Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

I haven't update this in a while, even though I've been cooking quite a bit. Last weekend, I made some Snickerdoodle Cupcakes that I didn't take any pictures of.

I know. I suck.


These cupcakes drove me nuts. I tried to make mini snickerdoodle cookies to put on top, but they burned. I then threw away the rest of the batter out of frustration. Temper tantrums in the kitchen happen sometimes. So what?

Then, the frosting didn't work out the way I wanted it to (and I wasn't thrilled with the recipe for it to begin with), so I scratched that and made a very simple buttercream with stuff I had on hand. It was a pretty good recovery if you ask me. People seemed to really like them. I will admit they were good, but I do it with a glaring eye out of the annoyance they caused me.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
from Annie's Eats

For the cupcakes:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1½ cups cake flour, sifted

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1¾ cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1¼ cups milk

For the frosting:

¾ cup plus 1 tbsp. sugar, divided

1/3 cup water

1 tbsp. light corn syrup

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

For garnish:

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tbsp. sugar

To make the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  

2.Combine the flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl; whisk to combine.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Blend in the vanilla. 3. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Beat each addition just until incorporated.

4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each three-quarters full.  Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.  Allow to cool in the pans about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting: 

1. Combine the sugar, water and corn syrup in a saucepan with a candy thermometer clipped to the side.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally so the sugar dissolves.  Continue boiling without stirring until the temperature reaches 230° F.

2. In the meantime, while the sugar mixture is heating, beat the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Whisk on medium-high speed until medium-soft peaks form. 3. As soon as the sugar mixture reaches 230° F, remove the pan from the heat.  With the mixer on medium-low, pour the syrup down the side of the bowl in a slow steady stream until it has all been added to the bowl.  Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whisk until the bottom of the bowl is completely cool to the touch and stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.  Use immediately.

4. Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired.  In a small bowl, whisk together the ground cinnamon and sugar.  Sprinkle a pinch of the cinnamon-sugar on top of each frosted cupcake.  Garnish with mini snickerdoodles.

** If you want to make the mini snickerdoodles, follow the link under the recipe title. There is a link on Annie's recipe to her snickerdoodle cookies. Just reduce cooking time to about 8 minutes.

This is where a picture would be....