Tiramisu Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 1⅓ cups (185 g/6.5 oz) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (1 stick/115 g) butter, softened
• ½ cup (100 g/3.5 oz) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (100 g/3.5 oz) brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk

Coffee Soaking Syrup:

• ¼ cup hot water
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee powder*
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon marsala or coffee liqueur such as Kahlua, optional but so good!

Frosting:

• ¾ cup (170 g/6 oz) mascarpone cheese
• ⅓ cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee powder*
• 1½ tablespoons coffee liqueur
• ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream
• Cocoa powder, for dusting

Instruction

1. To make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, coffee/espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Reduce mixer speed to low and add half of the dry ingredients, beating just until combined. Add milk and beat until combined. Add the other half of the dry ingredients and beat slowly only until combined. Do not over mix—the less you mix, the lighter the cupcakes will be.
4. Divide batter evenly between cups, filling about ¾ full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow pan to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove cupcakes and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
5. To make the soaking syrup: Mix the coffee/espresso powder and sugar in hot water and mix until dissolved, then add liqueur. Allow to cool.
6. While cupcakes are still warm, poke the tops with a fork or toothpick a few times. Brush with coffee syrup, allowing it to soak in. Use all the syrup evenly over cupcakes.
7. To make the frosting: In a large bowl whisk together mascarpone, sugar, espresso powder, and liqueur. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture in 2 additions. Use immediately to frost cupcakes.
8. Chill cupcakes until ready to serve. Just before serving, dust frosting with cocoa powder.
9. Cupcakes can be kept tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe credits to Pretty Simple Sweet