Tiramisu Cupcakes

As a little girl, I have always enjoyed my grandmother's tiramisu recipe around the holidays. I used to make it in college, and it was simple and easy. Recently I was thinking, there has to be a way to create 2 of my favorite desserts, cupcakes, and tiramisu.

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcake Base

• 1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour

• 2 eggs, room temperature

• 1 cup of white sugar

• 1 tsp of baking powder

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup 2% milk

Coffee Layer

• 2/3 cups of brewed espresso (you can use Nespresso, or café Bustello instant espresso)

• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

Marscapone Filling

• 1 cup mascarpone cheese

• 3 tablespoons of Kahlua or coffee

• 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

• 1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip

• 1/8 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 (8oz) package of Cream cheese, softened

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 2 cups confectioner's sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Mascarpone Filling * Chill for 4-6 hours or overnight*

1. Beat Marscapone, Kahlua, or coffee & condensed milk until blended. Fold in the Cool Whip and add the vanilla extract.

2. Once ingredients are all combined, transfer into a bowl, and place plastic wrap over the top, pressing the plastic wrap onto the mixture. Place into the fridge for 4-6 hours or overnight.

Placing plastic wrap and pressing it into the cup or bowl to touch the substance, prevents skin from forming.

Base:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 count cupcake tin with liners, set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat flour, eggs, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, and vanilla extract. Next, gradually beat in milk.

3. Fill cupcake liners with batter and bake12 cupcakes for 18-20 minutes or until the cupcake test done.

4. Cool cupcakes on a wire rack.

5. While cupcakes are cooling, create the coffee layer.

Coffee Layer:

1. Once, the espresso is brewed, combine in the confectioner's sugar.

2. Let the mixture sit until room temperature.

NOTE: Keep the leftover espresso.

Poking holes into the cake will allow the liquid to absorb into the cake allowing the liquid to add more moisture and flavor to the cake/ cupcake.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. With a mixer on low speed combine butter and cream cheese until creamy

2. Gradually add in confectioners sugar. As you beat in the sugar with a silicone spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl.

3. Add vanilla and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Assembling the Cupcakes

1. Poke the cupcake with a fork, after poking the cupcake, with a brush, brush the coffee layer. Once that is dry, dip the top of the cupcake into the coffee mixture and let it absorb into the cupcake till dry.

2. Then spoon your Marscapone filling into a pastry bag and your favorite tip. Or spoon Marscapone filling into a ziplock bag, and cut off the corner of the ziplock bag.

3. Then squeeze the filling in the center of the cupcake with the piping bag or the zip lock bag.

4. Once cupcakes are filled, put the cream cheese frosting into a piping bag and frost your cupcakes with the desired frosted method.

5. Once cupcakes are frosted, stick them into the fridge and then serve them cold.