Our contributor, Lauren Kapeluck of EllenJay Events, is back with a delicious new recipe….
Do you often find your self drooling over sweets that others have pinned on Pinterest hoping that some day you will get the energy or time to make them. Then that day finally comes, and well, the outcome does not appear nearly as perfect as it did in the photos you were drooling over? This has happened to me a time or two specifically when it comes to cinnamon rolls! They are my weakness and one of my all time favorite sweet indulgences. However, I have yet to figure out how to make that perfect dough and roll them just tight enough to ensure the absolute perfect cut when sliced to bake. Mine never end up looking as good as the recipe I have followed. So I figured, why not take those same flavors that I love so much in a traditional cinnamon roll and come up with a cupcake version instead. So if you are cinnamon roll challenged like me, then I encourage you to try this Cinnamon Roll Cupcake recipe.
These cupcakes are packed full of cinnamon and brown sugar, with two layers of cinnamon-swirl inside and topped with a generous helping of streusel. The aroma as they bake is phenomenal and your entire kitchen will be filled with the scent of cinnamon. After they cool for just a few minutes they of course need a little drizzle of a vanilla glaze icing on top, because you simply cannot eat a cinnamon roll unless it is slathered in this sugary goodness. There is no denying that these are indeed a cinnamon roll in cupcake form.
These cupcakes are so easy to whip together, in less than half the time of an actual batch of cinnamon rolls and there is no waiting around for the dough to rise. Go ahead and get yourself a cold glass of milk ready to go while these are in the oven because as soon as that timer goes off you are going to want to eat one of these babies immediately.
CINNAMON ROLL CUPCAKES
a recipe by Lauren Kapeluck
(makes 24 cupcakes)
For the Cinnamon Sugar Swirl:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Combine the melted butter, sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir until combined. Set aside.
For the Cupcake Batter:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two muffin pans with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk until well combined.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until combined, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.
- Gradually add the flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, scraping sides of bowl as necessary, being careful not to over mix.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of cupcake batter into the bottom of each cupcake liner.
- Add a little bit of the Cinnamon-Sugar-Swirl mixture on top and swirl with a toothpick.
- Add another tablespoon of cupcake batter. Top with additional Cinnamon-Sugar-Swirl mixture and swirl again with a toothpick.
For the Streusel Topping:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Combine the flour, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Blend ingredients together using a pastry cutter.
- Divide Streusel Topping evenly over the top of all 24 cupcakes.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.
- Once cupcakes are completely cool, drizzle the Glaze over top.
For the Glaze:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons milk
- Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
- Remove pan from heat and add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla.
- Gradually add in milk and stir until you reach desired consistency.
- Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze back and forth over the cupcakes.
Find more cake recipes, cupcake recipes and tutorials in our Fall Baking Gallery!
These look so yummy! Can’t wait to make them….
I know this might sound silly but are these meant to be eaten while hot or cold? Like if I make them the night before an event will they still taste good the next day?
Great question Wendy. These are delicious both hot and cold!
I am definitely trying these this weekend – What a clever idea! Will let you know how it goes, can only hope they turn out half as good as these!
Why isn’t there a PRINT button for the recipe? 🙁
We’re working on a better print option for you! In the meantime, please use your browser to print. Then select only the pages with the recipe (pages 8,9,10).
Hope that helps!
Might sound silly but do these have to be stored in the fridge because of the milk in the glaze? Thank you xx
Not a silly question at all Emma! These are best kept in the refrigerator. Although they will taste best at room temperature. So just pull them out of the fridge in advance before serving.
Absolutely brilliant! Can’t wait to try these
OMG! Thanks for this brilliant recipe!
I love cinnamon swirls but always too lazy to do it coz it’s time consuming.
Now I can make these cupcakes and enjoy the goodness of cinnamon.
Can’t wait 🙂
Thanks again!
Theres a glaze and a struesel topping? how does that work?
The streusel topping is sprinkled on top of the cupcakes before baking. The glaze is drizzled over the cupcakes after baking and cooling. Twice as yummy!
I do LOVE the recipe and I want to make them but way to confusing!!
Tried it today and it was very good! Only note is that I had too much of the streusel topping leftover, so maybe I’ll cut that down next time, but gorgeous otherwise x
I definitely needed more cinnamon mixture, but honestly I thought the recipe and layout We’re way easier than others I have tried.
Thanks!
These were delicious but I had too little cinnamon mixture and too much streusel and way too much glaze. Is confectionery sugar the same as icing sugar is it the same sugar u put in your tea?
This sounds absolutely delicious! But it’s a little ridiculous if I ask, but can I simply substitute milk instead of buttermilk, or is there any other way? Where I live, buttermilk is diffcult to come by.
A buttermilk substitute is 1tbsp of vinegar and 1 cup of milk (for every 1 cup of buttermilk needed – so you’ll need a bit more for this recipe). Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes to “sour” the milk. Keep in mind that it may make the milk look slightly thick or curdled, but this is good!
How well do these freeze? I would like to make them for a wedding brunch reception.
You can make buttermilk by using lemon juice or white or white vinegar 2 tabs in 1cup of milk stir let set for a few min s
Really, really yummy! They’re super dense and sweet. My problem with them is that they ended up super oily. I imagine from the melted butter in the cinnamon swirl, but there was a lot. Not that I’m trying to eat healthy with these… but still. Also, like others have said, WAY to much streusel. Bit of a waste. Overall though, super, super, yummy!
Not a lot of flavor. I was really disappointed. It needed a cream cheese frosting not this glaze. Out of 5 kids only 1 liked them. Dense compared to a cup cake. But good tips to use with a different recipe maybe.
Does the glaze eventually dry?
Made them for the first time this afternoon. Delicious! Can’t wait to enjoy one with a cup of coffee in the morning.