Tiramisu Cupcakes

So I was supposed to write this yesterday.... But I got so tired that I kind of just conceded to what my body needed and took a nap right after I got home from work...

Let me start off by saying that I haven't baked for a LONG time —especially cupcakes. I had a few bouts of making Tiramisu here and there but that's different. Anyway, I finally had reason to bake (ya I know, it's a bit pathetic that I need a reason to), as a few of my coworkers have been nagging me saying, "Melody, when are you ever going to bake something for us?!" So I did. The Vietnamese payroll lady at my work asked if I could make Tiramisu cupcakes and I granted her request, even though I haven't made anything but Tiramisu lately (she was so overjoyed when she saw them). Cupcakes are different though, that's for sure.

As an enthusiastic baker, I tend to modify the ingredients a little here and there to optimize the taste to my liking, or just be a little healthier. Or at least try to, haha. So below is a modification of the original recipe from my cupcake bible (*ahem* basically the cupcake recipe book from Martha Stewart).

Mind you, I ended up making enough batter for 24 cupcakes and not 18, so if you want to cross-reference onto the original recipe and add in some of my recommendations, feel free to do that also!

CUPCAKE BASE

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract*
• 3½ tbsp. unsalted butter
• 4 whole eggs + 4 egg yolks
• 2 cups sugar

For the next part of the recipe, I actually kind of read the recipe wrong and yielded WAYYYY too much syrup for my own liking. I ended up using only half of what I made, so I would definitely lessen what I have listed here.

COFFEE-MARSALA SYRUP

• 1 cup of boiling water
• ½ cup of espresso powder
• 15 ml of marsala*
• ½ cup of sugar

MASCARPONE FROSTING
• 1¼ cup whipped cream
• 300 mg mascarpone cheese*
• ¾ cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
• cocoa powder for sprinkling afterwards

As per my recommendations? That is what that asterisk is for :)

2 tsp. vanilla extract* — The original recipe called for vanilla beans to be used, but either the ones sold at Bulk Barn are not the kind I should be buying/they suck, or the beans essentially don't bring out much flavour, causing me to reconsider to opt for vanilla extract instead. I actually used only 1 teaspoon, and after test tasting my own cupcake while at work, I think two would've enhanced the flavour a bit more.

15 ml of marsala* — I don't know about you, but I favor coffee tasting Tiramisu over the alcoholic prominent kind. Yes, the alcoholic prominent kind is probably more "authentically Italian" but I've always kind of disliked the taste of alcohol anyway. I also added less marsala than was suggested in the original recipe because I was catering to work people, and I didn't want to feel like I was drugging them or anything >.<

300 mg mascarpone cheese* — Honestly, I added more cheese than suggested partially because it was kind of awkward to leave less than 100 mg sitting in the tub that I bought, waiting to be used next time (but requiring me to buy more cheese because 100 mg is not enough to satiate a sufficient batch of whatever I'd be making) and I thought, "Hey, more fancy cheese the better right?". Plus, it helps that a coworker really liked the icing!

My overall thoughts? It seems that the general consensus enjoyed my cupcakes (or maybe they were just being nice??) and after eating one myself, they didn't turn out half bad.

P.S. In the original recipe, they say to brush on the coffee-marsala syrup until you run out. I'd say that's about right, but if you want a better idea of a good amount, I'd say about 4-5 layers to really bring that coffee taste out :)