Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting


phhheeewww...now you can breath!

Sorry for the long cupcake title, but it just didn't feel right to leave anything out..

While in correspondence with Lisa from The Lunch Box Project, she informed me of Jamieanne of The Sweetest Kitchen and her Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge.  I immediately made my way to her site and boy am I glad I did!

Every month Jamieanne hosts The Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge, where she introduces a mystery ingredient on the 1st of the month to be used in a cupcake competition. Contestants have 20 days to come up with a delicious cupcake using the mystery ingredient and the next day Jamieanne presents all the cupcakes entered for voting ...aka you need to go there on the 21st and vote for my cupcake!! And don't worry I'll remind you :)

This months mystery ingredient was White Chocolate.

So I present to you.. this month's top choice (in my opinion) for The Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge..

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cupcakes 
with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cupcakes
Oven: 325 Bake time: 20 minutes
swEEts original 
Yields 20 cupcakes

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup AP flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325. Line pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
In a large bowl cream butter and sugars until fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
Add vanilla extract to buttermilk.
Mix dry ingredients into butter/sugar mixture, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Using an ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner with one scoop of batter.
Transfer to oven and bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back to touch or toothpick comes out clean.
Immediately turn out onto table and place on cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before frosting.

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate, melted
1 TBS crisco

In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
Slowly add sugar, whipping cream and vanilla extract- beating until smooth and creamy consistency is reached.
Melt white chocolate and crisco using a double boiler or in the microwave* make sure to watch your white chocolate as it is much more finicky than its darker counterpart. If microwaving stop to check on it every 30 seconds or so and if using a double boiler constantly stir until crisco melts in.
Allow white chocolate to cool slightly before adding it to icing mixture.
Add melted white chocolate to frosting mixture and beat on high for a few minutes.
Place frosting in fridge for a few minutes before using.
Use piping bag to frost cupcakes.

For garnish:
Cook one tortilla cut into small triangles in skillet over medium heat (with 2 TBS oil).
Make cinnamon-sugar mixture and place in small bowl.
Place cooked tortilla triangles in cinnamon-sugar mixture and mix to coat.


Don't forget to vote for me on the 21st!
Happy Baking!  

The winner of August’s Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge will receive prizes from:

Thank you to all our prize sponsors!