Tears of tiramisu cupcakes

Have you ever had one of those gut wrenching, awful breakups? The kind that leave you crying in bed watching reruns of "say yes to the dress?" I finally let someone really break my heart and so I'm doing what any normal person would do, I'm baking.  A lot.  

Baking has always been my stress reliever; something I can get lost in.   I knew I couldn't drown my sorrows at the bar, that would require mascara- which wasn't an option.  My friends were eventually going to get sick of my self loathing and my dog was even avoiding my tight embraces that lasted just a bit too long.  I needed something to distract me from trying to figure out a new life overnight; Something to keep me from sending him photos of my middle finger.

And so A BAD VEGETARIAN was born, and this month/year's topic: BAKING THROUGH MY BREAKUP.  All the recipes are vegetarian, some are gluten free and Vegan too.

Read along and see me bake (and sometimes cook), complain and vent. Sometimes I start baking at midnight, sometimes I forget if I added the baking powder. I'm almost perfect but ill tell you if things aren't good.  Of course ill brag when things are great, but hopefully this will entertain us both long enough for me to realize that everything happens for a reason, despite how bad they can hurt.   Warning: I'm too lazy to spell check, I'm new to blogging and I've yet to figure out how to upload pics.

Week 1: tiramisu cupcakes

My cousin's wife is prego and I needed a dessert for the baby shower. Who doesn't love cupcakes? I originally started with the recipe by Martha Stewart, but that bizzo is way more patient than I am so I made some minor changes.  They looked adorable and tasted great, although let me warn you these are not for amateurs. Do not overheat your eggs or whipped cream and make sure you have space in your fridge for 30 cupcakes to chill!

2am.  I just woke up from my depression nap and realized I needed to bake. Anything to take my mind off him.

I usually choose what I bake according to what is about to expire in my fridge. Tonight it was marscapone.

Behold. Tiramisu cupcakes.

Tiramisu Cupcakes

Yield: about 28 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For the cupcakes:
1¾ cups plus 2 tbsp. cake flour, sifted
1¼ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. coarse salt
6 tbsp. milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
5 large whole eggs plus 4 large egg yolks
1½ cup sugar

For the soaking syrup:½ cup freshly brewed very strong coffee (or espresso)
3 tbsp. Kahlua
6 tbsp. sugar

For the frosting:
1½ cups heavy cream
12 oz. mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

To finish:
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting