Week 16:Churro Cupcakes with Cinnamon Mascarpone Frosting

Hello!  First off I apologize for this blog post being about 2 weeks late.  Way back when I wanted something not chocolaty or peanut, so looking through my long list of pins I decided to try a churro cupcake.  Growing up when everyone I went to Costco with my parents, I would get a churro which of course was the only reason I ever wanted to go!

Lately with the recipes there has been just one ingredient that is not always easy to fine in a grocery store.  I always try to find it myself but never have any luck.  This recipe of course had the one ingredient, mascarpone cheese.  After searching where I thought it would be, I finally gave up and asked.  It took them to figure out what it was but did finally tell me where it was. And after eating the cupcakes, I will say it was the most important ingredient.  As I keep going, I keep coming up with new favorites and this cupcake by far is my favorite so far!

I got the originally recipe from Sweet Chick: http://www.thesweetchick.com/2012/03/churro-cupcakes-with-cinnamon.html

Hello!  First off I apologize for this blog post being about 2 weeks late.  Way back when I wanted something not chocolaty or peanut, so looking through my long list of pins I decided to try a churro cupcake.  Growing up when everyone I went to Costco with my parents, I would get a churro which of course was the only reason I ever wanted to go!

Lately with the recipes there has been just one ingredient that is not always easy to fine in a grocery store.  I always try to find it myself but never have any luck.  This recipe of course had the one ingredient, mascarpone cheese.  After searching where I thought it would be, I finally gave up and asked.  It took them to figure out what it was but did finally tell me where it was. And after eating the cupcakes, I will say it was the most important ingredient.  As I keep going, I keep coming up with new favorites and this cupcake by far is my favorite so far!

I got the originally recipe from Sweet Chick: http://www.thesweetchick.com/2012/03/churro-cupcakes-with-cinnamon.html

Churro Cupcakes with Cinnamon Mascarpone Frosting

Yields: 18 cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:

·         1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

·         1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

·         1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

·         ½ teaspoons baking soda

·         ½ teaspoons salt

·         ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

·         1 cup sugar

·         2 eggs, at room temperature

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         ½ cup milk, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with cupcake lines; set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine: flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, until just combined then stir in the vanilla.  Sprinkle 1/3 of the flour mixture over the butter mixture and gently stir in until barely combined.  Add half of the milk, mixing until just combined.  Repeat these steps with the remaining flour mixture and milk, ending with the flour.  Do not over mix!

Fill each muffin cup with 2 tablespoons of batter.  Bake the cupcakes for 14 – 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the Cinnamon Sugar:

·         ½ cup sugar

·         1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

Allow the cupcakes to cool for 2 to 3 minutes, and then dip the top of each cupcake into the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat it.  You really have to smush them in there to get it to stick.  Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before filling.

For the Filling:

·         Carmel Ice Cream Topping

Put the topping into a piping bag or a squeeze bottle.  Stick the tip into the cupcake and squeeze the topping into the cupcake.

For the Frosting:

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature *

½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

¼ tsp. cinnamon

With an electric mixer on medium speed, which heavy cream until stiff peaks form (be careful not to overbeat or cream will be grainy).  In another bowl, whisk together mascarpone, cinnamon and confectioners’ sugar until smooth.  Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture until completely incorporated.  Use immediately.  After frosting the cupcakes, sprinkle a little bit of the left over cinnamon-sugar onto the frosting.

*Can be found in the fancy cheese section of a food store! :)

Because of the mascarpone cheese, I would recommend keeping these cupcakes in the fridge until you choose to eat them.

Like I said, so far the best cupcake ever! 

Love always, aloterella :)