Margarita Pound Cake
This decadent Margarita Pound Cake is buttery and delicious with all of the flavor of a margarita (thanks to the margarita mix in the cake batter). We've brushed it with a tequila lime glaze.
Servings: 15
Ingredients
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened (339g)
- 2¾ cups (550g) sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temperature (place in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes to speed up the process).
- 3 cups (342 g) cake flour (Not self rising. We use Swan's Down, bleached)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
- ¾ cup (176 g) frozen margarita mix, thawed (We used Bacardi brand. Place sealed can in warm water for 5-10 minutes if you need to speed up the thawing.)
- ¼ cup milk (We use 2 percent or full fat)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
- zest of two limes
- zest of one lemon (Optional. You could also swap in zest from one orange)
Tequlia Lime Glaze (for brushing onto warm cake)
- ⅓ cup tequila
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter
Easy Sugar Glaze/Drizzle
- 2 cups confectioners sugar (measure then sift)
- 3 tablespoons Lime juice and/or tequila
- pinch of salt
- lime zest - optional
Instructions
- Grease and flour a tube pan. (Ours was a 10 inch pan with baking capacity of 12 cups)
- Preheat the oven to 325℉.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, and salt to combine, set aside for later.
- Using an electric mixer (paddle attachment if using a stand mixer), cream the butter on medium speed until smooth. Next, gradually add the sugar and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until the yolk is blended.
- In a measuring cup or bowl, combine the thawed margarita mix with the milk, lemon zest, lime zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the margarita mixture to the butter/sugar/egg mixture in the mixing bowl. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. We do three additions of dry, alternating with two additions of wet.
- Scoop batter into prepared bundt pan.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 5-10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. *Baking times may vary and so peek in as the end time approaches and adjust time as needed. *Start making the tequila lime glaze during the last 10 minutes or so of baking the cake (See Tequila Lime Glaze Instructions Below).
- Remove the freshly baked cake from the oven and brush the top with a light coating of the tequila lime glaze. Allow cake to cool for about 15 minutes before turning it out onto a cake plate.
- Brush the top and sides with tequila lime glaze using a pastry brush. Allow to soak in before adding the decorative white sugar glaze drizzle. *We didn't use all of the tequila lime glaze.
Tequila Lime Glaze
- Heat ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
Sugar Glaze/Drizzle
- Combine ingredients (confectioners sugar, tequila/lime juice, zest, pinch of salt) stirring until smooth. If it is too thick, add a bit more juice or tequila. If too thin, add additional confectioners sugar. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.
Decorating the Cake
- After brushing the cake with the Tequila Glaze and allowing it to soak in, you can apply the sugar glaze/drizzle. You can spoon it over the cake or spoon it into a disposable piping bag with the tip snipped away if you'd like more control. Sprinkle with lime zest if you'd like.
Storage
- This cake can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container or under a cake dome.
Notes
Substitution for Cake Flour: Using all purpose flour (plain in UK) to make Cake Flour: For each cup of flour in a recipe, remove 2 Tablespoons of flour and replace with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour in the UK). This recipe has 3 cups of flour so you will measure out 3 cups of all purpose flour, remove 6 Tablespoons and replace with 6 Tablespoons cornstarch, whisk to blend.
Bundt Pan: Our bundt pan has a baking capacity of 12 cups and measures about 10 inches. If you are working with a smaller pan, it will take longer to bake. Be careful not to overfill. (General rule of thumb: don't fill pan past ⅔ full)
Can't find Margarita Mix? Our local grocery stores carry frozen Bacardi Margarita Mix year-round. However, if you can't find it or would like to go another route, try our delicious Key Lime Pound Cake recipe and brush it with the tequila lime glaze.
This recipe makes about 8 cups of batter.