Hello friends!

So I’m sure my blogging buds can attest to this, but do you ever wake up in the middle of the night with an idea?

More specifically, an idea that could possibly transform into the most delectable cupcake you’ve ever created?

I mean, it could be the sheer amount of time I spend on Pinterest before bedtime. It’s just full of so many cakes I want to bake…

and eat…

and bake and eat again.

But back to my inspired cupcake moment: I know that making Starbucks-inspired sweet treats is nothing new (remember those Salted Caramel Mocha cookies? TO-DIE-FOR) but I always find that the Cinnamon Dolce Latte never makes it to this stage.

It’s a latte bursting with cinnamon flavor: how have we not made this into a dessert?!

So, I had my moment: a cinnamon dolce latte cupcake.

But it couldn’t be a simple vanilla cupcake with some cinnamon thrown in.

Of course, this needed to have plenty of cinnamon to be sure, but why not a little strongly brewed coffee, decadent browned butter, plenty of brown sugar…

and then the most magnificent, pillowy, whipped-cream-inspired frosting the likes of which yours truly has never seen.

Oh yeah: this cupcake has it all.

Browned butter and cinnamon should really just become bffls. Their flavors complement each other so well, I sort of want to include them in all my baked goods now.

And I mean ALL OF THEM.

We do need to spend a little time chatting about this frosting though.

Friends, I will admit, I was so terrified to try this frosting. It has flour in it.

I’m serious: flour, in my frosting. Oh and the flour is simmered with milk to make this thick (slightly strange smelling) roux-like mixture, which is then cooled and whipped into butter and granulated sugar.

….

Do you see my hesitation? No powdered sugar, no heavy cream, instead a giant lump of flour/milk paste….

Ew.

But, and this is a giant BUT (teehee) this frosting rocked my world.

It also rocked the world of everyone who came near it.

I may or may not have squeezed whatever was left in the piping bag directly into my mouth as an appetizer to my lunch.

This is easily my new go-to frosting: I found it on Can You Stay for Dinner and I plan on using it on every cupcake imaginable. It’s soft and light like whipped cream, but stable enough to pipe. I also love that it’s sweet without being cloyingly so like many powdered sugar frosting recipes I’ve tried in the past.

Also, now I don’t have to deal with the inevitable oh-crap-I-forgot-to-buy-powdered-sugar-how-will-I-frost-my-cupcakes-my-life-is-over crisis that happens all too often in my kitchen.

Woohoo for less kitchen crises!

So, these cupcakes: make them. Inhale them. Share them with everyone you can. Enjoy them with a real cinnamon dolce latte or any of your other favorite Starbucks drinks.

I’ll be back Wednesday with MORE CAKE!

Because we all absolutely, positively, without a doubt need more cake in our lives.

Happy Baking!

Cinnamon Dolce Latte Cupcakes

for the cupcakes:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup browned butter, cooled*
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup brewed coffee, cooled

for the frosting:

• 5 tbsp flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

• a tsp or two of cinnamon, for dusting

*To brown butter: melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly as it continues to cook and foam. After a few minutes, it will begin to turn a rich brown and smell nutty. Remove from heat immediately and let cool before using in cupcake recipe.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line one 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. In a small bowl combine milk and coffee.
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large bowl with a hand mixer) beat browned butter with both sugars until well incorporated. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated, then beat in vanilla.
4. On the slowest speed of your mixer, alternatively beat in dry ingredients and milk/coffee mixture to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. (Example: stir in 1/3 flour mixture, then 1/2 the milk/coffee mixture, and repeat until all is mixed together).
5. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 way full with cupcake batter and bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for a few minutes before carefully removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

While they are cooling, make the frosting:

1. Stir together the flour and milk in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until it begins to bubble and sputter. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens to the consistency of thick cake batter (this can happen anywhere between 3-7 minutes, so watch carefully!)
2. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and let cool completely. While this is cooling, beat granulated sugar and butter for a full three minutes until pale and fluffy. Once the flour/milk mixture has cooled, beat this into the butter/sugar mixture for a full minute or two until fully incorporated.
3. Pipe/frost cupcakes, dust with cinnamon, and serve.

Makes Approximately 12-14 cupcakes

Frosting Recipe Via Can You Stay for Dinner

All Photos, Recipes (Unless Otherwise Specified) And Writing Copyright © 2013 Jessica Gonzalez | On Sugar Mountain