Continuing from my semi-replication of Chloe Coscarelli’s cupcakes, I wanted to make a mocha almond fudge cupcake but rather than making it vegan, I wanted to make it gluten-free. The main reason why is because I wanted to make the cupcake using almond flour, to really hammer in the almond flavor into the cupcake. The batter itself has all three flavors, while it is adorned with a ganache with all three flavors, almond slivers, and a coffee-mascarpone cream that is piped like a flower.

For the cupcakes:
3/4 cups almond flour
3/4 cups glutinous rice flour
2 egg whites
1/3 cup melted butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 cup almond milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons black vinegar

Whip egg whites with vinegar and baking soda. Combine other ingredients together. Pour into a lined 12 cupcake mold and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Cool completely before removing from the mold.

For the ganache:
1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon espresso powder
a pinch of salt
2 egg yolks

Steep milk with espresso and salt and bring up to 185 degrees F. Combine ingredients and mix until smooth. Keep tepid.

For the mascarpone:
8 oz mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon espresso powder
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons sugar
a pinch of salt

Melt espresso, sugar, and salt into water. Mix into mascarpone and whip until smooth. Transfer into a piping bag with a rose petal tip. Pipe the flowers onto a piping nail (I used a meat thermometer because it’s basically the same thing and all my damn piping nails keep rusting). Using two offset spatulas, transfer the flowers onto the cupcakes.

To garnish:
almond slivers

Dip the cupcakes into the ganache and then garnish with the slivers. Transfer the piped flowers onto the cupcakes.