These tiramisu cupcakes are an easy way to enjoy the classic Italian dessert! Fluffy vanilla cupcakes are soaked with espresso and Kahlua and filled with mascarpone cream. Afterward, each cupcake is swirled with creamy mascarpone frosting and dusted with cocoa powder.
I am a huge fan of tiramisu. I’ve put countless spins on the classic Italian dessert, from cheesecake to brookies. And that momentum led me to these tiramisu cupcakes! Today’s cupcake recipe is a version of my vanilla cupcakes crossed with my tiramisu poke cake. I made these cupcakes a bit lighter to balance out the richness of the creamy mascarpone filling and frosting, and soaked the inside with espresso and Kahlua liqueur. I cannot get enough of these, and if you’re a lover of tiramisu, I know you’re going to fall in love with these tiramisu cupcakes too!
Why These Tiramisu Cupcakes Are the Absolute Best
- Tiramisu-inspired filling. Any dessert that includes a generous helping of mascarpone cream is at the top of my list. These cupcakes include it in the creamy filling AND frosting.
- Infused with Kahlua and espresso. I drizzled a blend of coffee and Kahlua into the hollowed-out cupcakes, and infused the frosting with coffee liqueur to mimic that classic taste.
- Easy to make. I love that these cupcakes have all the flavor of tiramisu without any of the fuss!
Recipe Ingredients
This tiramisu cupcake recipe includes classic ingredients like Kahlua, espresso, and mascarpone cheese, along with a handful of ingredients you likely have in the pantry (the exact measurements are in the recipe card below).
For the Cupcakes
- Salted butter – If you use unsalted butter, you’ll want to add about half a teaspoon of salt to the cupcake batter.
- Dry ingredients – These are your sugar, all-purpose flour, and baking powder. Note that self-rising flour does not work in this recipe. Make sure to measure the flour correctly using the spoon and level method or a kitchen scale, to avoid adding too much.
- Vanilla extract – Or an equal amount of vanilla paste.
- Sour cream – Helps keep the cupcakes moist.
- Egg whites – Since this is a lighter cupcake, I use egg whites only. It’s easiest to separate the whites from the yolks when the eggs are fridge-cold. Save the yolks for the mascarpone filling!
- Milk – Any kind.
For the Filling
- Egg yolks – You’ll cook the egg yolks with sugar for the custard-like base.
- Mascarpone cheese – This soft Italian cream cheese is a key tiramisu ingredient.
- Heavy whipping cream – Full-fat is best, as you’ll use it to make homemade whipped cream, which helps the filling hold its shape.
- Brewed coffee – I use instant espresso, but any strong-brewed coffee will work, including decaf if needed.
- Kahlua coffee liqueur – If you don’t have Kahlua, a similar brand, like Tia Maria, is also fine to use.
Mascarpone Frosting
- Unsalted butter – Bring the butter to room temperature.
- Powdered sugar – Also called confectioners’ sugar. Powdered sugar’s fine texture gives the frosting its smooth consistency.
- Kahlua (or espresso) – It’s up to you which of these you prefer in the frosting.
- Mascarpone cheese – The mascarpone for the frosting should be at room temperature.
How to Make Tiramisu Cupcakes
These decadent cupcakes come together in three steps: the cupcakes, the filling, and finally 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.
- Prepare to bake. Line a 12-well cupcake pan with liners while the oven preheats to 350ºF.
- Make the cupcake batter. Cream the butter and sugar together, and add the vanilla and sour cream, followed by the egg whites. Combine the milk and water in a separate bowl, and the dry ingredients in another. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk mixture to the wet batter, mixing well in between.
- Bake the cupcakes. Fill each cupcake liner about halfway full with batter, and bake the cupcakes at 350ºF for 15-17 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely.
Fill and Frost the Cupcakes
- Cook the egg yolks and sugar. Heat the egg yolks and sugar in a double boiler and cook for 6-8 minutes. Stir constantly until the sugar fully dissolves and the egg yolks have lightened and thickened.
- Combine the ingredients. Next, fold the mascarpone into the whipped yolks. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream into stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. In a separate bowl, combine the warm water, espresso, and Kahlua.
- Fill the cupcakes. When the cupcakes are cool, cut out the centers using a knife or a cupcake corer. Drizzle a tablespoon of espresso mixture over the inside of the cupcake holes, then fill with the tiramisu filling. A piping bag makes this step super easy!
- Make the frosting. Beat the butter well, and gradually add powdered sugar and Kahlua until smooth. Carefully fold in the mascarpone cheese, and beat in more powdered sugar just until the frosting is light and fluffy. See my tips on frosting consistency.
- Decorate the cupcakes. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes, following my in-depth tutorial on how to frost cupcakes if needed.
Serving & Decorating the Cupcakes
Since these tiramisu cupcakes need to be stored in the fridge, I like to take them out and let them sit on the counter for 30 or so minutes before serving. This makes the frosting and filling a little softer and not quite as 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 curls if desired.
Tips for the Best Cupcakes
- Don’t overbake the cupcakes. For moist, fluffy cupcakes, be sure not to 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 the 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 tends to become softer the more you beat it, and it doesn’t firm up as well when refrigerated again. Because of that, I suggest carefully folding it into the frosting just before the last of the 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!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if you want to make non-alcoholic tiramisu cupcakes, you can omit the Kahlua from this recipe. Or, simply replace the Kahlua with more espresso if desired.
Mascarpone is the traditional choice for tiramisu desserts, but you can substitute it with cream cheese in a pinch. Cream cheese is tangier and less smooth than mascarpone.
Leftovers & Storage
Due to the dairy in the frosting and filling, these tiramisu cupcakes should be stored in the fridge. Keep them covered in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I would not recommend freezing these cupcakes, especially once they’re frosted.
More Coffee Dessert Recipes
Tiramisu Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 47 minutes
- Yield: 12–14 Cupcakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These tiramisu cupcakes are moist vanilla cupcakes soaked with coffee and Kahlua, filled with mascarpone cream, and topped with fluffy mascarpone frosting. They have all the flavors of a classic Italian tiramisu, without the fuss!
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 6 tbsp salted butter, room temp (I use Challenge Butter)
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 tbsp sour cream
- 3 egg whites
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 6 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp water
Tiramisu Filling
- 2 egg yolks
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 1/2 tbsp warm water
- 1 tbsp instant espresso coffee granules
- 1/4 cup Kahlua
Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 1/2 tbsp Kahlua or espresso
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Beat butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add vanilla extract and sour cream and mix until well combined.
- Add egg whites in two batches, mixing until well combined.
- Combine dry ingredients in another bowl, then combine milk and water in another bowl.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well combined. Add the milk mixture and mix until well combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Fill cupcake liners about halfway. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
- Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Make the Filling & Fill the Cupcakes
- While the cupcakes cool, make the filling. Combine egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double boiler, over boiling water. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can use a metal mixing bowl set over a pot with simmering water in it.
- Cook for about 6-8 minutes, with the heat on low, stirring constantly, or until the mixture is light in color and the sugar is dissolved. If the mixture starts to get too thick and a darker yellow, it’s overcooked.
- When done, whip yolks with a mixer until they thicken and turn a bit yellow.
- Fold mascarpone cheese into whipped yolks.
- Add heavy whipping cream to another mixer bowl and whip until stiff peaks form, about 5-7 minutes.
- Fold whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.
- In another small bowl, combine warm water, espresso, and Kahlua.
- Once cupcakes are cool, cut out the centers. I use a cupcake corer.
- Drizzle about 1 tbsp of the espresso mixture over the inside of the holes of the cupcakes, then fill in the holes with the tiramisu filling.
Make the Frosting
- To make the frosting, beat the butter until smooth.
- Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and 1 tbsp of Kahlua and mix until smooth.
- Add another cup of powdered sugar and the remaining Kahlua and mix until smooth.
- Carefully fold in the mascarpone cheese.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the remaining cup of powdered sugar and mix just until smooth. You don’t want to overmix the mascarpone cheese, or it could become too thin.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and sprinkle with some cocoa, and top with chocolate-covered espresso beans, if desired.
Notes
- Store in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, I recommend letting them sit out for 20-30 minutes, so they aren’t too cold and firm.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cupcake
- Calories: 439
- Sugar: 47.9 g
- Sodium: 69.8 mg
- Fat: 20.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 59 g
- Protein: 3.9 g
- Cholesterol: 80.2 mg
Categories:
Cakes and Cupcakes, Christmas, Easter, Fall and Holiday Favorites, Holidays, New Years, Recipes, Sweets and Treats, Thanksgiving,
Quick question! After looking I realized I only have salted caramel Kahlua. Is that something that would work for this recipe?
I haven’t tried the flavored Kahlua options before, so I’m not sure how strong the caramel flavor is. If you like the flavor though, that should be fine.
Is it better to make the tiramisu cupcakes a day ahead of time and or should I make them the day of the dinner
Either way would be totally fine. If you’d like to make them a day ahead, they’d hold up well.
HELP; We are only 2 people. Need to at least halve this recipe. pls help by accurately cutting it in half so wee can enjoy these cupcakes. I have made tiramisu many times in the past; but never in cupcake form. There are a lot of steps but I want to make these. Pls respond today 8-9-24
Thank, Linda
I responded to your email. Thanks!
Can this recipe be made without alcohol? If so, what can I change? Thanks!!?
Yes. For a non-alcoholic espresso mixture to replace the Kahlua mixture, replace with this:
1/4 cup hot water
1 tbsp instant espresso powder
1 tbsp sugar
This was absolutely delicious and very easy to follow the recipe! Everyone devoured them!!!
I’m so glad they were hit!
Can you make the filling for the cupcakes the night before or is it best to make everything the same day? My plan was to make the cupcakes and fill them with the filling. Then, make the frosting the next day.
It sounds like your plan would be just fine. You can definitely make the filling the day before. I would just add it to the cupcakes right after you make it rather than storing it and trying to fill the cupcakes later.