Food: Tiramisu Cupcakes anyone?

Even if nothing goes as planned, I can always count on baking my way to sanity. My mum would bake a dozen different biscuits every month. No electric beaters, I would help by creaming the butter and sugar with a hand beater.

I am so greatful for our modern day processors..definitely takes the 'schlep' out of baking...and owe so much to my uber-talented mum for being so patient and utterly sweet whilst teaching me...it's an obsession, a hobby, whatever you want to call it....

I will be sharing my favourite recipes and their results. Just so you know, you are dealing with someone who actually does know how to bake and with insider tricks of the trade...you will have your near and dear licking their cutlery clean;)

I assure you that all recipes have been tried, tested and proven successful at my home and in others via my catering business.

Tiramisu Cupcakes

Vanilla cupcakes:

90g butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1 cup self raising flour or 1 cup normal cake flour with 1 tsp baking powder
2 tablespoons milk


Mascarpone Cream:

250g mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 tablespoon of your favourite fruit juice, I used cherry juice(optional)
3/4 cup whipped cream(I use fresh cream)

Coffee mixture:

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules or powder
1/3 cup boiling water
1 tsp vanilla essence or fruit juice

Method:

Preheat oven 180deg, line muffin tray with baking cups.

Beat all of the Vanilla cupcake ingredients on low until ingredients are combined and then beat until pale in colour.

Pour into baking cups, smooth the tops of the batter. Bake 20-25mins.

Make Mascarpone Cream and the coffee mixture.

Remove cupcake cases or cups and slice each cake horizontally into four. Brush both sides of the cake slices with the coffee mixture and then stack up again with mascarpone cream in between.

You can then either pipe the mascarpone cream on top or just spread and add grated choc or decorate as desired.

Tip:

Use this idea of slicing to decorate your cupcake with any filling of your choice, try alternate layers of caramel and fresh cream and let ganache topping drip from the top...use your imagination...the list is endless!