Cinnamon Chocolate Cupcakes

I have always had a fascination with cupcakes, especially now with the new “cupcake wars” show that is on food network. 🙂 We did not have cupcakes in my household when I was growing up. The closest thing we ever had was when my mom made little itty bitty cheesecakes that you made in muffin tins… but no cupcakes. So I have always had this desire to MAKE a cake or a cupcake. So here are to my first cupcakes! I couldn’t seem to find a recipe that I liked, so this is a creation all of my own, but, I think they turned out gorgeously! A soft almost savory cocoa cupcake mixed with the sweet smooth seductiveness of the cinnamon buttercream frosting is sure to be a major hit! 

• 1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 c cocoa powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbs vanilla extract
• 1 c buttermilk
• 1/2 c sour cream
• 1 3/4 c all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pan with liners. Cream butter and sugar until light and flurry. Lower, add eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk and sour cream. Set aside. In another bowl, sift four, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add buttermilk mixture and sifted mixture to creamed butter mixture. Beat until combined, being careful not to over beat. Using an ice cream scoop, divide into cupcake tins, being careful to be consistent in size. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes, and then release from the pan and set on rack to cool.

Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

• 1 stick softened butter
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 c powdered sugar
• 1 tbs vanilla

Whip butter, cream cheese, and cinnamon together. On a slow speed, slowly incorporate powdered sugar. Add vanilla. You can spread with a spatula onto cooled cupcakes, or pipe with a piping bag.