"tucumcari tea" cupcakes

i feel like i haven't been baking lately even though i've been baking a ton for the farmers market. really i haven't been baking any new recipes so that makes me feel like i haven't been baking. i like trying new recipes more than anything. today i found a recipe for kahlua cupcakes. i haven't made cupcakes in a long time and anything with booze catches my eye. i decided to replace the kahlua with vodka because that's what i have. it's kind of an homage to an alcoholic beverage created by a tucumcari resident they named tucumcari tea. basically it's coffee infused vodka. i really liked the end result which was a chocolate coffee flavor with a kick of vodka. i put a lil too much coffee and vodka in the frosting so it was more like an icing than frosting and that's why it looks like my cupcakes are swimming in the photo but whatever it still taste good. oh i also cut this recipe in half cuz i only wanted a dozen cupcakes, not two dozen. i only used 1 egg, and only about 1/4 cup vodka in the cupcakes.

3 eggs, separated

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup strong cold coffee

3/4 cup Kahlua

Kahlua Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg whites until frothy; then beat in sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside. Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks one at a time. Sift flour, cocoa and baking soda together. Add to creamed mixture alternately with coffee and Kahlua; blend well. Fold egg whites into batter. Fill prepared cupcake cups to 2/3 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from tins and cool on rack completely before frosting. Makes 2 dozen cupcakes.

Buttercream Frosting

6 Tbsp butter

4 cups powdered sugar

3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

4 Tbsp. Kahlua

2-3 Tbsp. hot coffee

In large bowl, cream together butter and powdered sugar. Add cocoa powder, Kahlua and hot coffee. Beat until smooth. Frosts 2 dozen cupcakes.