Teh Noms

carolyn-tle:

Tiramisu Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 box of white cake mix (making your own cake is definitely recommended. Add about 1/3 less sugar because the kalua and coffee added into the final stages of the cake will be very sweet. But if you get lazy like me, cake mix will be ok, it’ll be a little on the sweet side.
• Cocoa powder
• Frosting:
• 1 Pint of Heavy Cream (preferably Landolakes)
• 3 Tbs Powdered Sugar
• 2 Tbs of Kalua
• Second part of frosting:
• 1 8oz Mascarpone Cheese
• 3 Tbs Powdered Sugar
• 3 Tbs of Kalua
• Coffee mix:
• 2 - 3 Tbs Kalua
• 1 - 1/2 Vietnamese Coffee Packet (or what ever instant/non instant coffee you like)
• 3/4c Hot water

Directions

1. Bake your white cake as directed in muffin (regular sized cupcake) pans. Then chill your metal mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer.
2. Brew/mix your coffee with 3/4c of hot water. Add 3 - 4 tbs (depending on how strong you like it) of Kalua into your coffee. Mix well and set aside.
3. Allow cupcakes to cool completely. With a fork, poke holes into your cupcakes. Try not to poke the fork all the way through until you feel the surface your cupcake is resting on—otherwise all your coffee will seep into the very bottom, creating a less moist cupcake.
4. Slowly pour 1 and 1/2 tsp into each cupcake. Make sure to not pour too quickly because it will dribble over the sides of your cupcakes.
5. Put your cupcakes in the fridge to rest. It will soak up all the coffee+kalua mix so it won’t be too soggy.
6. Take out your mixing bowl and beaters from the freezer and pour in 3/4 of the heavy cream. Add in 2 tbs of Kalua and 1/4c of powdered sugar. Mix with an electric/stand mixer until fluffy peaks form. Set your whipped cream mixture aside in the fridge.
7. Mix mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, and Kalua until the cheese begins to hold onto your beaters.
8. Gently fold whipped cream into the mascarpone cheese, 3/4c at a time. Put into a piping bag. If you use a tip, find the one with the largest hole. If not, cut the corner of your piping bag yourself. Start off small, and continue to cut (straight) until your desired size.
9. Frost your cupcakes. Take cocoa powder and sprinkle on your cupcakes with a sifter.
10. To make the chocolate pieces, melt chocolate candy melts according to instructions. Smear over parchment paper with a spatula and leave in fridge for about 5 minutes (or longer). Then, break off pieces and stick them into your cupcakes.

Footnotes

• Use cupcake liners! Preferably wax liners with foil on the outside so that your coffee does not leak through the cupcake. Youtube how to whip heavy cream for detailed instructions. If your frosting is a little too loose after combining the whipped cream and mascarpone, beat it for another 10 seconds (and in intervals of 10 seconds until desired frosting consistency).