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Elevating the Ordinary: Mascarpone Cupcakes

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Here’s something I can never seem to tire of: cupcakes. You probably already have favorite chocolate cupcake and yellow cupcake recipes (if not, don’t worry- I’ll share my recipe for those soon enough!), and today I want to share with you another one that will definitely go on your list of favorites. That is, if you like moist, creamy cupcakes.

And you do, don’t you?

But wait, before you begin reading the recipe below, I must warn you: it includes a box of white cake mix.

Ah, so that’s why I titled this “Elevating the Ordinary”! Let me tell you, though, that there isn’t anything ordinary about these cupcakes.

The secret of these cupcakes is that they’re made with mascarpone- a creamy, delicious Italian cheese that is simply like no other. The stuff is not cheap, certainly, but that’s another reason why these cupcakes taste so good: they’re decadent. You can, of course, try substituting regular cream cheese (Philly or otherwise), which should work nicely, but if you can, please, please try these with mascarpone. They’re from a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis, but while the lovely Giada makes them in mini sizes, I like to use my standard sized cupcake pan for these.

Mascarpone Cupcakes

8 oz. mascarpone cheese
2 egg whites
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I like to use Sunflower or Safflower. The more flavorless, the better!)
1 box white cake mix
1 cup water

Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.

Combine mascarpone, egg whites and oil in a large bowl. Beat with a stand or hand mixer until combined and creamy. Add white cake mix and water all at once, and mix on LOW speed until smooth, until incorporated- but don’t overmix.

Fill cupcake pan 2/3rds full, and bake around 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Frost with American Buttercream or Italian Meringue Buttercream and top with your favorite sprinkles- or, as in the mouthwatering photo above, with little curls of white and dark chocolate.

Moist & Chocolatey Chocolate Cupcakes

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Chocolate Cupcakes

You know that chocolate craving you sometimes get? When nothing but a slice of rich, moist chocolate cake with sweet, gooey frosting will do? These chocolate cupcakes, so quick and easy to make, are for those times. And because they’re made with oil (rather than butter), they keep in the freezer beautifully – ready to be pulled out, defrosted then frosted anytime!

Chocolatey Chocolate Cupcakes
Cake recipe based on one from Ina Garten

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I like Sunflower, but feel free to use any you prefer)
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature (just Large is fine!)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (I use Instant coffee… it’s just easier :))

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare your cupcake or muffin tin by lining it with paper cupcake liners.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

The mixture will be very runny! Don’t worry- it’s supposed to be like that. That’s why it’s so moist.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into the cupcake pan, taking care not to overfill- you want to stay below 2/3rds. These cupcakes rise, baby!

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.

*For frosting, I used my trusty Chocolate Ganache recipe– without chilling, of course.