Tiramisu Cupcakes

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Tiramisu Cupcakes
Published March 25, 2025

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Indulgent Tiramisu Cupcakes – made with a vanilla cake and espresso cake base, a rich and fluffy mascarpone frosting, and kissed atop with a dusting of deep cocoa. All the flavors we love in classic tiramisu transformed into a tempting cupcake!

Making the Best Tiramisu Cupcakes

When I first started out testing these tiramisu cupcakes I tried going with several options that included steps mimicking those of traditional tiramisu. One of them was brushing the baked cupcakes with the liquid espresso but in doing so ended up with a soggy cupcake atop. So the simple fix was to simply include some espresso powder into half the cupcake batter and this left them with a better overall texture and deeply infused flavor baked in.

Since classic tiramisu includes a fair amount of egg yolks I opted for a cupcake batter that included more of them. So while those rich custardy flavors may not come from what is traditionally in the mascarpone filling you’ll still find it within the cupcake. And the cupcake base simply replaces the lady fingers of tiramisu.

For the liquid of the cupcake these use both milk and buttermilk for some added flavor, but they only use half buttermilk so that it’s not overpowering the delicate flavor of the mascarpone frosting. And for the cocoa finish I recommend adding plenty, because – chocolate! Who doesn’t love that additional flavor?

Make these for your next celebration or weekend treat. They are such a heavenly cupcake!

Tiramisu Recipe Ingredients

• All purpose flour: I like to use unbleached all-purpose flour.
• Baking powder: I recommend using aluminum free baking powder in baking so it doesn’t leave a slightly metallic taste behind.
• Salt: Added to keep the cupcakes from tasting flat.
• Unsalted butter: Salted butter will work as well, just omit the salt from the recipe. Use room temperature butter for better creaming.
• Granulated sugar: Used to sweeten the cupcake base.
• Egg and egg yolks: Additional egg yolk in place of the standard two egg whites makes cupcakes richer and acts as an additional emulsifier to help with the blending of fats and liquids and therefor can improve texture of the cupcakes.
• Vanilla extract: Added for a light boost in flavor.
• Milk and buttermilk: Used for moisture and flavor.
• Espresso powder: This is a pre-brewed and dried coffee powder that dissolves instantly and is a good option for baking especially when we want something more concentrated without the added liquid.
• Mascarpone: This is a slightly sweet Italian cheese similar to the thickness of cream cheese. You can usually find this by the specialty cheeses at grocery stores.
• Heavy cream: Be sure to use “heavy cream” or “heavy whipping cream,” not just something labeled “cream” or “whipping cream” as it won’t have enough fat percentage to create a stable frosting.
• Powdered sugar: This ultra fine sugar works well in the frosting as it dissolves right in without leaving any grittiness.

Recipe Variations

• Sub cream cheese whipped frosting: Try with 6 oz. cream cheese in place of the mascarpone. This will be a tangier option but also delicious. Whip the cream cheese (with sugar), and whipped cream separately then fold them together.
• Add marsala wine: If you want a hint of marsala wine flavor replace 2 Tbsp of the buttermilk with 2 Tbsp marsala wine.
• Cake flour: I liked a medium density to these cupcakes with the topping so I opt for all purpose flour, but you could replace all purpose flour for cake flour for a slightly fluffier, lighter cupcake.

How to Make Tiramisu Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup standard size muffin pan with cupcake liners

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer (or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer using a paddle attachment), blend together butter and granulated sugar on low speed until combined. Then whip until pale and fluffy on high speed, about 3 minutes. Scrape down bowl.

Blend in egg, then blend in egg yolks and vanilla extract. Scrape down bowl.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until combined. Mix in milk until just combined

Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture and blend, followed by buttermilk, then last 1/3 of the flour mixture.

Scrape down bowl and fold with a rubber spatula to ensure ingredients are evenly combined.

Transfer about 1/2 of the dough (I separated out 12 oz) to a separate mixing bowl and fold the espresso powder in with that portion until its evenly blended (it may not mix in fully that’s okay, it will dissolve in as it bakes).

Scoop about 2 Tbsp of the plain vanilla batter into cupcake liners and spread it out even just a little. Then top with about 2 Tbsp of the espresso batter.Bake cupcakes in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 18 to 22 minutes.

Let cool in muffin pan for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer blend mascarpone and powdered sugar until combined.

Add heavy cream and whip on medium-low speed gradually increasing to high speed. Whip until medium stiff peaks form, then add vanilla and whip until very stiff peaks form.

Pipe or spread frosting over cupcakes then dust with cocoa powder. Store cupcakes in the fridge.

Helpful Tips

• Use a thick mascarpone cheese. Some brands can tend to be a little watery and runny and the frosting wouldn’t hold up as well using those. I recommend Bel Gioioso, or wrap other mascarpone with paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
• Use room temperature ingredients: They should only need to sit out about 1 hour (also for food safety), this helps ingredients blend better and cupcakes rise better.
• Whip butter and sugar well as this will incorporate air bubbles and in turn produce a fluffier cupcake.
• Scrape bowl as you mix the batter to ensure ingredients are properly incorporated along the edges and bottom.
• Be careful not to over-mix cupcake batter at the end or you made end up with slightly spongy, flatter cupcakes.
• Bake just until cooked through in center or cupcakes will become dry.
• Let cupcakes cool completely or frosting will melt right off.

Storing the Cupcakes

• Store unfrosted cupcakes at room temperature for 2 days.
• For best results prepare and add mascarpone frosting the day you are serving so it’s nice and fluffy. They can be however be kept in the fridge for 2 days once frosted.
• Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for 3 months, don’t freeze with the mascarpone frosting because it won’t hold up as they thaw out.

More Tasty Italian Style Desserts

• Cannoli
• Lemon Ricotta Cake
• Panna Cotta
• Ricotta Cookies
• Tiramisu