Go Back
–+ servings
A close up photo showing a tiramisu cupcake on a wooden background
Print

Tiramisu Cupcakes

Moist vanilla cupcakes soaked with a coffee mixture, filled with mascarpone custard and topped with brandy-flavored Swiss buttercream.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 24
Calories 171kcal
Author John Kanell

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cupcakes:

  • 2 1/4 cups cake flour 247g
  • 1 cup milk 236g, room temperature
  • 6 egg whites room temperature
  • 2 tsp almond extract 10mL
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract 5mL
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar 300g
  • 1 tsp baking powder 4g
  • 1 tsp table salt 6g
  • 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter 145g, softened but still cool
  • 1/4 cup sour cream 57g

For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

  • 5 egg whites room temperature
  • 1 ½ cup granulated sugar 300g
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 1 ¾ cup unsalted butter 395g, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract 5mL
  • 1 tbsp Instant Espresso 15mL
  • 3 tbsp Brandy 45mL

For the Syrup:

  • 1 cup strong coffee 236g (Espresso Preferred)
  • 1/3 cup brandy 79mL
  • 2 tbsp coffee liqueur 30mL

For the Filling:

  • 1/3 cup sugar 68g
  • 1/3 cup milk 79mL, whole
  • 16 ounce mascarpone cheese 450g, room temperature
  • 3 egg yolks

Instructions

INSTRUCTIONS:

    For the Cake:

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cupcakes pan. 
    • Milk and eggs should be kept at room temperature.
    • In a large bowl, mix the milk, sour cream, egg whites, and extracts. Use a fork until even throughout.
    • In an electric mixer combine the sugar, baking powder, flour and salt. Mix at a slow speed. Add the butter -- in cubes -- slowly. Continue on low for an additional 2 minutes.
    • Put 1/2 cup of the milk mixture to the side. Add the rest to the flour mixture.
    • On medium speed setting, beat for 1.5 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup and beat for an additional 1 minute.
    • Evenly distribute the batter into cupcake pan. 
    • Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool.

    For the Filling:

    • In a heatproof bowl -- over a saucepan of simmering water -- whisk the yolks and sugar. Continue until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the milk slowly.
    • Whisk consistently until the combined ingredients have a light/airy consistency (around 10 minutes).
    • The internal temperature of the mixture should register at 170 degrees when you finish.
    • Remove bowl from saucepan. Set bowl in ice water. Whisk the mixture until it has cooled (around 1 minute).
    • Place mascarpone cheese in a large bowl. Fold the mixture into the cheese, using a rubber spatula.
    • Whisk until it is ALMOST COMBINED completely. Word of caution: do not over mix or it will have a grainy consistency.

    For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

    • Add egg whites, sugar and salt in a bowl.
    • Give the mixture a brief whisk.
    • Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Make sure the water does not touch the bowl.
    • Whisk the egg whites occasionally while it warms up. When the mixture has warmed, whisk it constantly. You will heat the mixture until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
    • Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
    • While the mixture is running on low, add tablespoon sized dollops of room temperature butter making sure to let the butter incorporate before you add the next piece. Mix in your 1 tbsp Instant Espresso (dissolved into 3 tbsp of Brandy, used to flavor the buttercream).

    For the Syrup:

    • You can transfer it to a piping bag or to a ziplock bag to store in the freezer for later. (When you're ready to use it, take it out of the freezer, bring to room temperature, transfer to a bowl and beat it for about 10 second to bring back the consistency).

    For the Assembly:

    • Transfer cooled, mascarpone custard to a piping bag.
    • Core cupcakes with a corer or scoop out the center with a small knife.
    • Drizzle the coffee mixture into cupcake hole. 
      Tiramisu Cupcake
    • Pipe the mascarpone filling into inside. 
      Tiramisu Cupcake
    • Pipe dollops of Swiss Buttercream on the top, using an 869 Tip. Dust tops with cocoa powder and top with a chocolate covered espresso bean.

    Video

    Notes

    WHAT IF YOU CAN’T FIND MASCARPONE ANYWHERE?!?

    A while back I was making a cake with a mascarpone buttercream and realized mine had expired! I didn’t have time to go to the market so I followed Nigella’s advice for a reasonable facsimile and mixed the following ingredients together until combined. Make sure they are all at room temperature!
    8oz cream cheese
    1/4 cup heavy cream
    2 tbs unsalted butter
     
    Cake batter recipe adapted from I Am Baker

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2.6g | Fat: 6.5g | Saturated Fat: 2.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 257mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 0.7g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 0.6mg