Modelo Especial lime cake: The “tangy-twist” trend comes to Mexico

April 21, 2025

Image of a three-layer yellow cake with white frosting in between all the layers and on top, with grated lime zest on the top of the cake. The cake sits on a white plate, which is on a white tea towel. In front of the cake is half a lime and a tiny dipping bowl filled with honey. To screen left of the cake is an open can of Modelo Especial beer. — This recipe takes the tangy-twist trend in desserts and applies it to a classic lemon-beer cake — Mexican style, of course! (AI-generated image)

Dessert trends are impacting 2025, from culinary fusion to the effortless ease of dump cakes to even nostalgic desserts with a twist (adding new flavors to classic favorites).

In Mexico, dessert trends have also made their mark, including fusion desserts — innovative and unique flavor combinations like mole-flavored truffles and hibiscus-infused pastries — motivating Mexican chefs to blend the traditional with the modern. They also recognize that their consumers and patrons are more health-conscious, as exemplified by their desserts that are now incorporating healthier fruits and vegetables.

Hibiscus infued Tres leches cake with a glass of milk, all resting on a long, thin dessert plate. — A tres leches cake made with infused hibiscus, from food blogger Vianney Rodríguez.

These include the popular avocado ice-cream or dessert tacos, made by baking the shells (with a light coat of oil and cinnamon) and filling them with nonfat, fruit-flavored yogurt topped by fresh fruits, coconut flakes, nuts or chia seeds.

But maybe Mexico has made more of a mark on international cuisine than international cuisine has made on it.

Mexican food restaurants abound, not only in the U.S. but also in Canada. And desserts made with cajeta or dulce de leche have become a part of English lingo — and who hasn’t enjoyed a slice of tres leches cake?

So, let’s look at the tangy-twist trend and how we can apply it to a lemon-beer cake (now transformed into a Modelo one; we’re in Mexico, after all!). Because when you think cake, you don’t often associate it with beer; the two don’t seem to meld, but pair it with fresh lime and Modelo, and a flavor transformation takes place — a burst of tangy but subdued excitement in the tastebuds!

It may be unique, but not a new concept. The Irish have been doing it for centuries with Guinness, since beer/stout was often used for taste and as a leavening agent (and still is). After all, who could celebrate St. Patrick’s Day without a rich slice of Guinness Chocolate Cake?

So, in that spirit, let’s make a Mexican Modelo-Lime Cake, with Modelo Especial (the U.S.’s best-selling beer) and fresh Mexican limes and finish it off with a ricotta cheese and honey frosting, crowned by more tropical fruits like mangos and pineapple. Disfruta!

Mexican Modelo-Lime Cake with Ricotta Honey Frosting

Cake:

Ingredients:

1 3/4 Cups (210 g): All-purpose flour*
- * Mexican brands closest to American all-purpose: Espuma de Chapala or Selecta All-Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup (150 g), Brown sugar (azúcar moreno)
2 Tbs. (25 g) Caster Sugar* (azúcar estándar)
- * Caster sugar is superfine sugar. To make it, pulse granulated sugar in a blender or food processor until fine but not powdered.
3 Tbs. (42.6 g) Unsalted Butter (mantequilla sin sal)
3 Eggs (huevos)
1 Tbs. (15 ml) Honey (miel)
2 Tbs. (30 ml) Fresh Lime Juice and Zest: Juice and zest of 1 lime (jugo de limón)
3/4 Cup (180 ml) Modelo Especial® Beer
2 Tbs. (30 ml) Virgin Olive Oil (aceite de oliva extra virgen)
½ tsp. (2.4 g) Baking Powder (polvo de hornear)
½ tsp. (2.8 g) Baking Soda (bicarbonato de sodio)
Pinch, Sea Salt (sal de mar)
Pinch, Cinnamon or cayenne pepper (canela molida o pimienta de cayena)

Instructions:

First:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease an 8-inch loose-base cake tin (or springform pan that’s wrapped with aluminum foil to prevent leaks).

Next:

In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer, combine lime zest, brown sugar, caster sugar and butter. Beat until well combined.
Add eggs one at a time, incorporating well between additions.
Add lime juice, beer, honey and olive oil. Mix until combined.
Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Frosting:

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup (220 g) Ricotta cheese (queso ricotta)
1/3 Cup (100 g) Quark cheese (queso quark)
- To substitute for quark cheese, use mascarpone cheese and add 1 – 2 Tbs. lime juice to increase tanginess, depending on your taste.
2 Tbs. (30 ml) Honey (miel)
2 Tbs. (30 ml) Demerara Sugar or Brown Sugar (azúcar moreno)
- A raw sugar minimally processed made from sugarcane and molasses. You can sub light-brown or dark-brown sugar for Demerara.
2 Tbs. (10 g) Lime Zest: Zest of one lime (ralladura de limón)
1 tsp. (5 ml) Vanilla extract (extracto de vainilla)
- Mexican brands noted for their intense flavor: Villa Vainilla; Vainilla Totonac’s; Molina Vainilla
Additions: Pineapple and mangos, cinnamon (piña, mangos, canela)

Instructions:

Prepare the frosting by mixing ricotta, quark (or mascarpone), lime zest and honey.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
Once the cake is cooled, spread the frosting on top and decorate with fresh fruits and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.

Disfruta!

Deborah McCoy is the one-time author of mainstream, bridal-reference books who has turned her attention to food, particularly sweets, desserts and fruits. She is the founder of CakeChatter™ on FaceBook and X (Twitter), and the author of four baking books for “Dough Punchers” via CakeChatter (available @amazon.com). She is also the president of The American Academy of Wedding Professionals™ (aa-wp.com).