These cupcakes first debuted in my kitchen for my 30th birthday party on Sunday–in miniature form. However, for this Cupcake Friday batch, I used a different vanilla cake recipe–part of my quest for an excellent vanilla cake that is both flavorful, dense and moist. This week I tried out Brown Eyed Baker’s vanilla cupcake recipe, making a few tweaks (mainly to the directions) and I’m interested in what people have to say about the vanilla. Is it vanilla-y enough? Could there be more? You tell me.
My idea for this cupcake was to take the flavor profile of ladyfinger cookies (used in the traditional form of tiramisu) and use that for the cake base–hence vanilla. Then, in lieu of soaking the cakes in espresso, I instead poked the cupcakes with toothpicks and brushed on (upwards of 5 times!) my homemade coffee liqueur–sans vanilla beans–thanks to Marisa of Food in Jars‘ recipe.
Then, for the frosting I spiked mascarpone with the coffee liqueur and sweetened it with a bit of confectioners sugar. This part of tiramisu also has egg yolks in it, but I didn’t think that was necessary for the frosting.
So the question I leave with my taste testers is this: How close to traditional tiramisu did I manage to get?
Ingredients
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and position the racks toward the center. Line cupcake pans with papers. Combine dry ingredients; set aside.
Cream butter, sour cream and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add the egg and egg yolks, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, then add the vanilla extract.
Mix in the dry ingredients in two batches, beating until just-combined after each.
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about halfway full. Bake for about 22-24 minutes. When done, transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.
Once cooled, use a toothpick to poke each of the cupcakes about 1/2-inch down. Then brush coffee liqueur onto the tops of the cupcakes with a pastry brush. Let the cupcakes sit about 5-10 minutes in between coffee liqueur brushings.
Whip mascarpone with 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar. Add 1 tbsp of coffee liqueur, followed by the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Add the remaining coffee liqueur, then whip for a few minutes until smooth and a little fluffy.
Pipe frosting onto cupcakes using your favorite piping tip and finish off with some chocolate sprinkles.
https://cupcakefridayproject.com/2012/01/tiramisu-cupcakes/
January 20, 2012 at 9:03 am
I liked these!
FROSTING: Super good! I actually almost ate off the cake without even tasting the cake, which I never do. It was so good though I didn’t want to stop eating it. Very good, also had a good tiramisu flavor. A+++.
CAKE: Was good! I liked the texture and taste, etc. I would have liked some kind of tiramisu-y filling, but that’s not really a flaw of the cake.
OVERALL: Was really good, but I wish it had a filling! Also, fucking killer frosting here. Loved it!
January 20, 2012 at 9:55 am
OK, the frosting & jimmies were pretty awesome. The cake was moist and tasty, but I’ll be honest … I could have used more vanilla. But then, I’m not a big fan of tiramisu.
January 20, 2012 at 10:09 am
Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts, as long as the dessert chef doesn’t overdo with the sweetness. This cupcake is now one of my favorites, because the frosting was killer good without being too sweet … and the cake came through beautifully underneath, with that great texture and slight crumbliness.
Anytime you put coffee liqueur (especially your own!) into a cupcake, I’m happy, btw.
And love the slight taste of sour cream in the cake … brilliant!
January 20, 2012 at 10:33 am
Oooh, I love this one. I *am* a fan of tiramisu but am *not* a fan of how often you get cake that’s extra-soaked in espresso and too sogged-out. This definitely didn’t happen to your cakes, so ::high five::. The mascarpone frosting was slammin’. Holy cow. And the flavors… yum. I liked the new vanilla cake, but would not be disappointed if it was a tinge more moist. Maybe it’s the perfect cake for soaking liqueur into, though because I favored the top of the cake where this was going on. And it wasn’t – to use the term I just coined 30 seconds ago – too sogged-out.
Great job!
January 20, 2012 at 10:59 am
Woah, this bad boy really tasted like tiramisu! I love coffee cakes, which the cake portion of this cupcake reminded me of—probably the sour cream in it. Uhhh mascarpone is sooooo goooood. I could have eaten the icing in spoonfuls.
Amazing flavor, a good play on tiramisu. I did, however, sort of miss the soggy, boozy aspect of traditional tiramisu… but I’m not sure how you work that into a cupcake. I just spiked my morning coffee with a healthy dose of rum, and dipped the whole cupcake into it. Worked well! …..Kidding…..
January 20, 2012 at 11:33 am
Yummy, this was a delicious cupcake. I am saving half for after lunch as an afternoon pick me up. I am a huge lover or tiramisu, but was a little worried the coffee flavor might overpower the other flavors (as I am NOT a lover of anything coffee except tiramisu), but this was really quite perfect.
Delcious icing, and of course I love that vanilla (cake). Another splendid job by the baker.
January 20, 2012 at 1:44 pm
This cupcake…
Tastes just like…
Tiramisu.
DUDE.
DUDE DUDE DUDE DUDE DUDE.
January 21, 2012 at 3:41 pm
I am a man of exaggeration.
This is not an exaggeration.
January 29, 2012 at 9:26 pm
Ate these a few days (i.e., weeks) late, so my opinion is basically invalid. Pluses: everyone is right, mofo tastes like tiramisu. Minuses: after sitting in the freezer for the 2011-2012 crossover, the cake was a dry. Shocking, I know. Et ceteras: woulda liked a little more vanilla flavor in the cake, but that could again be a fault of me being a complete idiot and forgetting to eat the cakes in the same year I bought them.
January 29, 2012 at 10:34 pm
Fun fact: These cupcakes were baked in 2012. You’re thinking about the Cupcakes of the Year for 2011, the salted caramel cupcakes.