Page 38 Tiramisu Cupcakes

"Ethereal mascarpone frosting blankets sponge cake in this adaptation of a famous Italian dessert. Extra yolks in the batter make the cake sturdy enough to hold a generous dose of coffee-liqueur syrup without becoming too soggy. Freshly brewed coffee or espresso would be a natural accompaniment, as would little glasses of marsala, a fortified Italian wine used in the soaking syrup." - Martha

My plan was to make these cupcakes on Friday night to serve on Saturday morning as I was having some ladies over to perform an audit on one of the charitable groups in which I am involved. I could bake them and soak them on Friday PM and then frost them in the AM very quickly; since I don't drink coffee I had asked them to bring their own as they usually are holding a Starbucks cup at each meeting. What an appropriate treat to go with their cappaccinos or their lattes...a tiramisu cupcake.

This began as a another recipe with multiple bowls and pots to simmer and mix and fluff and fold this and that. I didn't want another disaster like the previous one so I held my ground and followed this recipe. The only thing I did differently was to cut the recipe in half. I didn't need any extra cupcakes lying around after the meeting so instead of the 18 it mentions; I made a dozen. Just enough.

My problem ensued when it was midnight and I hadn't yet begun to make them. So, at that late hour I proceeded with the sifting and mixing and heating and beating. Oh my, they looked so light and airy as I filled each muffin cup. The extra yolks fluffed up so silky smooth and the vanilla scented my entire kitchen. However, while waiting for the cupcakes to bake, the whole 20 minutes, I decided to lay down on the couch and watch a little late night TV. I set the timer on the stove, laid down, snuggled with my couch blanket...and fell asleep! Why did I use that blanket? I know what it does to me. It calls my name so discreetly that I don't even realize the trap I am falling into!

Needless to say, I slept right through the beeper and the cupcakes baked for an extra hour and a half. Now the sweet smell of vanilla bean had turned to the putrid scent of burnt batter. No wonder I finally woke up! I had to do something and I wanted to make it quick because I was definitely tired but wanted to have a treat to serve the next morning. I got up and made a doctored box mix, white cake, added whole eggs not just whites, added other ingredients to make it taste a bit better than a box then completed the tiramisu cupcakes as if they were original. They turned out fine. But that's it, fine. An easy replacement for a botched job; no one knew but me...and now you.