Perfect Party Cupcakes [mascarpone mini-cupcakes with raspberry glaze]

Best.  Cupcakes.  Ever.

*Image from FoodNetwork.com

I have a couple of go-to cupcake recipes in my repertoire.

I use the Barefoot Contessa’s coconut cupcake recipe, sans coconut and almond extract when I need to make the perfect yellow cupcake.

I like Eleanor Klivans’ chocolate cupcake recipe from her book, Cupcakes!

These lemon-yogurt cupcakes are so summery and light when topped with a lemon/powdered sugar glaze.

And Sprinkles’ pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon-cream cheese frosting (sorry, they are seasonal and only available in the fall) are completely unrivaled.

I’m going to have to tell those cupcakes to step aside however, as I have a new favorite cupcake in town.  Giada’s Mascarpone Mini Cupcakes with Strawberry Raspberry Glaze.  The addition of mascarpone cheese in the batter takes the texture of the cupcakes to a new level and masks some of the sweetness you get from the boxed cupcake mix.  They’re moist, they’re light, and they’re mini!  These cupcakes are classy, cute and perfect for your next soiree.

Bet you can’t eat just one…

For the cupcakes:

• 8 oz. (about 1C) of softened mascarpone cheese
• 2 egg whites
• ¼ C vegetable oil
• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 C water

Preheat the oven to 350 and line mini-muffin tins with paper liners.

In a large bowl, combine the mascarpone, egg whites and vegetable oil and beat until creamy.  Add the cake mix and water and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Use teaspoons to fill the muffin tins just below the rim and bake for about 20 minutes, until the cupcakes are puffed and golden.

Let the cupcakes cool completely and get ready to glaze.

For the glaze:

• 1/3 C frozen strawberries (except my grocery store was out, so I used raspberries), thawed
• 2 ½ C powdered sugar
• a couple teaspoons of lemon juice or water, in case you need to thin the glaze

Puree the strawberries in a blender or food-processor (I used my mini food-processor, for easy clean up).  If you are picky about things like seeds, strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve.  If you are impatient about waiting for cupcakes, proceed.  Place the powdered sugar in a medium bowl and add the strawberries.  Stir, stir, stir, as it will take a while for the glaze to come together.  My glaze was more of a paste, so I ended up adding 2 teaspoons of lemon juice to thin things out just a little.

Honestly, I can’t think of the last time I ate a cupcake more delicious than this.  I will be making them again.  And soon.

A little note…I thought I let these cool all the way before covering them with foil, but when I uncovered them the next morning, the glaze was all wrinkly.  I’ll see what I can do and update the post if I find a solution.