These delicious tiramisu cupcakes fulfill my coffee-loving dreams! I soaked fluffy vanilla cupcakes with espresso and Kahlua and iced them with rich mascarpone frosting to create the perfect handheld tiramisu treat! These cupcakes are so good and way less finicky than the traditional dessert since they don’t require an overnight chill in the fridge.
My tiramisu cupcakes taste just like the beloved Italian dessert, but in cupcake form! I blended espresso and Kahlua to achieve that classic coffee taste and keep the cupcakes super moist. And I made the rich, creamy frosting with a blend of mascarpone and cream cheese for the perfect amount of tang! It doesn’t get much better than that!
What’s in This Tiramisu Cupcake Recipe?
- Vanilla Cake Mix: Makes these cupcakes super easy to get started.
- Cinnamon: Adds a bit of spice and warmth to the cupcakes. Feel free to omit.
- Butter: Unsalted butter keeps the cupcakes moist and tender and forms the creamy base of the frosting.
- Eggs: Give the cupcakes structure.
- Mascarpone Cheese: Adds creaminess and richness to the frosting. If you don’t have mascarpone, you can replace it with more cream cheese, or try ricotta cheese!
- Cream Cheese: Makes the frosting rich and tangy.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the coffee and cocoa.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Coffee: Adds the classic coffee flavor we all love in tiramisu. The best coffee for these cupcakes is espresso. But if you can’t get espresso, brew a very strong cup of coffee!
- Kahlua: Adds a bit more coffee flavor— feel free to substitute more espresso for a non-alcoholic version.
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How to Store
Store leftover tiramisu cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve cold or at room temperature. I do not recommend freezing these cupcakes.
Tips for Success
- Take care not to overmix the cupcake batter; otherwise, the cupcakes will come out tough.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting; otherwise, the frosting will melt off!
- The cupcakes can be baked up to 1 day in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to soak and frost.
- These cupcakes shouldn’t go soggy, but to avoid it, be sure to brush just 2 teaspoons of the Kahlua mixture over top of each. Too much could cause the cupcakes to disintegrate.
- Make sure to poke plenty of holes into the cupcakes so the Kahlua and espresso mixture can really soak in.
- The mascarpone frosting can be made up to 2 days in advance of when you plan to use it. Store the frosting in an airtight container or Ziplock bag in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Be careful not to over whip the frosting!
- Make sure to dust the cupcakes with unsweetened baking cocoa, not hot cocoa mix!
Tiramisu Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 13.25 ounces vanilla cake mix (1 box)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted (⅔ stick)
- 3 large eggs room temperature
For the Mascarpone Frosting
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature (½ brick)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (¼ stick)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
For Assembly
- ¼ cup espresso or strongly brewed coffee
- 2 tablespoons Kahlua coffee liqueur
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder optional, for topping
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Muffin Tin
- Stand Mixer
- Piping Tip Set
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the cake mix and cinnamon together.½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 13.25 ounces vanilla cake mix
- In another bowl, whisk the water, butter, and eggs together.1 cup water, ⅓ cup unsalted butter, 3 large eggs
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until the dry ingredients are fully combined. You don’t want to overmix!
- Divide the batter between the muffin tin wells, making sure to fill each one about ¾ of the way full. I use a ¼-cup cookie scoop to make it easy!
- Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before continuing.
For the Mascarpone Frosting
- Add the mascarpone, cream cheese, and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream them together until they are smooth and well combined, about 2 minutes.4 ounces mascarpone cheese, 4 ounces cream cheese, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add the vanilla and mix to combine.1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar slowly. Once all of the powdered sugar has been incorporated, turn the mixer to high speed and whip the icing until it becomes light and fluffy.2½ cups powdered sugar
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip (I use a Wilton 2A) and set aside until ready to use.
For Assembly
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, poke the top of each cupcake 5 times with a fork.
- In a small bowl, combine the espresso and kahlua. Pour 2 teaspoons of the mixture over the top of each cupcake.¼ cup espresso or strongly brewed coffee, 2 tablespoons Kahlua coffee liqueur
- Pipe the icing on top of the cupcake and dust the top of each with cocoa powder.¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Notes
How to Make Tiramisu Cupcakes Step-by-Step
Mix the Dry Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 350°F, line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners, and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk 13.25 ounces (1 box) of vanilla cake mix and ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon together.
Fold in the Wet: In another bowl, whisk 1 cup of water, ⅓ cup of melted unsalted butter, and 3 large eggs together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until the dry ingredients are fully combined.
Bake the Cupcakes: Divide the batter between the muffin tin wells, making sure to fill each one about ¾ of the way full. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before continuing.
Cream the Cheeses: Add 4 ounces of mascarpone, 4 ounces (½ brick) of cream cheese, and 2 tablespoons of butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream them together until they are smooth and well combined, about 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and mix to combine.
Sweeten the Frosting: With the mixer on low speed, add 2½ cups of powdered sugar slowly. Once all of the powdered sugar has been incorporated, turn the mixer to high speed and whip the icing until it becomes light and fluffy. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip (I use a Wilton 2A) and set aside until ready to use.
Soak the Cupcakes: Once the cupcakes have cooled, poke the top of each cupcake 5 times with a fork. In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup of espresso and 2 tablespoons of Kahlua. Pour 2 teaspoons of the mixture over the top of each cupcake.
Frost the Cupcakes: Pipe the icing on top of the cupcake and dust the top with ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, if desired.
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