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tiramisu cupcake with a bite taken out

Tiramisu Cupcakes with Easy Mascarpone Cream

Bernice Baran
Super moist and tender vanilla cupcakes soaked in espresso and frosted with fluffy mascarpone cream topped with a generous dusting of cocoa powder.
4.50 from 22 votes
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 33 minutes
Course Cupcakes
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 13 cupcakes
Calories 372 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Vanilla Cupcakes

  • 172 grams (1 1/2 cups) cake flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
  • 60 mL (1/4 cup) canola oil
  • 56 grams (1/4 cup) unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 large egg 60g, room temperature (or 2 large egg whites if you want whiter cupcakes)
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 113 grams (1/2 cup) sour cream
  • 80 mL (1/3 cup) whole milk room temperature
  • 240-360 mL (1-1 1/2 cup/8-12 oz) espresso (or strong coffee) room temperature

Mascarpone

  • 8 ounces (1 small tub) mascarpone cheese, cold (I recommend Belgioioso)**
  • 120 grams (1 cup) powdered sugar spooned and leveled
  • 180 mL (3/4 cup/6 oz) heavy whipping cream cold
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
  • tiny pinch of fine sea salt
  • Cocoa powder for dusting I used dutch

Instructions
 

Vanilla Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350F/177C convection (325F/163C conventional) and line 13 muffin tins with cupcake liners (preferably a light colored pan).
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, salt and sugar until they're evenly distributed (whisk well).
    172 grams (1 1/2 cups) cake flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
  • Add the oil and butter to the dry ingredients and beat together until they're combined.
    60 mL (1/4 cup) canola oil, 56 grams (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
  • Add the egg and vanilla extract and paste and mix until they're fully combined.
    1 large egg, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • Add the sour cream and turn the mixer to low speed, while streaming the milk in. Scrape the edge of the bowl and mix just until the cupcake batter is smooth.
    113 grams (1/2 cup) sour cream, 80 mL (1/3 cup) whole milk
  • Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3-3/4 full, about 50-55 grams of batter per cupcake.* You will have enough batter for about half a cupcake leftover. DO NOT BE TEMPTED to distribute that among the cupcakes, they will sink if they’re overfilled.
  • Bake for 16-18 minutes. They are done when you press on the center of the cupcake and it springs back or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Remove them from the oven and let them cool in the cupcake pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before soaking.
  • Poke holes into the tops of the cupcakes and brush them each with about 1-2 Tbsp of the coffee.
    240-360 mL (1-1 1/2 cup/8-12 oz) espresso

Mascarpone Cream

  • Place the cold mascarpone into the bowl of a stand mixer (or just a large bowl with a hand mixer) with the powdered sugar and salt.
    8 ounces (1 small tub) mascarpone cheese, cold (I recommend Belgioioso)**, 120 grams (1 cup) powdered sugar, tiny pinch of fine sea salt
  • Beat at low-medium speed until they're combined and then increase the speed to medium-high for 1-2 minutes, scraping the edge of the bowl halfway through.
  • Add the vanilla and the cold heavy whipping cream in 3-4 increments, mixing well between each addition.
    180 mL (3/4 cup/6 oz) heavy whipping cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
  • After adding all the heavy whipping cream, the cream may look soft, turn the mixer up to full speed for 1-2 more minutes and it should stiffen up (like whipped cream does).
  • Use a piping bag fit with a large round piping tip to frost the cupcakes. Use a small spoon or small offset spatula to create a little swirl on top and dust with cocoa powder.
    Cocoa powder for dusting

Notes

  • *I weigh 55g of batter for each cupcake. If it's less, they'll be short and if it's too much, they may sink.
  • The vanilla cupcake recipe was designed to stay pale so don't look for a golden brown color when it's finished baking. Just gently press on the cake and it should spring back.
  • I recommend a light colored metal cupcake pan if you want them more uniform in color.
  • Store in an airtight container, at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerated for 7-10 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 372kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 4gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 120mgPotassium: 64mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 642IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 83mgIron: 0.3mg
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