Cinnamon Roll Espresso Cupcakes

Have I mentioned my family has the ability to consume extremely rich food?! 😉 It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, and was FREE for me to get in the kitchen & experiment! The first time in a couple of weeks but what will I make? Dessert for sure! Not really in the mood for a fruity dessert today, perhaps chocolate and caramel but, than again, I have a dessert planned for that combinations that requires a few more ingredients from the grocery store. Then it came to me, Cinnamon Roll Espresso Cupcakes!! 🙂 I know, cupcakes again. But they happen to be my favorite! 🙂 A rather sweet combination of vanilla cake and buttery cinnamon-swirl, with a rather delightful espresso glaze, and top it off with an extremely cream-cheesy icing! Sprinkle a little cinnamon and call it a cupcake! 🙂 My sister said they were “indescribably delicious!” 🙂

Original recipe credits go to bakingdom.com with a few minor tweaks from me.

Yields 24 delicious cupcakes!

Cinnamon SWIRL

• 1/2 cup butter {melted}
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon

FOR THE CUPCAKES

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter{room temperature}
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Coffee Icing

• 4 tbs butter {softened}
• 2-3 cups powder sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbs (15 to 30 ml) espresso or rather strong coffee

• 8oz cream cheese {at room temperature}
• 1/4 cup butter {at room temperature}
• 4 cups powder sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. To make the filling: In a small bowl, stir all of the ingredients together until combined. Set aside!
2. To make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with cupcake papers!
3. In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Scrape the bowl, making sure there are no streaks of flour remaining.
4. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter in each of the paper liners in the prepared muffin pan. Make a small well in the middle of each cup of batter with a toothpick, Stir the filling to make sure the butter is combined, then spoon a scant 1 teaspoon of the filling into each cup. Use a toothpick to swirl the filling and batter together.
5. Add another 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter to each cup and repeat the filling/swirling process.
6. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.
7. To make the icing: In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla until combined. Add the espresso until desired consistency is reached (I only used all 4 tablespoons). For more coffee flavor, add more coffee, but you may need to add additional confectioners’ sugar to keep a good consistency.
8. Ice the cooled cupcakes with the coffee icing. Allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes, then pipe on cream cheese icing!
9. Enjoy!! 🙂

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/72627808 w=560&h=315]