Cupcake Experiments: The Cinnamon Roll Cupcake

Perhaps my best cupcake yet (although some would beg to differ) this base recipe for a vanilla cake is absolutely delicious, so anything added would simply make it amazing.



For a dozen cupcakes:

Batter/Cake:

• 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• Scant 1/2 tsp.salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 whole large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 c. whole milk

Sugar Mix/Filling:

• 3/4 c. (packed) golden brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. ground cinnamon

Frosting/Topping:

• 8 oz. cold cream cheese
• 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 5 tbsp softened butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Mix the Sugar Mix/Filling ingredients together and set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Line a cupcake pan with baking cups. Whisk together flour (1 3/4 cups), baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add whole egg, yolk, and vanilla and beat 1 minute. At low speed, mix in flour mixture and milk alternately in batches. Pour the batter into the pan so that it fills about a third of the case. Then sprinkle on a layer of the sugary filling. Pour more batter so that the cupcake case is about 2/3 full. Bake until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes before frosting it with the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. Enjoy!

For the Frosting/Topping, beat the cream cheese with the softened butter, cinnamon & vanilla extract until combined. Gradually add in the powdered sugar until you reach the consistency and sweetness desired. Be sure to sift the powdered sugar for a smoother frosting.