Tiramisu Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

(Note: I borrowed and modified @TwoSugarBugs’ ‘Simply Vanilla Cupcakes’ recipe when I made these cupcakes!) Cake mix cupcakes would work as well if that's your thing.

First – melt your unsalted butter and set aside to cool. This ensures it won’t be too warm and cook your eggs when you add it! Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (180C), and prepare 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, milk and sour cream until well combined. Add the cooled melted butter and whisk again until well combined. Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. You want to be careful not to over mix the batter. The batter will be quite thick.

Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 full. (I didn’t want my liners to overflow, and I found I had enough leftover batter for about 16 mini cupcakes, so I made some of those as well!) Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.

Frosting (& filling if desired)

Beat together softened cream and Neufchatel cheeses and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk and Kahlua until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add vanilla and salt and beat until well combined.

If filling your cupcakes, remove 1 cup of frosting and stir in cocoa powder and Kahlua – this will be your chocolate filling!

Filling + Assembly:

Once the cupcakes have cooled, you're ready to core them. There are a few ways you can do this....you can buy a cupcake corer, you can try using the non-business-end of a large piping tip, or....you can do what I do and cut a cone-shaped core out with a plastic knife. Up to you ;) I haven't the foggiest idea why cupcake crumbs don't stick to plastic knives like they do regular knives, but it’s been working for me for ages – I figure if it’s not broken don’t fix it!

Microwave ½ cup kahlua for about 30 seconds, until warmed, and stir in 3 Tablespoons of instant espresso powder until dissolved. With a squeeze bottle or spoon, drizzle each cupcake with a few teaspoons of the espresso-kahlua mixture.

Now pipe your chocolate filling into your cored cupcakes - it doesn't have to look pretty, so I often use a zip-lock bag for this part.

Transfer your frosting to a large piping bag – I used a jumbo star tip. Pipe into large swirls onto your cupcakes, and place an espresso bean on top of each one.

Add a few teaspoons of cocoa powder to a sifter (or use your fingers to sprinkle) and add a dusting of cocoa powder over your cupcakes – and you’re done! Enjoy!