tomato soup cupcakes. i'm serious.

i'm guilty of the same crime every other food network fan is.... cupcake wars, to be exact. i see the off-beat recipe on tv... it looks good, sounds mysterious, and seems so tempting...

so i try it out for my self.  and two dozen of my most daring, brave souled friends.

tomato soup cupcakes

via daily candy

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

directions:

preheat oven to 325°. 

line two twelve-cup cupcake pans with paper liners.

in a large bowl, sprinkle baking soda over the tomato soup and stir well. set aside.

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

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.

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.

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

marscapone frosting:

ingredients:

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

directions:

mix butter until completely smooth.  add marscapone {for a substitute, click here... because my grocery store didn't carry marscapone.}

add sugar and vanilla and keep mixing until smooth.

.... or, use your favorite cream cheese frosting recipe. it's all the same in my mind.

they're delish, i promise.  and people tell me they like them.... so i have to trust their word, right?

or maybe they're all just being nice?