Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting
1 hr
Vanilla cupcakes topped with colourful mascarpone frosting — perfect for a kids' birthday or whenever you want something a little festive.
cakemuffinsdessert
Kids go absolutely wild for these — vanilla cupcakes topped with a swirl of chocolate buttercream that looks just like the poop emoji. Perfect for birthday parties or Halloween.
Instructions
- 1
Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla seeds together until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time.
- 2
Gently fold in the sifted flour and baking powder, then pour in the cream and mix the batter well.
- 3
Preheat your oven to 180 °C (top and bottom heat) or 170 °C (fan).
- 4
Place cupcake liners in a muffin tin — if you don't have one, double up the liners so they hold their shape. Divide the batter evenly between the liners and bake in the middle of the oven for 15–20 minutes. Let them cool completely.
- 5
Break the chocolate into pieces and put them in a bowl set over a small pot of water (a bain-marie). Make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water — you don't want it getting too hot. Let the water come to a gentle simmer and stir the chocolate occasionally until it's fully melted, then take it off the heat straight away. You can also melt it in the microwave.
- 6
Beat the room-temperature butter and icing sugar together in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Pour in the cooled melted chocolate and mix until everything is well combined.
- 7
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a round tip (medium, no. 13) and pipe it onto the cupcakes in an upward spiral. Finish with candy eyes on top.
Per average serving
530
Calories
kcal
6.4
Protein
g
59.6
Carbs
g
28.9
Fat
g
1.7g
Fiber
38.3g
Sugar
118mg
Sodium
Family Portions
2portions
Adults
2
Children
No children added
Ingredients
Per average serving
530
Calories
kcal
6.4
Protein
g
59.6
Carbs
g
28.9
Fat
g
1.7g
Fiber
38.3g
Sugar
118mg
Sodium
Tips from the kitchen
- Add the eggs one at a time and let each one mix in before the next, otherwise the batter can split and bake unevenly.
- Let the cupcakes cool all the way before you pipe. Warm cupcakes will melt the chocolate buttercream and you lose the swirl shape.
- The melted chocolate has to be cooled to room temperature before it goes into the butter. Warm chocolate turns the frosting soupy and it won't hold a spiral.
- Start the piping spiral wide at the bottom and pull up as you go, easing off the pressure at the top to get that pointed swirl the emoji needs.
- Stick the candy eyes on while the frosting is still soft so they grip. Wait too long and they slide right off.
Ways to vary it
- Swap the dark chocolate for milk chocolate if you're making these for younger kids who find 40% a bit bitter.
- For Halloween you can scatter a few orange sprinkles around the eyes, or use slightly bigger candy eyes for a sillier look.
- A drop of peppermint extract in the buttercream is a nice option if you want a mint-chocolate version.
Storage & leftovers
Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and let them sit out for 20 minutes before serving so the buttercream softens. They freeze well unfrosted for about a month, so wrap the bare cupcakes and pipe once they've thawed. Don't reheat frosted ones, the swirl will collapse.
What to serve with it
These are made for a birthday table, so a glass of cold milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside works well. For a party spread, set them next to a bowl of fruit to balance out all the sugar.
UC
By Untrained ChefPublished 3 June 2026 · Updated 11 July 2026
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