Tiramisu Cupcakes

shared by Jennifer

1 1/4 cups cake flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved. (I used 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste instead)
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
3 large whole eggs, plus 3 eggs yolks at room temperature
1 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with liners.
In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a small saucepan, over medium heat, stir milk and vanilla bean (or paste) and heat just until bubbles appear around the edge, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until melted. Let stand 15 minutes. Discard vanilla bean pod.
Using an electric mixer on medium, whisk together whole eggs, yolks, and sugar until combined. Set mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk by hand until sugar is disolved and mixture is warm, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat. With electric mixture on high speed, whisk until mixture is fluffy, pale yellow, and thick enough to hold a ribbon on the surface for about 10 seconds when the whisk is lifted.
Gently, but throughly fold flour mixture into the egg mixture in three batches. This will take several minutes. Stir 1/2 cup of the batter into the saucepan with the milk to thicken it. Fold the milk mixture into the remaining batter until just comined.
Divide batter evenly into the lined cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through baking, until centres are completely set, and edges are a golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes.

With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Be sure not to overbeat. In another bowl, whisk together mascarpone and confectioners sugar until smooth. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture until completely incorporated. Use immediately.
After cupcakes have cooled completely, using a skewer poke some holes into the top of each cupcake, about 7 to 10. This will allow the coffee-marsala mixture to absorb easier. Brush the tops of the cupcakes evenly with the syrup, until all the syrup has been used. Allow cupcakes to absorb the syrup for 30 minutes. Frost cupcakes with the frosting, refrigerate overnight in an airtight container. Dust with cocoa powder just prior to serving.

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