Tiramisu Cupcakes – All of your favorite tiramisu flavors in a cupcake! Cinnamon cupcakes topped with an espresso kahlua syrup, mascarpone frosting, and a dusting of cocoa powder.
Tiramisu Cupcakes
If I go to an Italian restaurant, I always get tiramisu! I love the combination of coffee, cocoa, ladyfingers, and mascarpone so much! I wanted to take those same flavors and put them into a cupcake for Valentine’s Day so I decided to make a simple cupcake with a bit of cinnamon in them before brushing them with a mixture of espresso and Kahlua to give them that lovely coffee flavor. They are then topped with a frosting made from mascarpone before being finished with a light dusting of cocoa powder. They are so delicious!
If you love tiramisu, check out my tiramisu macarons by clicking HERE!
Common Questions About Making Tiramisu Cupcakes
What are tiramisu cupcakes?
Tiramisu cupcakes are a cinnamon cupcake that has a syrup made from Kahlua and espresso spread on top before having a mascarpone frosting piped on top. They are dusted with cocoa powder before serving.
What is tiramisu?
Tiramisu is an Italian dessert made by layering ladyfinger that have been soaked in coffee and a whipped topping made by combining eggs, sugar, mascarpone cheese, and cocoa.
How many servings does this recipe make?
This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.
How long do red velvet cupcakes last?
These cupcakes last up to two days when stored in a refrigerated airtight container.
How can I make the perfect cupcakes?
- Follow the recipe – While I totally understand dietary restrictions, if you plan on making changes to the ingredients, I cannot guarantee the recipe will work. If you are facing this problem, I will gently suggest that you may want to consider finding a cupcake recipe on a site that specifically develops for the diet you are on such as a keto baking website or vegan baking website. Too many times have I seen recipes for wrong for people because they started to adjust the recipe too much.
- Don’t over-mix the cupcakes – If you want to keep cupcakes light and airy, avoiding over-mixing is key. Mix until just barely combined.
- Let the cupcakes completely cool before frosting – This is a classic mistake that people constantly make (including me). Your cupcakes are done baking, you are ready to sit down and eat one so you touch the cupcake and say “this is most definitely cool” even though it’s only been out of the oven for like, 5 minutes. Wrong. Your frosting will just slide off the cupcake and it’ll be really sad. To be safe, I’d say give them 1-2 hours before frosting.
- Don’t over fill the cupcake liners – If you overfill the cupcake liners, you will definitely have some overflow which isn’t pretty and elegant. Stick to filling each liner about 3/4 full.
- Spin the cupcake tin halfway through cooking – An oven’s heat is generally not terribly even so a simple way to make sure all of the cupcakes cook all the way through is to spin the pan about 1/2 way through baking 180 degrees.
Ingredient Notes –
- Flour helps give the cupcakes structure. Make sure to measure using the spoon and level technique.
- Sugar helps sweeten the cupcakes.
- Baking powder helps the cupcakes rise.
- Cinnamon adds a bit of spice and warmth!
- Vegetable oil keeps the cupcakes moist!
- Milk adds richness and moisture to the cupcakes.
- Eggs help bind the cupcakes together.
- Vanilla enhances the flavor of the coffee and cocoa.
- I love the combination of mascarpone and cream cheese, but feel free to use all cream cheese if it’s what you have on hand.
- Butter adds a bit of structure to the icing so it’s easier to pipe.
- Powdered sugar also adds structure and sweetness to the icing.
- Espresso adds the classic coffee flavor we all love in tiramisu.
- Kahlua adds a bit more coffee flavor— feel free to substitute more espresso for a non-alcoholic version.
- Dusting the cupcakes with cocoa powder enhances the “tiramisu” look and flavor! Make sure to use unsweetened baking cocoa, not hot cocoa mix.
Looking for more cupcake recipes? Check these out!
Tiramisu Cupcakes
Tiramisu Cupcakes – All of your favorite tiramisu flavors in a cupcake! Cinnamon cupcakes topped with an espresso kahlua syrup, mascarpone frosting, and a dusting of cocoa powder.
Ingredients
For the Cupcake
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Mascarpone Frosting
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese (softened)
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 2 tablespoons butter (softened)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Additional Ingredients
- 1/4 cup espresso or strongly brewed coffee
- 2 tablespoons Kahlua
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line twelve muffin tins with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon.
- In another bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until the dry ingredients are full combined. You don't want to overmix.
- Divide the batter between the muffin tins, making sure to fill each one about 3/4 of the way full. I use a 1/4 cup cookie scoop to make it easy.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before continuing.
For the Mascarpone Frosting
- Add the softened mascarpone, cream cheese, and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream them together until they are smooth and well combined - about 2 minutes.
- Next, add the vanilla and mix to combine.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar slowly. Once all of the powdered sugar has been incorporated, turn the mixer to high speed and whip the icing until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip (I used a Wilton 2A) and set aside until ready to use.
Assembly
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, poke the top of each cupcake 5 times with a fork.
- In a small bowl, combine the espresso and Kahlua. Pour 2 teaspoons of the mixture over the top of each cupcake.
- Pipe the frosting on top of the cupcake and dust the top of each with cocoa powder.
- Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
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