Hidden Heart Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting

• Place your Medium Round Mold on the top of your Medium Perforated Baking Sheet. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

ALMOND CAKE PREPARATION (x1 Heart)

• Place butter in a small sauce pan and heat on low until melted. Set aside.
  2.30 oz butter
• In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs together with the sugar, almond flour and almond extract. Add the red food coloring. Mix until combined.
  3 eggs, 3.50 oz granulated sugar, 1/4 tsp almond extract, 5.30 oz almond flour
• Pour the batter into the Medium Round Mold. Use your spatula to flatten the surface.
  

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BAKE!

• Bake for 15 minutes at 350F/180C. (Every oven heats differently, monitor your cake from 12 minutes). It is ready when the toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Once your almond cake is out of the oven, let it cool down for 15 minutes before demolding onto a cooling rack. NOTE: If you are making them a day ahead, simply wrap them in plastic and store in the refrigerator.
• Once it as cooled down use the heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut your 16 hearts. NOTE: I like to dice the scraps to enjoy as a small snack. They are also perfect to make cake pops!
  

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ALMOND CAKE PREPARATION (x1 muffin)

• Place your Mini Muffin Tray on the top of your medium perforated baking sheet. Set aside.
• Then, prepare the muffin batter just as above (without the red food coloring) and transfer it to a pastry bag.
  

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• Pipe a small amount of batter directly in the wells of your Mini Muffin Tray. Place the cut-out part at the center, then fill the sides and the top just enough to cover the hidden heart.
  

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• Bake for 10 minutes at 350F/180C. (Every oven heats differently, monitor your cake from 8 minutes). It is ready when the toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  

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VANILLA BEAN MASCARPONE FROSTING

• In a mixing bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese, until smooth on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add the almond extract and vanilla bean paste, continue beating for about 30 seconds on medium speed.
• Then, add the powdered sugar a little at a time. Beat until light and fluffy for about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides if necessary.
  

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• Add the heavy cream a splash at a time while beating on Medium High Speed until light and fluffy (no more than 3 minutes). IMPORTANT: Do not over mix!
  

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• Fill your Pastry Bag with your vanilla bean mascarpone frosting and refrigerate the extra in the mixing bowl. 
• Once your Hidden Heart Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting are out of the oven, let them cool down for about 15 minutes, then unmold onto your cooling rack and once they have completely cooled down, add the mascarpone frosting on top and decorate with "conversation hearts". Enjoy & Bon Appétit!