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Recipe courtesy of Michael Chiarello

Polenta Birthday Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting

  • Level: Intermediate
  • Yield: 24 cupcakes
  • Nutritional Analysis
    Per Serving
    Serving Size
    1 of 24 servings
    Calories
    250
    Total Fat
    16
    Saturated Fat
    9
    Carbohydrates
    21
    Dietary Fiber
    1
    Sugar
    6
    Protein
    7
    Cholesterol
    82
    Sodium
    201
  • Total: 1 hr 50 min
  • Prep: 25 min
  • Inactive: 1 hr
  • Cook: 25 min
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Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup polenta, medium ground

1/2 teaspoon gray salt

2 sticks butter, softened

2 cups sugar, plus a pinch for whipping egg whites

6 eggs, separated

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 lemons, zested

16 ounces mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

4 cups mixed berries (raspberry, blueberry, blackberry)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
  2. Line 2 cupcake pans with 12 paper muffin cups each. Sift together the flour and baking powder and stir in the polenta and salt.
  3. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. With the mixer running add the egg yolks, 1 at a time. Beat in the milk, vanilla, and lemon zest. With the mixer on low speed add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until just incorporated.
  4. In a clean, dry bowl whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add a pinch of sugar while the whites are mixing. Add half of the whites to the mixture and beat with the paddle. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the remaining egg whites with a spatula to incorporate air and lighten the batter. 
  5. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin molds to fill the cups about 2/3 full. 
  6. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center. Cool the entire pan on a wire rack for a few minutes before removing the individual cupcakes. Cool the cupcakes completely to room temperature before frosting. 
  7. Combine mascarpone with the confectioners' sugar and beat together with a whisk until combined. Ice the cupcakes and decorate with the berries.
Show: Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello
Episode: It's the Big One - Birthday Party

Categories:

Italian Dessert Recipes Dessert Italian Blackberry Dessert Fruit Dessert Recipes Blackberry Fruit Baking American Cupcake

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13 Reviews
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MICHELE R.

1) Easy to cut recipe in half if you only want to make a dozen cupcakes.  2) My hubby is Italian, we use a lot of polenta and seek out baked things that use in in that way.  Polenta texture called medium grind can change a lot between brands.  For folks who found this outcome too gritty as several commenters seemed to, try a fine ground polenta or even plain old cornmeal  that you might use for cornbread. But do NOT use instant polenta.  3) These will be both light (from the whipped egg whites) and moist (from the butter and egg yolks) as long as you don't overbeat the batter (which will make them tough) or overbake them (which will make them dry).  4) The mascarpone frosting is 'eat with a spoon' good.  Be sure the mascarpone is room temperature before beating in powdered sugar.  If it is too stiff (brands of mascarpone can vary in density, just like cream cheese brands do), try a squeeze of lemon juice (it will echo the zest in the cupcakes) or a little whole milk or cream to thin it.  5) Given the dairy in the frosting, leftovers need refrigerating.  

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