Mocha Tiramisu Cupcakes

I’ve been craving for some Tiramisu lately.  It’s one of my favorite desserts.  Hm…guess I really have a long list of favorites.  Anyhow, I can’t seem to find ladyfingers anywhere, which is one of the main ingredients in making Tiramisu.  I’ve tried to bake the ladyfingers but unfortunately, they weren’t that successful.  (Yeah, not everything came out of my kitchen are perfect.  Let’s be real.)  The homemade ladyfingers were not good enough for me to use them in my Tiramisu!  Fortunately, I came across the idea of Tiramisu Cupcakes (before I had a chance to drive down to a bakery to get my Tiramisu fix)!  What a genius idea, right?!   So, in the kitchen I went….



Instead of just regular Tiramisu cupcakes, I kicked it up a notch with a little more flavor, my favorite MOCHA!  Chocolate and coffee/espresso were just perfect for each other.  Since I filled up my inventory in Valrhona Cocoa Powder on my last trip to Whole Foods, I just couldn’t resist not to add it to my recipe!  :P  They were really chocolaty and addictive!   After you’ve tried Valhona’s Cocoa Powder, you’ll not go back to any other brand.  At least, that’s the case for me.  It’s a little bit more pricey, but totally worth every penny.  (By the way, I’m not compensated in anyway for saying these—although I wished they would pay me in chocolate/cocoa powder.  hahaha….These are just my own opinions.)



With Tiramisu in cupcake forms, it’s a perfect way to portion control!   Yes, I needed serious controls over these Mocha Tiramisu Cupcakes.  The cake itself was moist, with a lovely mocha flavor and a hint of Kahlua.  The syrup really did wonders to the cupcakes.  The Mascarpone frosting was light, creamy, smooth and fluffy.  Just like eating clouds….clouds that were packed with Tiramisu flavor.  If you love Tiramisu, you’ve got to try this recipe out.  It’s much easier than making the traditional Tiramisu.  At least I didn’t have to drive around to find the ladyfingers.  There’s no dipping or layering involved.  But the end results were as stunning and delicious as the traditional ones. 



Hm…nom nom nom….



Heavenly…..



Need I say more?













Mocha Tiramisu Cupcakes:  (Printable Recipe)
Makes 14 cupcakes

Ingredients for the Chocolate cupcakes: 
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons brewed coffee
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup good cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt


Ingredients for the Espresso-Kahlua Syrup:

1/4 plus 2 tablespoons cup freshly brewed espresso
3 tablespoons Kahlua
3 tablespoons sugar

Ingredients for the Mascarpone Frosting:1 1/2 cup heavy cream
12 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons Espresso-Kahlua Syrup (see above recipe)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

For the Chocolate cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs, 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans, around 1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the Espresso-Kahlua Syrup:

Stir together, espresso, Kahlua and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Let cool. (Reserve 3 tablespoons of the Syrup for the frosting.)

For the Mascarpone Frosting:

With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together mascarpone and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Then beat in 2 tablespoons of the reserved espresso syrup and vanilla extract until well combined and smooth. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture until completely incorporated.

To Assemble:
Brush tops of cupcakes evenly with the remaining coffee-Kahlua syrup; repeat until all syrup has been used. Allow cupcakes to completely absorb liquid. Place frosting into a pastry bag with large round tip. Generously pipe frosting on cupcakes. Dust with cocoa powder just before serving.