I have made these cupcakes several times, especially when I need something quick for guests or when I have leftover mascarpone in the fridge. The recipe is not complicated, the ingredients are quite simple, and most importantly, you don’t need to take out the mixer for the batter – it mixes directly in the bowl with a spoon. For the cream, you need a bit of patience with the whipped cream, but it’s nothing complicated. The cupcakes turn out fluffy, and the mascarpone cream is light, not overly sweet.
Quick Info
Total Time: 50 minutes
Preparation: 25 minutes
Baking: 20-25 minutes
Servings: 14 cupcakes
Difficulty: easy
Recipe Type: homemade dessert, suitable for events
Ingredients
For the batter:
1 cup sugar (200 ml)
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup warm water or milk
2 cups flour
1 packet vanilla sugar
1 packet baking powder
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cherry essence
For the cream:
250 ml liquid cream (whipping cream)
250 g mascarpone
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
For decoration:
fresh blueberries
Preparation Method
1. In a large bowl, add the butter cut into pieces, sugar, vanilla sugar, and warm water. Mix vigorously with a spoon until the sugar dissolves and the butter is blended. The butter doesn’t need to be perfectly melted, but there shouldn’t be large chunks remaining.
2. Add the cherry essence. In a separate bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder and cocoa powder.
3. Gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the bowl, mixing continuously. You can use the same spoon or a spatula. At the end, you can briefly mix with a mixer, but it’s not mandatory – the batter just needs to be smooth, without lumps.
4. Prepare the muffin cups with special paper and fill each cup about three-quarters full with batter. Don’t fill them to the top, as they will rise while baking.
5. Bake in the oven at medium heat (the standard temperature for baking muffins) for 20-25 minutes. Test with a toothpick – if it comes out clean, they are ready.
6. Remove them from the pan and let them cool completely on a rack or plate.
7. For the cream, whip the liquid cream with a mixer for a few minutes until it becomes firm. In a separate bowl, place the mascarpone with the powdered sugar and mix briefly, then fold in the whipped cream. Mix gently so that the cream doesn’t deflate.
8. Place the cream in a piping bag (or a bag with a corner cut off if you don’t have a piping bag) and decorate each cooled cupcake.
9. Finally, place blueberries on top of each cupcake.
Why I make this recipe often
It doesn’t involve complicated techniques and I don’t need exotic ingredients. They turn out fluffy, don’t dry out quickly, and the mascarpone cream is more balanced in sweetness compared to those made with butter. You can also use milk instead of water if you have it on hand, with no major differences in the result.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Use butter at room temperature for easier mixing.
If you have milk, you can use it instead of water, but it’s not mandatory – they turn out well with warm water too.
Don’t overmix the batter after adding the flour, or the cupcakes will be dense.
Let the cakes cool completely before adding the cream, otherwise, it will soften or run.
Substitutions
You can replace the blueberries with other berries or cherries, depending on the season.
If you don’t have cherry essence, you can skip it, but the flavor will be more neutral.
The liquid cream can be substituted with plant-based cream, but the texture will be slightly different.
Variations
You can add small pieces of chocolate to the batter if you want a richer flavor.
The cream can be mixed with a bit of cocoa powder for a more chocolatey version.
If you don’t want cream, they can also be enjoyed plain, like muffins.
Serving Ideas
They are perfect for small parties, birthdays, or when you have guests. They can be placed in boxes for sweet gifts or as a dessert for a picnic.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can the cupcakes be made a day in advance?
Yes, you can bake the cupcakes a day in advance. Keep them at room temperature, unadorned. Add the cream and fruits just before serving.
2. Can I use the mixer for the entire batter?
Yes, you can use the mixer from the start, but it’s not necessary – the recipe is designed to work with just a spoon.
3. What can I use instead of mascarpone for the cream?
You can use heavy cream, but the texture will be different. The mascarpone cream is more stable.
4. Can the quantity be doubled for more guests?
Yes, double the ingredients and bake in two batches if you don’t have enough molds.
5. How can I avoid the batter overflowing on the paper while baking?
Fill the cups only three-quarters full; otherwise, the batter will overflow while baking and stick to the pan.
Nutritional Values
Approximately, each cupcake with cream has around 220-250 kcal, with about 20 g carbohydrates, 13 g fats, and 3-4 g proteins. These are approximate values, depending on the amount of cream used and how large the servings turn out. If you add more fruits or reduce the cream, the caloric intake decreases.
Storage and Reheating
Simple cupcakes without cream can be kept at room temperature covered for 1-2 days. With cream, it’s safer to keep them in the fridge, in a closed box, for a maximum of 2 days due to the whipped cream. I do not recommend reheating, as the cream will melt. If they are left without cream, they can be warmed easily in the microwave or oven, but this is not usually done with this recipe.
Quick Info
Total Time: 50 minutes
Preparation: 25 minutes
Baking: 20-25 minutes
Servings: 14 cupcakes
Difficulty: easy
Recipe Type: homemade dessert, suitable for events
Ingredients
For the batter:
1 cup sugar (200 ml)
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup warm water or milk
2 cups flour
1 packet vanilla sugar
1 packet baking powder
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cherry essence
For the cream:
250 ml liquid cream (whipping cream)
250 g mascarpone
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
For decoration:
fresh blueberries
Preparation Method
1. In a large bowl, add the butter cut into pieces, sugar, vanilla sugar, and warm water. Mix vigorously with a spoon until the sugar dissolves and the butter is blended. The butter doesn’t need to be perfectly melted, but there shouldn’t be large chunks remaining.
2. Add the cherry essence. In a separate bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder and cocoa powder.
3. Gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the bowl, mixing continuously. You can use the same spoon or a spatula. At the end, you can briefly mix with a mixer, but it’s not mandatory – the batter just needs to be smooth, without lumps.
4. Prepare the muffin cups with special paper and fill each cup about three-quarters full with batter. Don’t fill them to the top, as they will rise while baking.
5. Bake in the oven at medium heat (the standard temperature for baking muffins) for 20-25 minutes. Test with a toothpick – if it comes out clean, they are ready.
6. Remove them from the pan and let them cool completely on a rack or plate.
7. For the cream, whip the liquid cream with a mixer for a few minutes until it becomes firm. In a separate bowl, place the mascarpone with the powdered sugar and mix briefly, then fold in the whipped cream. Mix gently so that the cream doesn’t deflate.
8. Place the cream in a piping bag (or a bag with a corner cut off if you don’t have a piping bag) and decorate each cooled cupcake.
9. Finally, place blueberries on top of each cupcake.
Why I make this recipe often
It doesn’t involve complicated techniques and I don’t need exotic ingredients. They turn out fluffy, don’t dry out quickly, and the mascarpone cream is more balanced in sweetness compared to those made with butter. You can also use milk instead of water if you have it on hand, with no major differences in the result.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Use butter at room temperature for easier mixing.
If you have milk, you can use it instead of water, but it’s not mandatory – they turn out well with warm water too.
Don’t overmix the batter after adding the flour, or the cupcakes will be dense.
Let the cakes cool completely before adding the cream, otherwise, it will soften or run.
Substitutions
You can replace the blueberries with other berries or cherries, depending on the season.
If you don’t have cherry essence, you can skip it, but the flavor will be more neutral.
The liquid cream can be substituted with plant-based cream, but the texture will be slightly different.
Variations
You can add small pieces of chocolate to the batter if you want a richer flavor.
The cream can be mixed with a bit of cocoa powder for a more chocolatey version.
If you don’t want cream, they can also be enjoyed plain, like muffins.
Serving Ideas
They are perfect for small parties, birthdays, or when you have guests. They can be placed in boxes for sweet gifts or as a dessert for a picnic.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can the cupcakes be made a day in advance?
Yes, you can bake the cupcakes a day in advance. Keep them at room temperature, unadorned. Add the cream and fruits just before serving.
2. Can I use the mixer for the entire batter?
Yes, you can use the mixer from the start, but it’s not necessary – the recipe is designed to work with just a spoon.
3. What can I use instead of mascarpone for the cream?
You can use heavy cream, but the texture will be different. The mascarpone cream is more stable.
4. Can the quantity be doubled for more guests?
Yes, double the ingredients and bake in two batches if you don’t have enough molds.
5. How can I avoid the batter overflowing on the paper while baking?
Fill the cups only three-quarters full; otherwise, the batter will overflow while baking and stick to the pan.
Nutritional Values
Approximately, each cupcake with cream has around 220-250 kcal, with about 20 g carbohydrates, 13 g fats, and 3-4 g proteins. These are approximate values, depending on the amount of cream used and how large the servings turn out. If you add more fruits or reduce the cream, the caloric intake decreases.
Storage and Reheating
Simple cupcakes without cream can be kept at room temperature covered for 1-2 days. With cream, it’s safer to keep them in the fridge, in a closed box, for a maximum of 2 days due to the whipped cream. I do not recommend reheating, as the cream will melt. If they are left without cream, they can be warmed easily in the microwave or oven, but this is not usually done with this recipe.