Cappuccino Cupcakes

Total: 2 hours, 12 minutes
Yield: Makes 6 dozen miniature cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  butter, softened
• 1/2  (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 2  cups  sugar
• 4  large eggs
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 3  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1  (8-oz.) container sour cream
• Double Shot Latte Buttercream
• Garnishes: instant espresso, ground cinnamon, and chocolate-covered coffee beans

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beating until blended. Spoon batter by rounded tablespoonfuls into lightly greased miniature muffin pans.
3. Bake at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 30 minutes). Pipe or spread Double Shot Latte Buttercream onto cupcakes. Garnish, if desired.
Note: To prepare regular-size cupcakes, spoon batter into 2 lightly greased 12-cup muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. Bake at 350º for 22 to 24 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool and decorate as desired. Makes 2 dozen.

Southern Living, FEBRUARY 2010

Filling:

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces  tiramisu mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 2-3 tablespoons cream that has been boiled with coffee beans and strained

Directions

1. With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk heavy cream until stiff peaks form (be careful not to overbeat, or cream will be grainy). In another bowl, whisk together mascarpone and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture until completely incorporated. Use immediately.

Double Shot Latte Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  butter, softened
• 1  (3-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 1  (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
• 3  to 4 Tbsp. milk or cream that has been boiled with coffee beans

Preparation

1. Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with 3 Tbsp. milk, beating at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition.
3. If desired, beat in remaining 1 Tbsp. milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until desired consistency.

Southern Living, FEBRUARY 2010