Cinnamon Swirl Cupcakes With Brown Sugar Frosting

Cinnamon is one of my favorite spices to use in baking (just check out this cinnamon crunch banana bread) and I love sprinkling a bit of cinnamon sugar over these cupcakes.

Tell me about this recipe!

• The vanilla cupcakes are based off of my recipe from my strawberry filled cupcakes. This simple recipe is made by creaming the butter with the sugar before adding the rest of the ingredients.
• The cupcake batter is layered with cinnamon sugar and then swirled together, giving you a cinnamon swirl in every bite!
• The cinnamon brown sugar frosting is an American buttercream which is so simple to make. Butter is first creamed with brown sugar before the remaining ingredients are added.

Ingredients Needed

The printable recipe card with the full list of ingredients and instructions can be found at the bottom of this post

• Yogurt: I’ve used full fat natural yogurt for the cupcakes, but you can substitute it with sour cream.
• Butter: I always use European style butter, like KerryGold, due to the higher butterfat content. This will make your cupcake much creamier and richer, and will make your frosting more creamy!
• Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand you can substitute it for milk.

How to make this recipe

Step 1: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt.

Step 2: Whisk the cinnamon and sugar together and set aside.

Step 3: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth and airy.

Step 4: Add your eggs and vanilla extract, then add your sour cream. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything is properly mixed.

Step 5: Add in your dry ingredients and mix on low speed. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the buttermilk.

Step 6: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place 12 cupcake liners in your cupcake pan. Scoop one tablespoon into each liner, then sprinkle over 1 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar. Add another tablespoon of batter. Use a toothpick to swirl the cinnamon sugar and batter together, then sprinkle another teaspoon of cinnamon sugar. Bake for 20-23 minutes.

Step 7: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and light brown sugar together on low speed. Add in your confectioners’ sugar a bit at a time, mixing on low.

Step 8: Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until it becomes thick. Stop the mixer and add the salt, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix again on medium for 2 minutes. Turn your mixer to your lowest speed and slowly pour in your heavy cream. Mix for another minute. Use a Wilton 1M tip to frost the cupcakes and then sprinkle over more cinnamon sugar.

Recipe Tips

• I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. It makes a huge difference to your baking and is the most accurate way to bake!
• I make sure that all of my ingredients are at room temperature before I start the recipe, so pull out all of the ingredients about 2 hours before you start baking.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use brown sugar instead of white sugar in frosting? Yes! In most American buttercream recipes you use confectioners’ sugar, but this recipe uses both confectioners’ sugar and light brown sugar.

Is this frosting smooth? Because this frosting uses light brown sugar as well as confectioners’ sugar, it does have slightly more texture than a more traditional American buttercream.

How do I store these cupcakes?Store the cupcakes in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating.

Other Cinnamon Recipes

Swedish Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon Crunch Banana Bread

Gooey Caramel Cinnamon Rolls with Pecans

Snickerdoodle Apple Bread with Crumb Topping

Make sure to tag me on Instagram @alpineella and leave a review below if you’ve made this recipe! If you want more baking ideas, you can follow me on Pinterest

Recipe