cup water 118 grams
  • 2 Tbsp tequila 25 grams
  • 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 12 grams
  • zest of 1 small lime 4 grams

Tequila Lime Buttercream

  • 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature 434 grams
  • 7 cups powdered sugar 907 grams - or a 2 lb bag
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt 3 grams
  • 2 Tbsp tequila 25 grams
  • 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 24 grams
  • bright orange, pink, green, yellow, and blue gel food coloring

Instructions

Lime Cake Layers:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line four, six-inch pans with parchment rounds, and grease with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Mix together all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined.
  • Mix chunks of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.
  • Pour in egg whites, and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk in two installments, on a low speed.
  • Add in lime juice, lime zest, and oil, and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated.
  • Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (about 300 grams per pan).
  • Bake for 32-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
  • Place cake layers into the freezer for 45 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers.
  • Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers.

Tequila Lime Simple Syrup:

  • Place water and sugar in a pot.
  • Heat over high heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture just begins to boil.
  • Remove from heat, and allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.
  • Add in the tequila, lime zest, and lime juice, and set aside.

Tequila Lime Buttercream Frosting:

  • While the cake layers bake and cool, make the tequila frosting.
  • Beat the butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with small splashes of the lime juice and tequila.
  • Once fully mixed, add in the lime zest and salt, and beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated, and the desired consistency is reached. 
  • If the frosting is too thick, add in additional lime juice (1 teaspoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
  • Divide the frosting into five bowls, adding an extra cup of frosting to the bowl you plan to color green.
  • Color the frosting bright green, orange, pink, yellow, and blue with gel food coloring
  • Place each color of frosting into its own piping bag, fitted with a wilton 104 frosting tip.

To Assemble This Tequila Cake:

  • Once the simple syrup has cooled, dab it on top of each leveled cake layer, using a sterile brush. Be sure to fully cover the surface of each cake layer.
  • Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
  • If desired, use a three-inch circle cutter to remove the center from the two middle cake layer to make a sprinkle filled cake.
  • Pipe about 1/2 cup of green frosting on top of each cake layer, and spread with an offset spatula.
  • While assembling the cake, fill the hole in the middle cake layer with a festive sprinkle blend to create a piñata-inspired cake.
  • Apply a thin coat of green frosting around the the cake, to fully cover the cake layers. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (10 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
  • Pipe vertical ruffles of buttercream up the sides of the cake, following the same color pattern.
  • Use leftover buttercream to pipe small flowers to decorate the top of the cake.

Video

Notes

One batch of cake batter makes about 1200 grams, so when I'm making a cake with four layer, I add 300 grams of batter into each pan.
Once the layers have fully cooled, I sometimes like to trim the caramelized bits from the sides of the layers using a serrated knife.
These cake layers can be made in advance!! Learn more about how far in advance they can be made, and how to properly wrap them in my post on how to make cake layers ahead of time.
Since this frosting will be used to decorate a cake, it is important to mix the buttercream on the lowest speed at the end of the process for a couple minutes, to get out any extra air that might have be incorporated during the mixing process.
You can also stir the frosting in a bowl with a rubber spatula, pushing it from side to side, to get rid of any air bubbles.This will make it easier to get super smooth sides on your cake!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 658kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 243mg | Sugar: 91g