These are the most delicious tiramisu cupcakes! The base is a moist vanilla cupcake with an espresso and coffee liqueur soak to mimic the layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers in classic tiramisu. Each cupcake has a swirl of creamy mascarpone frosting on top with a dusting of cocoa powder- just like the real thing!
Classic tiramisu and cupcakes are two of my favorite desserts, so I combined them to make tiramisu cupcakes!
There was a bakery in my college town that had the most transcendent tiramisu. Layers of coffee-soaked lady fingers surrounded with mascarpone cream garnished with cocoa powder and coffee beans. I took inspiration from it to make these cupcakes.
Rather than making coffee cupcakes, I decided to whip up my classic fluffy vanilla cupcake recipe and soak them with a mixture of espresso and coffee liqueur like soaked lady fingers! There's a cloud of creamy mascarpone frosting along with a dusting of cocoa powder on top.
The result tastes just like tiramisu in cupcake form and would be delicious served with a creamy espresso martini.
If you love coffee flavored desserts, try this coffee mousse, chocolate tiramisu cake, dirty chai cake, or coffee cream cheese frosting.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Fluffy vanilla cupcakes- The cupcake base is my recipe for vanilla cupcakes with oil. The oil keeps each cupcake super soft and moist!
- Boozy coffee soak-ย Traditional tiramisu has lady fingers that are soaked in coffee and dark rum. To get that boozy flavor, the cupcakes and brushed with coffee and Kahlua (or coffee liqueur). The alcohol is optional but helps give these cupcakes a classic tiramisu flavor.
- Creamy mascarpone frosting- This mascarpone frosting is more like a stabilized whipped cream rather than a mascarpone buttercream. Leaving out the butter makes the frosting light and airy, more similar to the mascarpone custard in the real Italian dessert.
Ingredient Notes
- Cake flour- This finely milled flour has less protein and gives the cupcakes their light, fluffy texture. Don't substitute all purpose flour!
- Granulated sugar- White sugar sweetens the cupcake batter and holds on to moisture.
- Baking powder- This leavening agent helps the cupcakes rise and get fluffy as they bake. Make sure to check the expiration date before you use it!
- Neutral oil- This keeps the cupcakes moist for days! I used vegetable oil.
- Greek yogurt-ย I love baking with Greek yogurt because makes the cupcakes rich with a tender crumb. Make sure it's room temperature so it's easy to mix.
- Eggs- 2 large eggs help bind all of the ingredients together. Make sure they're room temperature so they mix easily. Pull them out of the fridge with the yogurt.
- Milk- This thins out the batter but keeps the cupcakes rich and moist without adding too much extra fat. I used 2% milk.
- Brewed coffee-ย You can also use espresso or cold brew for the coffee soak.
- Coffee liqueur- Any type of coffee-flavored liqueur works, but my go-to is Kahlua! You can leave it out to make the cupcakes alcohol free.
- Mascarpone- This is a creamy Italian cheese with a silky smooth texture and mild, subtly sweet flavor. It's similar to American cream cheese but is less tangy flavor with a richer texture. Make sure it's cold so the frosting is stable. You can find mascarpone at most grocery stores. The brand Belgioioso is my favorite!
- Powdered sugar- This finely sugar sweetens the creamy frosting and draws out moisture to thicken it.
- Heavy whipping cream- Heavy cream whips up to create a fluffy light frosting. Make sure to use cold heavy cream with at least 36% milk fat. Don't use half and half or milk; they'll make the frosting runny!
Substitutions and Variations
- Cake flour substitute: Whisk 160 grams (about 1 + โ cup) all purpose flour with 20 grams (2 tablespoons) cornstarch to make a homemade cake flour substitute!
- Greek yogurt substitute: Sour cream is the best substitute for the Greek yogurt.
- Add flavor extracts: The mascarpone frosting is incredible with ยผ teaspoon almond extract added to it! You can add almond or coffee extract to the cupcake batter too.
- Different frosting options: I have a chocolate mascarpone frosting recipe I used on this chocolate mascarpone cake that would be so delicious on these cupcakes! If you want to make them without mascarpone, try almond icing, espresso buttercream frosting, or brown butter cream cheese frosting
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180ยฐC) and line a metalย cupcake panย with paperย liners.
Step 1: Whisk the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl until evenly combined.
Step 2: Whisk the oil, Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl. Then stream in the milk, whisking to combine.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Fold until combined. The batter will be thin.
Step 4:ย Distribute the batter into the cupcake liners, making sure they're only ยฝ full so they don't overflow. Use aย cookie scoopย to fill them evenly.ย
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.
Step 5: While the cupcakes cool, make the coffee soak by mixing brewed coffee with coffee liqueur in a small bowl. Set aside.
Step 6: Make the mascarpone icing by beating cold mascarpone cheese, vanilla, and salt. Then gradually mix in the powdered sugar on low and stream in the heavy cream, mixing on medium-high speed until fluffy.
Step 7: Once the cupcakes are cool, poke a few holes on top of each one with a fork. Then brush the coffee on top.
Step 8: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and pipe a swirl on each tiramisu cupcake. Dust with cocoa powder and garnish with coffee beans or chocolate shavings!
Expert Baking Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients for the batter. Cold ingredients don't mix evenly and can ruin the cupcake's texture, so make sure they're room temperature for a smooth batter.
- Measure the flour correctly. It's easy to overmeasure flour if you pack it into a measuring cup. Too much flour = dry cupcakes! I always recommend weighing flour in grams with a kitchen scale for the best results.
- Don't overmix. If you mix the batter too much, too much gluten will develop and make the tiramisu cupcakes gummy and chewy.
- Be generous with the coffee soak. Make sure to brush a lot of coffee on the tops of each cupcake. We want the liquid to soak through to the center of the cupcakes to make them moist and flavorful.
Storage Tips
Store the leftover tiramisu cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
The frosting doesn't harden like buttercream, so it's ok to refrigerate them with the frosting on top.
Freezing Instructions
I recommend freezing the cupcakes unfrosted since the frosting's texture can change when it's frozen and thawed out.
Freeze them on a baking sheet for 2 hours or until frozen solid. Then transfer them to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! The recipe will make 30-40 mini cupcakes. Follow the recipe and bake for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.ย
Yes, you can make them 1 day ahead of time! I recommend baking the cupcakes and storing them, without the soak or frosting, at room temperature in an airtight container. Then make the soak and frosting the day of and brush and pipe onto the cupcakes.
I always recommend the toothpick test. Insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake. If it comes out with wet batter, the cupcakes aren't done yet. If it comes out clean with a few sticky crumbs attached, the cupcakes are done! When the toothpick is completely clean, the cupcakes might be a little overdone and dry.
Yes, just leave out the coffee liqueur and substitute more coffee or freshly pulled espresso.
More Cupcake Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Tiramisu Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 electric mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment
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Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 180 grams cake flour
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 1 ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- 60 grams vegetable oil
- 60 grams plain Greek yogurt room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 120 grams milk room temperature
Coffee Soak
- 30 ml coffee room temperature
- 30 ml coffee liqueur
Mascarpone Frosting
- 226 grams mascarpone cheese cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยผ teaspoon almond extract optional
- โ teaspoon salt
- 120 grams powdered sugar
- 240 grams heavy cream cold
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF (180ยฐC) and line aย cupcake panย with paper cupcakeย liners.
- Whisk the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large mixing bowl until combined.180 grams cake flour, 200 grams granulated sugar, 1 ยฝ teaspoon baking powder, ยผ teaspoon salt
- Add oil, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla to a separate bowl. Whisk together until smooth and then whisk in the milk.60 grams vegetable oil, 60 grams plain Greek yogurt, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 120 grams milk
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Gently fold with a rubber spatula until combined.
- Evenly distribute the cupcake batter between the cupcake liners, filling each ยฝ full. Do not overfill.
- Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove from the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Coffee Soak
- Mix brewed coffee with coffee liqueur in a small bowl.30 ml coffee, 30 ml coffee liqueur
- Once the cupcakes are cool, poke holes on top of each one and generously brush the tops with the soak or drizzle it on with a spoon.
Mascarpone Frosting
- Beat cold mascarpone, vanilla, almond extract (optional), and salt in the bowl of a hand mixer or stand mixerย with the whisk attachment on medium-low speed until smooth.226 grams mascarpone cheese, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ยผ teaspoon almond extract, โ teaspoon salt
- Gradually mix in the powdered sugar on low speed. Increase to medium-high for 1-2 minutes. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.120 grams powdered sugar
- Drizzle in the cold cream while mixing on low. The frosting will look soft and a bit runny at first.240 grams heavy cream
- Turn the mixer up to high and beat for 1-2 minutes until the frosting is fluffy and stiffens like whipped cream.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip. Frost each cupcake and dust with cocoa powder. Garnish with coffee beans if desired and serve!
Vicki L Weiss
I decided to be brave and never having made these before, take them to an adult birthday party. I had to fudge a little, as I didn't have but only a half of the sour cream needed(I used buttermilk for the other half). Also I used espresso powder, and full fat cream cheese. I didn't even taste one before I took it to the party, and actually didn't have one til the next day, as there were other desserts at the party! WOW! Ridiculous decedant!!! Thanks ๐ tons!