Tiramisu Cupcakes

This is the second time I've made these cupcakes, and they are wonderful!  The cupcake portion is a little involved, but the cake is worth it.  The extra effort results in a cupcake that tastes and has almost identical texture to a ladyfinger.  The texture isn't completely the same because while the outside of the cupcake is crunchy, the inside is perfectly chewy and soft, like a cupcake should be.  It's a great base to soak up the coffee syrup and hold a nice mound of mascarpone & heavy cream frosting.

Tiramisu Cupcakes

makes ~18 cupcakes

1 1/4 cup cake flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup milk

1 vanilla bean pod, halved & seeds scraped

4 Tbsp butter

3 eggs + 3 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together, set aside.  Mix milk, vanilla seeds & scraped bean, and butter ina microwave safe bowl, and heat in 15 second intervals until butter is melted.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk eggs & yolks, and sugar on high speed until fluffy & pale.  They should hold a nice ribbon for several seconds.  Remove the vanilla bean pods from the milk & discard.  Switch the mixer to the paddle attachment, and on low speed, add flour mixture slowly, following with milk, mixing just until combined.  Fill muffin tins 2/3 full and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Coffee Syrup

1/2 cup coffee, brewed at double strength, or espresso

1/4 cup sugar

Add sugar to coffee right after it brews.  Stir to combine.  While cupcakes are still warm, poke 4 to 5 holes in each cupcake and brush liberally with coffee syrup, repeating several times.

Frosting

1 cup heavy cream

8 oz mascarpone cheese

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

Whip heavy cream until you get stiff peaks.  Add mascarpone, vanilla, and powdered sugar and beat another minute.  Frost cupcakes, and finish with a light dusting of cocoa powder.

Recipe from Confections of a Foodie Bride, adapted from Martha Stewart.