cinnabon® cupcakes

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• cinnamon syrup:
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• cake batter:
• 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk at room temperature
• 2 large egg whites at room temperature
• 1 egg at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• cream cheese frosting:
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 drop vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon for sprinkling, or to taste

Recipe

Cook Time: 20 mins Ready Time: 2 hrs 20 mins


• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c). grease 24 cupcake cups or line with paper liners.
• melt 1/2 cup unsalted butter in a saucepan over low heat; stir brown sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon into butter until brown sugar has dissolved and cinnamon syrup is hot, about 2 minutes. set aside.
• sift cake flour with baking powder and salt into a bowl. whisk milk, egg whites, egg, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, and almond extract together in a separate bowl. mix 1/2 cup butter at room temperature with white sugar in a large bowl, using an electric mixer until pale yellow and creamy, about 5 minutes. gradually beat flour mixture into creamed butter mixture, alternating with milk mixture, until batter is well blended. continue beating for 2 more minutes.
• beat cold cream with an electric mixer and clean beaters in a chilled glass or metal bowl until the cream is fluffy and holds soft peaks, about 4 minutes; fold whipped cream into batter. divide batter among the prepared cupcake cups, filling them about 2/3 full.
• spoon 1 teaspoon of cinnamon syrup into batter in each cupcake cup. set remaining cinnamon syrup aside.
• bake cupcakes in the preheated oven until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with moist crumbs, about 16 minutes. remove cupcakes from pans and let cool upside down on racks.
• place saucepan with remaining cinnamon syrup over medium heat, stir in pecans, and bring mixture to a low boil. immediately remove from heat and pour pecan mixture out a wooden cutting board. let pecan mixture cool completely and chop the pecan candy finely.
• beat 1/4 cup butter at room temperature with an electric mixer in a bowl until soft and creamy; beat in cream cheese until blended. add confectioners' sugar and a drop of vanilla extract and continue to beat on high speed until frosting is fluffy, at least 5 minutes.
• frost cooled cupcakes with frosting and decorate each with a pinch of chopped pecan candy and a sprinkle of cinnamon.