Tiramisu Cupcakes

The classic Italian dessert made into individual cupcakes.

Ingredients

For the cake
1 1/4 cups cake flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1 vanilla bean pod, or 1 tsp vanilla essence
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 large eggs + 3 egg yolks, at room temp
1 cup sugar

For the coffee-marsala syrup
3/8 cup espresso (or strongly brewed coffee)
1 oz sweet Marsala (I used port)
1/4 cup sugar

For the frosting
1 cup heavy cream
8oz mascarpone
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Preheat oven to 325. Line two muffin pans with paper liners (18 total).
Use nonstick spray or butter to grease the tops of the muffin pan.
Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
Heat in 15 second intervals until butter is melted, add milk, vanilla bean pod halves and seeds
Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar on high speed.
Whisk mixture until pale, fluffy and thick enough to hold a ribbon on the surface for several seconds when the whisk is lifted.

Remove vanilla pods from the bowl of milk and discard.
Fold in the flour mixture and slowly add the milk mixture, mixing until just combined.
Fill muffin tins 3/4 full.
Bake 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned and a skewer comes out clean.
Let sit in pan until just warm to the touch.
Using a knife, poke 4-5 holes in each cupcake

To make the coffee-Marsala syrup:
Mix coffee, sugar, and Marsala until the sugar has dissolved.
Using a silicon pastry brush, brush the tops of the cupcakes, letting the first round soak in completely before making another pass.
Repeat until all of the syrup has been used.

To Make the mascarpone frosting:
Whisk the cream on high until stiff peaks just form.
Add the mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla and whisk on medium-high for 1-2 minutes.
Frost cupcakes when they have completely cooled.
Garnish with a dusting of cocoa powdered and coffee beans.

Notes
Yields: 18 cupcakes
Adapted from Martha Stewart Cupcakes