2 Girls and A Cupcake

Perhaps you've seen owners and besties Evelyn Dieppa and Lorena Castro on Food Network's Cupcake Wars. These Hialeah natives have made a name for themselves by crafting cupcakes with an only-in-Miami vibe. Their signature Oye Como Va dons a sweet guava filling with cream-cheese frosting, while the Kiss Me I'm Cuban takes coconut and mango to an other-world level. When we asked the fab twosome to show us how it's done, they agreed: Check out the recipe for their sour-meets-sweet Lemon Drop.

Cupcake: Lemon Drop
Alcohol of Choice: Vodka
Makeup: You're in luck, because we've got the three-part recipe!
Price Tag: Minis are $1.10, regular size is $2.15, and jumbo size versions are $3.
Makes: 18 Cupcakes
Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cupcake Batter:
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp of vodka
• 1 tsp baking powder

Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda
In a separate small bowl, combine eggs (beating well after each addition), milk, vodka, and lemon juice.
In a large bowl, using the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the liquid ingredients. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Lemon Drop Shot
                                   • 1/4 part sugar
• 1/4 part lemon juice
• 1 tbs of vodka
Combine sugar, lemon juice, and vodka (add more vodka if necessary!) in a heavy-bottom pan over low heat until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. After cakes have cooled for 10 minutes, spoon the syrup over the tops of the cupcakes, about a tablespoon of syrup per cake. Then, allow cakes to cool completely before frosting.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting
Makes enough frosting for 2 dozen cupcakes.
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 6 to 8 cups of sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tbsps of lemon juice

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar, one cup at a time, and lemon juice. Beat well after each addition, until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of yellow coloring and mix!

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Photo: Courtesy of 2 Girls and A Cupcake