Directions

1. Make the mascarpone buttercream. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the buttercream. In a medium mixing bowl, add the butter, mascarpone cheese, and vanilla beans. Fit the KitchenAid® Hand Mixer with the beaters. Place the beaters into the mixture and turn to speed 4. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Stop the mixer. Add the confectioners’ sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Place the beaters back into the bowl and turn to speed 2. Mix until all the confectioners' sugar is incorporated and the mixture is creamy, 2-3 minutes. Stop the mixer to scrape the bowl and beaters as needed during mixing. Once creamy, turn the mixer to speed 5 and mix until the buttercream is light, airy, and soft, another 3-4 minutes. Halfway through the mixing process, scrape down the bowl using a spatula.
2. Assemble the cupcakes. Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired (either with a spreader, or with a piping bag).
3. Chef’s Notes: To scrape a vanilla bean, put the bean on a cutting surface. Using the tip of the paring knife, cut the bean lengthwise. Then, using the point, or edge of the knife, scrape the seeds loose from the pod and add to your recipe.