Cupcakes ingredients
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) milk
- 2 tsp (10 ml) lemon juice
- 3/4 cup (115 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (100 g) ground almonds
- 1/3 cup (35 g) cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt c. à thé) de sel
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (160 g) sugar
- 1/3 cup (75 ml) vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds only or 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
Method
- With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or silicone liners
- In a small bowl, combine the milk and lemon juice. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- In a second bowl, combine the flour, ground almonds, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In a third bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and oil. Add the dry ingredients alternating with the milk mixture. Pour the batter into the muffin tin, about ¼ cup (60 ml) per cavity.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and vanilla seeds.
- Once out of the oven, generously brush each cake with some of the maple syrup mixture. Let cool completely in the muffin tin on a wire rack. Set aside the remaining maple syrup mixture for serving.
Mascarpone icing ingredients
- 200 g mascarpone cheese, cold
- 1/3 cup icing sugar
- 1/3 cup (75 ml) maple syrup
Method
- In a bowl, whip the mascarpone, 35% cream and maple syrup with an electric mixer until semi-stiff peaks form.
- Using a ¼-cup (60 ml) ice scream scoop, divide the icing among the cooled cakes (see note). Using a small spoon, make a small well at the centre of the icing. Refrigerate the cakes until ready to serve. When ready to serve, pour 1 to 1 ½ tsp (5 to 7.5 ml) of the reserved maple syrup mixture into the well in the icing of each cake (see note).