Tiramisu Cupcakes

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Filled with tiramisu cream and topped with a Kahlua mascarpone buttercream frosting, these Tiramisu Cupcakes are light, fluffy, and absolutely irresistible.

Moist & Fluffy Tiramisu Cupcakes

If you haven’t already guessed, I am a huge fan of tiramisu. I’ve made so many recreations of the classic dessert, from cheesecake to brookies, and I love them all. Today’s tiramisu cupcakes are a bit of a combination of my classic tiramisu recipe and my tiramisu poke cake.

I chose to use a lighter, more traditional vanilla cupcake as the base, instead of my go-to vanilla cupcakes, to balance out the richness of the filling and frosting. Then I added the same filling I used for the poke cake frosting and for the tiramisu. I am obsessed with tiramisu filling. I could seriously just sit down with a spoon and a bowl of tiramisu filling and be a happy camper.

Naturally, any dessert that includes a generous helping of tiramisu filling is at the top of my list. I’m also a big fan of combining Kahlua and espresso, which is drizzled into the center of the cupcake, before the filling.

The end result, between the light cupcake, rich filling, and mascarpone buttercream topping, is an absolutely irresistible cupcake. I cannot get enough of these and if you’re a fan of tiramisu, I know you’re going to fall in love with them too!

What You’ll Need

These tiramisu cupcakes include classic ingredients like Kahlua, espresso, and mascarpone cheese, along with a handful of ingredients you likely have in the pantry.

For the Cupcakes

• Salted butter – If you use unsalted butter, you’ll want to add about half a teaspoon of salt.
• Sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Sour cream – Gives the cupcakes a slight tang and also helps keep them moist.
• Egg whites
• All purpose flour – Not self-rising flour.
• Baking powder – Helps create the light, fluffy texture.
• Milk
• Water

For the Tiramisu Filling

• Egg
• Sugar
• Mascarpone cheese – A classic Tiramisu filling ingredient.
• Heavy whipping cream – Whipped to help hold the form of the filling.
• Warm water – Combined with the espresso granules.
• Kahlua

For the Frosting

• Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
• Powdered sugar – For volume and consistency and sweetens the frosting.
• Kahlua or espresso – It’s up to you which of these you prefer in the frosting.
• Mascarpone cheese – This should also be at room temperature.

How to Make Tiramisu Cupcakes

These decadent cupcakes are made in three stages – the cupcakes, the filling, and the frosting. The cupcakes do need to cool completely before adding the filling, so I recommend making them several hours ahead of time or even the night before.

Make the Cupcakes

1. Prepare the pan. Line a cupcake pan with liners. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Make the batter. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and sour cream. Add the egg whites in two batches. Mix until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine the milk and water. Combine the dry ingredients in another bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter, then the milk mixture, and finally the remaining dry ingredients. Mix until well-combined between each addition.
3. Bake. Fill the cupcake liners halfway. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the Filling & Fill the Cupcakes

1. Cook the egg yolks and sugar. Combine the egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double boiler. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring constantly. The color should be light and the sugar dissolved. Whip the yolks until thickened and slightly yellow.
2. Combine the ingredients. Fold the mascarpone into the whipped yolks. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. In a separate bowl, combine the warm water, espresso, and Kahlua.
3. Fill the cupcakes. When the cupcakes are cool, cut out the centers. Drizzle a tablespoon or so of the espresso mixture over the inside of the cupcake holes, then fill with the tiramisu filling.

Make the Frosting

1. Beat the butter until smooth.
2. Add the other ingredients. Add two cups of powdered sugar and a tablespoon of Kahlua (or espresso). Mix until smooth. Add another cup of powdered sugar and the remaining Kahlua. Mix until smooth.
3. Add in the mascarpone. Carefully fold in the mascarpone cheese. Then add in the remaining cup of powdered sugar, until just smooth.
4. Add to the cupcakes. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Sprinkle with cocoa and chocolate covered espresso beans, if desired.

Can I Make These Without Kahlua?

Yes, if you want to make non-alcoholic tiramisu, you can omit the Kahlua from this recipe. I’m a big fan of the two flavors together but you can simply replace the Kahlua with more espresso if desired.

Tips for Success

For a tiramisu dessert with authentic flavor, keep these tips in mind.

• Don’t overbake the cupcakes. For moist, fluffy cupcakes, be sure to not overbake them. They should still have a few crumbs on the toothpick when removed from the oven as they will continue to bake once removed.
• Use a cupcake corer. For ease when cutting out the center of the cupcakes, use a cupcake corer. It will make things so much easier!
• Don’t overcook the egg yolks. The mixture should be slightly yellow and thick when removed from heat. If the mixture starts to get too thick and/or a darker yellow, it’s overcooked.
• Wait to add the mascarpone to the frosting. Mascarpone cheese seems to get softer the more you beat it and then it doesn’t firm up as well when refrigerated again. Because of that, I suggest carefully folding it in just before the final bit of powdered sugar is added.
• What to do with the cupcake centers? If you have any leftover filling, I recommend mixing it with the cupcake centers and devouring it. So good!

Serving & Decorating

Since these tiramisu cupcakes need to be stored in the fridge, I like to put them on the counter for 30 or so minutes before serving. This makes the frosting and filling a little softer and not quite so cold.

For decorating before serving, I like to add a little sprinkle of cocoa powder and some chocolate-covered espresso beans on top of the frosting. You can also add a sprinkle of chocolate shavings if desired.

Leftovers & Storage

Tiramisu cupcakes should be stored in the fridge, due to the frosting and filling. Keep them covered in an airtight container. They will last for up to 3 days. I would not recommend freezing them, especially once frosted.

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Enjoy!