Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Yesterday, Kristen and I made Snickerdoodle Cupcakes for Patty and Cam’s birthday party. We’ve made these cupcakes a few times, usually using the recipe from The Cake Mix Doctor, and they are always a hit. If you need a recipe everyone will enjoy, this is it.

If you’ve ever read any recipes from The Cake Mix Doctor, you know that Anne Byrn starts with a cake mix, substitutes higher quality/more flavorful ingredients than the box instructions suggest and mixes in a few extra things to create a better basic cake, or totally transform the cake into something new.

Well, instead of using the shortcut recipe, I convinced Kristen to let us try another recipe and make the cake from scratch. The recipe resulted in a denser cake than The Cake Mix Doctor snickerdoodle recipe, which I actually prefer. If you like denser cakes, with a more muffin-like texture, then this recipe is for you. However, if you prefer a lighter cake texture, go with the The Cake Mix Doctor recipe.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes (recipe adapted fromCinnamon Cake with Chile-Chocolate Buttercream)

Cupcakes:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

Frosting:

3 sticks butter, softened

9 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 cup milk

For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350*F. Combine dry ingredients (flour through salt) in a bowl and set aside. Cream butter using a mixer (stand or hand mixer will work) until smooth. Add sugar to butter and mix until fluffy. Add eggs to mixture, one at a time, followed by the vanilla and mix until fully incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients and sour cream in 5 alternating additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing until incorporated.

Place cupcake liners in mini-muffin pans and fill each 3/4 full with batter. Bake at 350*F for 12 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pan and let cool before frosting.

For the frosting: Cream the butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar slowly until fully incorporated, using milk as necessary to thin. Add vanilla and cinnamon and mix until blended. If frosting is too soft, add additional powdered sugar in 1/4 cup additions. If frosting is too thick, add milk in 1 tablespoon additions. Frost cupcakes as desired.

Yield: 60 mini-cupcakes or two 9″ round cakes

Shortcut Snickerdoodle Cupcakes (recipe adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor)

1 package white cake mix

1 regular package vanilla instant pudding mix (optional)

1 stick melted butter

1 cup milk (any kind will work, whole is preferred)

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons groud cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix with an electric mixer until fully incorporated. Follow directions provided above for filling muffin pans and baking cupcakes. Use with frosting recipe above.