Tomato Soup Cupcakes

If you live in a major metropolis, or are a girl, or simply consider yourself better than most people you meet, you probably get some version of the DailyCandy e-mails.

It's the less egotistical version of Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP. It's the more politically correct version of Urban Daddy. It's the Samantha to Gilt.com's Carrie.

You get the idea.

So, in today's DailyCandy New York, they featured a cupcake recipe from NYC bakery, Baked, and it looks really special. It's a tomato soup cupcake (which can be made either savory or sweet) topped with mascarpone frosting. It's the perfect addition to your fall/winter cupcake rotation and will surely warm you heart and soul.

Tomato Soup Cupcakes (Recipe and Image via DailyCandy)Makes 24

Ingredients
2 (10¾ oz.) cans condensed tomato soup, preferably low sodium
1 tsp. baking soda
3½ c. all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. cinnamon*
½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg*
½ tsp. ground allspice*
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
¾ c. (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp.
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs

*Want a more savory cake? Replace the cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice with 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper and increase the salt to ½ tsp.

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line two twelve-cup cupcake pans with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl, sprinkle baking soda over the tomato soup and stir well. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt and baking powder.

4. Beat butter and sugars together on medium speed until fluffy, three to four minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for a few seconds. Turn the mixer to low. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with tomato soup, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl again, and mix on low speed for a few more seconds.

5. Fill the prepared cupcake pan about three-quarters full. Bake the cupcakes 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

6. Allow the cupcakes to cool for 30 minutes in the pan, then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Mascarpone Frosting 

Ingredients
¾ c. (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
12 oz. mascarpone cheese, softened
4 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1. Beat softened butter until it is completely smooth (it’s easiest to do this in a standing mixer). Add mascarpone and beat until combined.

2. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth. Be careful not to overbeat; this will cause the frosting to lose structure. (At this point, you can tightly cover the frosting and refrigerate overnight if you want. Let it soften at room temperature before using.)

3. Fit a pastry bag with the largest tip, fill with frosting, and cover each cupcake with a big mound. If you do not have a pastry bag, use an ice cream scoop with a release mechanism; scoop the frosting and dispense it onto the top of the cupcake. You can also use an offset spatula to frost the cupcakes.

4. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. Bring the cupcakes to room temperature before serving.