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To prepare Vanilla Bean Cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
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Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla bean paste.
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Place paper baking cups in 2 (12-cup) muffin pans, and coat with cooking spray; spoon batter into cups, filling about two-thirds full.
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Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely. Makes 24 cupcakes.
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To prepare frosting, beat cream at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Beat mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl at medium speed with mixer until blended. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture until blended. Makes 3 cups. Frost each cupcake. Top each generously with white chocolate curls.
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Chocolate curls make quite an impressive topping. At
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, they recommend using a good quality milk chocolate or white chocolate bar without nuts or fillings. Soften it very slightly in the microwave about 10 seconds on HIGH; microwave again an extra 5 seconds at at time; if needed. Pull a sharp vegetable peeler along narrow end of bar, letting curls fall onto a chilled sheet pan. The secret is having the chocolate at just the right temperature and using gentle pressure with the vegetable peeler.
