I was prepared to make my 100th post be on Friday, but then all the snow came and the power went and I was left in the dark, without my cupcakes frosted, and without electricity for almost 48 hours. There has been some crazy weather up here in the Northeast, I really can’t wait for Spring to arrive, but enough about weather, let’s talk about the cupcakes. I love tiramisu so I was super excited to try it in a cupcake form. The filling for the cupcakes was my favorite part, super chocolaty with hints of espresso….the perfect surprise. The icing was also really good and felt so light. I can’t say that the flavors of tiramisu were right on, but this was still a really good cupcake. I also tested out my new decorating tip used for filling the inside of a cupcake, which was a disappointment. I ended up using the cone method, but still felt like there wasn’t enough filling in the cupcake. I guess I will have to make some more cupcakes and keep practicing on my technique!
Tiramisu Cupcakes
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For the Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cake flour (or you can use all-purpose flour)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole milk (I used 2%)
5 egg whites
In a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.
In a liquid measuring cup, combine vegetable oil and milk.
Add flour mixture and milk/oil mixture alternatively to the mixing bowl. beating on low speed after each addition.
Using a stand mixer, or in a separate bowl, with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter, to “lighten” the batter. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
Grease and lightly flour each muffin pan. Fill each half full. Bake at 375 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or until done. Cool on a wire rack.
For the Espresso Chocolate Mousse:
2 cups chilled heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons espresso powder
8 oz fine-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Heat 3/4 cup cream in a 1-quart heavy saucepan until hot.
Whisk together yolks, sugar, espresso powder, and a pinch of salt in a metal bowl until combined well, then add hot cream in a slow stream, whisking until combined.
Transfer mixture to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until it registers 160 degrees on thermometer. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler, stirring frequently. Whisk custard into chocolate until smooth, then cool. Beat remaining 1 1/4 cups cream in bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk one fourth of cream into chocolate custard to lighten, then fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly.
Mascarpone Frosting:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
8 oz Mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
In a mixing bowl, fold 2/3 of the whipped cream into the Mascarpone cheese, along with the powdered sugar. Add remaining cream. Blend until cream is full incorporated. Place in refrigerator until ready to frost.
To Assemble cupcakes:
Using the cone method, fill cupcakes with Espresso Chocolate Mousse. Place top back on cupcakes. Use about 1/4 cup of coffee or espresso and lightly brush tops of cupcakes. Go light, do not soak cupcakes with coffee/espresso. Frost top with Mascarpone frosting. Sprinkle with cocoa powder, if desired.
Source adapted from: Culinary Concoctions by Peabody, mousse originally from Gourmet December 2002
