Tiramisu Cupcakes
Tiramisu Cupcakes are a delightful twist on the classic Italian dessert, offering all the rich, creamy flavors of traditional tiramisu in a portable, individual-sized treat. These moist cupcakes are infused with the signature coffee and rum flavor, then topped with a light, fluffy mascarpone frosting that mimics the creamy layers of the classic dessert. A dusting of cocoa powder adds the perfect finishing touch, giving each bite a hint of bitterness to balance the sweetness. Tiramisu Cupcakes are an irresistible, bite-sized indulgence that brings together the best of both worlds—cake and tiramisu—for a truly decadent dessert experience.
Difficulty: MEDIUM
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Serving Size: 18 cupcakes
For the Cupcakes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups cake flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved. (I used 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste instead)
- 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
- 3 large whole eggs, plus 3 eggs yolks at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with liners.
- In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a small saucepan, over medium heat, stir milk and vanilla bean (or paste) and heat just until bubbles appear around the edge, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until melted. Let stand 15 minutes. Discard vanilla bean pod.
- Using an electric mixer on medium, whisk together whole eggs, yolks, and sugar until combined. Set mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk by hand until sugar is disolved and mixture is warm, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat. With electric mixture on high speed, whisk until mixture is fluffy, pale yellow, and thick enough to hold a ribbon on the surface for about 10 seconds when the whisk is lifted.
- Gently, but throughly fold flour mixture into the egg mixture in three batches. This will take several minutes. Stir 1/2 cup of the batter into the saucepan with the milk to thicken it. Fold the milk mixture into the remaining batter until just comined.
- Divide batter evenly into the lined cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through baking, until centres are completely set, and edges are a golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes.
For the Coffee-Marsala Syrup
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp freshly brewed very strong coffee or espresso
- 2 1/2 ounces marsala (or brandy)
- 1/4 cup sugar
Directions:
- Stir together coffee, marsala, and sugar until dissolved. Let cool.
For the Mascarpone Frosting
Ingredients:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 16 ounces (1 lb) mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
Directions:
- With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Be sure not to overbeat. In another bowl, whisk together mascarpone and confectioners sugar until smooth. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture until completely incorporated. Use immediately.
- After cupcakes have cooled completely, using a skewer poke some holes into the top of each cupcake, about 7 to 10. This will allow the coffee-marsala mixture to absorb easier. Brush the tops of the cupcakes evenly with the syrup, until all the syrup has been used. Allow cupcakes to absorb the syrup for 30 minutes. Frost cupcakes with the frosting, refrigerate overnight in an airtight container. Dust with cocoa powder just prior to serving.