Description

These Strawberry Mango Margarita Cupcakes combine the vibrant flavors of fresh strawberries, tropical mango, and a hint of tequila for a playful twist on classic cupcakes. Featuring a marbled pink and yellow batter, topped with matching flavored buttercream and a decorative margarita glass rim, they offer a festive, crowd-pleasing treat perfect for parties and celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Batter

3 1/2 cups (430 g) plain all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups (265 g) caster superfine sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine salt
1/2 cup (125 g) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) full-cream whole milk
1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
2 tbsp Greek yoghurt or sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
4 drops pink food gel + 3 drops red food gel (for strawberry batter)
1 tsp strawberry flavouring
4 drops yellow food gel (for mango batter)
1 tsp mango flavouring
2 tsp tequila (optional)

Frosting

1 batch American buttercream or Swiss meringue buttercream frosting
5 drops pink food gel + 3 drops red food gel
1 tsp strawberry flavouring
5 drops yellow food gel
1 tsp mango flavouring

Decorations

1 cup granulated sugar (for rimming cupcakes)
10 limes, cut into 40 wedges
10 strawberries, washed & halved

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Instructions

Preheat & Prepare Tins: Preheat a fan-forced oven to 140°C (275°F) or a conventional oven to 160°C (320°F). Line two cupcake tins with cupcake liners to prevent sticking.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, caster sugar, baking powder, and fine salt. Use a hand mixer on low speed until all ingredients are well blended.
Add Butter: Incorporate the softened unsalted butter into the dry mix. Continue mixing on low speed until the mixture looks crumbly and has a sandy texture.
Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Add eggs, whole milk, vegetable oil, Greek yoghurt (or sour cream), vanilla extract, and tequila (optional) to the mixture. Mix on low speed just until combined, scraping down the bowl’s sides as needed, then mix for an additional 20 seconds to ensure uniformity.
Color and Flavor Batter: Divide the batter evenly into two separate bowls. Add pink and red food gel drops along with strawberry flavouring to one bowl, mixing until uniformly colored and scented. In the other bowl, add yellow food gel and mango flavouring, stirring well.
Fill Cupcake Liners: Transfer each flavored batter to separate piping bags. Pipe the mango-colored batter into cupcake liners first, then swirl the strawberry batter on top for a marbled effect.
Bake the Cupcakes: Place the cupcake trays in the preheated oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
Prepare Frosting: Divide the buttercream frosting into two bowls. Color and flavor one batch with pink and red gel plus strawberry flavour, and the other with yellow gel and mango flavour. Mix each batch thoroughly until smooth and evenly tinted.
Sugar Rim Decoration: Once the cupcakes have cooled, lightly brush the rims with water and gently roll each cupcake rim in granulated sugar to mimic the salted rim of a margarita glass.
Frost & Decorate: Fit a piping bag with an open star tip. Using both colored frostings, pipe a swirl of strawberry and mango flavors on each cupcake. Garnish with two lime wedges, a halved strawberry, and add a decorative paper straw to complete the margarita-inspired look.

Notes

For best results, ensure butter is softened but not melted to incorporate well into dry ingredients.
Using the piping bags for batter makes it easier to achieve the swirled color effect.
Tequila is optional but adds an authentic margarita flavor to the cupcakes.
Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting and sliding.
American buttercream or Swiss meringue buttercream can be used depending on your preferred frosting texture.
Decorate creatively using fresh fruit garnish and themed straws to enhance presentation.