*Sweet Indulgence: Adventures in Cinnamon & Maple: A Breakfast Cupcake
Last Thursday I was sitting in the office with my favorite manager printing recipes. I was debating what to try that night. Actually, I had already decided to try some tomato soup cupcakes. I know they sound gross, but I can understand the thought behind it. They look really moist!
Okay, okay, but this isn’t about the cupcakes I didn’t make. Haha! So as I was sitting in there Rick asked me what I was up to. I explained that I was figuring out what to bake for the following day. He sat there quietly for a minute and then started making suggestions! It was really sweet because I don’t even think he’s ever eaten one of my treats in the last three years. So when my FAVORITE manager asks, I have to deliver!
Cinnamon Swirl Cupcakes
makes 21
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour
- 1 cups sugar
- 1/2 tbsn. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup or 1 stick unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk, divided
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tsp. vanilla
For the cinnamon filling:
- 2 tbs. sugar
- 2 tbs. light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a cupcake pan with liners, set aside. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with your whisk attachment. Add the butter and 1/4 cup of milk. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. In another bowl, blend the eggs, egg white, remaining 1/4 cup milk and vanilla. Add to the batter in 3 additions, mixing for 2 minutes on medium speed after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl in between additions.
To make the filling, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside until ready to fill the cupcake tins. When ready to fill, scoop cake batter into each muffin liner. I made sure there was enough batter to cover the bottom of the paper liner. Sprinkle with about 1/2 tsp of filling, then more of cake batter over the filling so each cup is about 3/4 full. Then use a fork to drag through the batter to distribute the cinnamon filling. Stir slowly and only a few times so as not to mix the cinnamon sugar completely into the batter. Bake for 17-19 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. Top with coarse sugar and cinnamon if desired. I forgot! Boo!!
For the maple swiss meringue buttercream:
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract
- 1 1/2 sticks of butter (12 tbsn.), cut into 12 pieces
- 2-3 tbs. maple syrup
To make the frosting, put the egg whites and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Place the bowl over a pot of boiling water making sure the bottom does not actually touch the water. Stir the egg whites until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and place into the mixer stand. Beat until it becomes white and doubles in size. Add the vanilla on low speed, then add the butter, one piece at a time, making sure it is well mixed after each addition. Do not worry if it looks curdled, it will take some time for it to come together. Continue beating for 5 - 10 minutes until everything comes together. Add the maple syrup until desired maple syrup taste. Spread/ pipe/ smother onto your cupcakes and enjoy!!
{This is what it looks like when making really beautiful cupcakes in my kitchen. Yes, wine is a very important ingredient.}