Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

I love everything about cinnamon.  I think I would put it in almost anything if I could get away with it.  I was excited when my daughter requested this recipe for her birthday.  On her actual birthday I made my triple cinnamon roll recipe and baked them in individual cupcake liners to take to her school and share with her class , but due to timing I decided to do an actual cupcake for her party.  Indulge!

CINNAMON ROLL CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE CUPCAKES

1 package white cake mix

1 package instant vanilla pudding mix

1 cup sour cream

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon cinnamon

For the cinnamon frosting

(adapted slightly from Pioneer Woman’s, “The Best Frosting I’ve Ever Had”)

5Tablespoons Flour

½ cup milk

½ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar (not powdered sugar)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

For the streusel

1 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Dash of salt

Combine in a bowl and set aside

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE CUPCAKES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line muffin tin with paper liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the cake and pudding mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon.  Beat for about two minutes on medium speed until well combined.

Using a large cookie scoop, pour batter halfway in each of the 24 tins, sprinkle ½ teaspoon of the streusel mixture and pour in remaining batter.  Sprinkle another ½ teaspoon of streusel mixture on top.

Bake in a preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched.  Allow cupcakes to cool.

FOR THE CINNAMON FROSTING

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and cream, stirring constantly until it thickens.  You will want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix more like brownie mix.  Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.  It must be completely cool before you use it.  Stir in vanilla

While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter, sugar and cinnamon until light and fluffy.  Then add the cooled flour mixture and beat the living daylights out of it.  If it looks separated, you haven’t beaten it enough.  Beat until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

Grab a spoon and taste this wonderful goodness.  If there is any left after your taste test, pipe onto your cupcakes finish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.  Indulge!