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These Pumpkin Tiramisu Cupcakes are spiced pumpkin cupcakes drizzled with espresso and bourbon, filled with pumpkin mascarpone mousse, and topped with mascarpone whipped cream, cocoa powder, and a ladyfinger.
Easy Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Mascarpone Mousse Filling
Since fall is right around the corner, I figure it’s full steam ahead on my pumpkin infatuation.
And next up are these Pumpkin Tiramisu Cupcakes. For this recipe, I used my pumpkin spice cupcake, filled it with mascarpone mousse, and topped it with a mascarpone whipped cream. Just to take this a little over the top, I brushed the cupcakes with a bourbon espresso mixture.
These cupcakes are hard to resist as I am a huge fan of mascarpone, which pairs so nicely with the pumpkin spice flavor.
Key Ingredients
- Milk – I used nonfat milk, but whatever you have on hand is great.
- Sour Cream – Greek yogurt works great too! Whatever you prefer.
- Bourbon – bourbon is optional, but it does add deliciously rich flavor depth.
- Mascarpone Cheese – I absolutely love the buttery flavor of mascarpone, but if you can’t find it at the store, regular cream cheese will work too.
- Pumpkin puree – make sure you use pumpkin puree; NOT pumpkin pie filling. They are not the same!
- Garnishes – we’re finishing our cupcakes off with a sprinkling of cocoa powder and some lady fingers.
How to Make Pumpkin Tiramisu Cupcakes
Make the Cupcakes
- Prep the batter: First combine all the wet ingredients expect the milk and mix together until well combined. Then combine and add the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk just until the batter comes together. I recommend using a spatula to give it a final stir and ensure it’s well mixed.
- Portion it out: Fill a cupcake pan lined with cupcake liners with the batter. Each cup should be about 2/3 full.
- Bake and cool: Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick comes out clean, then let the cupcakes cool completely.
Fill the Cupcakes
- Hollow out the cupcakes: Use a cupcake corer or knife to hollow out the cupcakes about 2/3 of the way down. Set the tops aside, because you’ll place them back into the cupcake after it’s filled.
- Combine espresso and bourbon: Microwave water until bubbling, then combine it with the espresso powder. Add the bourbon, then set the mixture aside.
- Combine cream cheese and heavy cream: Beat the mascarpone and slowly add in the cream until it has a liquid consistency. Continue to beat and add the remaining heavy cream until soft peaks form.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Once soft peaks form, add the powdered sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Quickly add the pumpkin puree and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Fill the cupcakes: Put the filling in a piping bag, drizzle espresso into the center of the cupcake, then fill it with pumpkin mousse. Grab the discarded tops and gently place them back on top of the cupcake.
Make the Frosting
- Combine the cheese and cream: Prepare a second batch of the mascarpone whipped cream using the same method as you did for the filling.
- Decorate the cupcakes: Fill a piping bag with the mousse, then pipe it on top of each cupcake. Finish them off with cocoa powder and some sliced ladyfingers.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Use pumpkin puree. It is easy to mistake pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling. The difference is that puree is just one ingredient, pumpkin. A pumpkin pie filling has added ingredients to make it sweeter. We don’t want that. These cupcakes are plenty sweet as is!
- Properly prepare the whipped topping: This frosting should be stiff and pipeable, but that means properly preparing the filling. There is a full tutorial and step-by-step photos on my original post, which is link in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Don’t overdo the topping. This recipe makes just enough for each cupcake, so don’t go overboard or you may not have enough.
- Add the ladyfingers right before serving so they don’t get soggy.
Prepping and Storing Cupcakes
The cupcakes themselves can be made 24 hours in advance and stored at room temperature in an airtight container. I do recommend making the filling and topping to add the same day you plan to serve them.
Once fully assembled, they will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
More Pumpkin Desserts You’ll Love
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Donuts
Pumpkin Tiramisu Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 20 cupcakes
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
These are pumpkin spice cupcakes, drizzled with espresso and bourbon and filled with a pumpkin mascarpone mousse. These are topped with a whipped mascarpone cream, cocoa powder and a ladyfinger.
Ingredients
For the cupcake:
- 1 ½ cups (330g) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (118ml) vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 2 teaspoons (5g) pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons (5g) cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons (6g) baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (177ml) milk (I use nonfat)
For the filling:
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese, cold
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 3 heaping tablespoons of pumpkin
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ cup hot boiling water
- 1 heaping teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 tablespoons bourbon
For the Frosting:
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese, cold
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Cocoa powder for dusting
- Lady fingers for garnish
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until well incorporated. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Next mix in the pumpkin and beat until well combined.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine all remaining dry ingredients and sift together with a fine mesh sieve. Then, add half the dry ingredients to the batter followed by half the milk, and beat until it starts to combine.Then add the remaining dry ingredients and milk and beat until well combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir the batter from the bottom to the top to ensure it’s well mixed.
- Using a large cookie scoop, divide the batter evenly, filling each liner 2/3 full. Bake at 350°F for 14-16 minutes. Test the cupcakes for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are done. Cool Completely.
For the Filling:
- Hollow out the center of the cupcake using a cupcake corer or a knife, but do not cut all the way to the bottom of the cupcake. Set the tops aside.
- To prepare the espresso mixture, microwave the water until it’s bubbling, about 60 seconds. Add the espresso powder and stir until the powder is dissolved. Combine the espresso with the bourbon and set it aside.
- Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill. Spoon the mascarpone cream into your bowl and beat on a medium-low speed (speed 3 on your stand mixer). Slowly pour in the heavy cream, about 1 cup, allowing the mascarpone cheese to turn to a liquid consistency.
- Add the remaining heavy cream then increase the mixing speed to high (speed 8-10) and beat it until soft peaks form. Next, add powdered sugar and pumpkin pie spice and increase speed to high. Quickly add the pumpkin and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Drizzle 1 teaspoon of the espresso mixture into the hallowed out center of the cupcake.
- Put the filling into a large piping bag or Ziploc bag so that it is easier to fill the cupcakes, fill the center of the cupcakes with the pumpkin mousse.
- Place tops of the cupcake that you cut out and stick them onto of the mousse to trap the moisture inside the cupcake.
For the topping:
- Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill.
- Spoon the mascarpone cream into your bowl and beat on a medium-low speed (speed 3 on your stand mixer). Slowly pour in the heavy cream, about 1 cup, allowing the mascarpone cheese to turn to a liquid consistency.
- Add the remaining heavy cream then increase the mixing speed to high (speed 8-10) and beat it until soft peaks form. Next, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating on low until sugar is incorporated. Continuing beating at a high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Fill a piping bag with your favorite tip and decorate. Dust the top of the mousse with cocoa powder and slice some Ladyfingers cookies to place on top right before serving.
Notes
- Alcohol-free option: Simply omit the bourbon from the espresso mixture
- Espresso power subs: Any type of instant coffee or brewed coffee will work
- For a detailed and step-by-step process for the mascarpone whipped cream, please see this tutorial.
- Storing: Finished cupcakes must be refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Nutrition Information:
1 cupcake
372
22.1 g
173 mg
24.9 g
33.7 g
0.9 g
4.8 g
83.3 mg
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: pumpkin cupcakes, tiramisu cupcakes
