Tiramisu Cupcakes

These are the cupcakes I came up with for Matt & Winnie's wedding, and I'm so happy with how they came out. I ended up adapting 4 recipes into this one, and did about 7 batches before the big day to perfect the recipe.

These cupcakes are a real standout - moist (even surviving the fridge, and being made days before eating), flavourful, and very true to the taste of Tiramisu. The buttercream icing is amazing too, and very easy to pipe. I replaced some of the normal flour with almond meal, to keep them moist and to add texture and flavour. Yes, there are quite a few steps, but these taste so good it is totally worth it!

Tiramisu Cupcakes 

(adapted heavily from The Hummingbird Bakery and the Barefoot Contessa)

For the Tiramisu Cupcakes:

(makes 16-18 cupcakes)

• 85 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 1/3 cups caster sugar

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup almond meal/flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

• a "scant" 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste

For the Coffee Soaking Syrup:

(enough for 16-18 cupcakes)

• 1 cup coffee, strong (or 2 double shots of espresso)

• 5 tablespoons Kahlua coffee liqueur

• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the Mascapone filling:

• 3  egg yolks, at room temperature 

• 2 tablespoons sugar 

• 2 tablespoons Kahlua

• 2 tablespoons espresso

• 400g or 1 tub mascarpone cheese (Kapiti or Bouton D'or is best)

For the Kahlua Buttercream Frosting:

• 4 tablespoons Kahlua (or 2 tablespoons espresso) - or to taste
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 340g unsalted butter, softened

• 3 cups icing sugar, sifted.

• 3 tablespoons milk

For the Tiramisu Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C, and line a muffin tin with cupcake cases.
2. Using a handheld beater or stand mixer, beat butter, flour, almond meal, sugar and baking powder on low speed until the ingredients are well incorporated and have the texture of fine breadcrumbs. 
3. Break 2 eggs into a Pyrex measuring cup, then add 1 'scant' cup whole milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and whisk together by hand.
4. With the mixer running on a low speed, slowly pour three-quarters of the wet ingredients into the flour and butter mixture. Once everything has been mixed together, scrape down the sides of the bowl to pick up an ingredients that were missed, then add the rest of the milk mixture and continue mixing the batter until it is smooth and even.
5. Divide the batter between the paper cases, filling each case with 2 tablespoons of batter (or, filling each up to two-thirds full).
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes in the preheated oven until well risen and the tops bounce back when touched. Leave to cool slightly before removing them from the tin, then place on a wire rack to cool completely while you make the coffee soaking syrup. 

For the Coffee Soaking Syrup:

1. Pour 1 cup coffee into a saucepan and whisk in 3 tablespoons granulated sugar. 
2. Place the pan on your stovetop and bring to a boil, allowing the liquid to reduce by about half the pot, then remove from heat and add Kahlua, and set aside to cool.

For the Mascapone filling:

1. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed for 5 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. 
2. Lower the speed to medium and add the kahlua, espresso, and the mascarpone. Whisk until smooth. 

For the kahlua frosting:

1.  Beat butter in bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.  Reduce mixer speed to low.  Add icing sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating for a few seconds between each addition.  Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes. 
2.  Add the Kahlua, beat on low speed to combine.  Scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl.  Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Frosts 18 cupcakes.

To assemble:

1. When cool, cut a cone out of the top of the cupcake at about 90 degrees, or use a cupcake corer. reserve cone.
2. Fill each hole with about 1 tablespoon of Kahlua syrup, trying especially to get down the sides, not just the bottom of the hole. 
3. Fill each hole with the marscapone mixture, approx 1 teaspoonful.
4. Dip the leftover cone in the Syrup, and replace back on the cupcake, pushing down gently to get as flat as possible
5. Frost as desired with Kahlua Buttercream frosting, and decorate with a dusting of cocoa, or shaved dark chocolate.