CHURRO CUPCAKES

Ingredients

Cupcake Batter:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour (I use Swan Down brand)*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 sticks UNSALTED butter  (room temperature)
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs (room temperature)
1 1/4 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting:
1 stick (salted) butter, softened
1 8 oz. bar of cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups confectioners' powdered sugar

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
1/8 cup (2 heaping tablespoons) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon


DIRECTIONS

For Cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line cupcake tins with paper liners.
3. In one bowl combine all-purpose flour, baking flour, salt and cinnamon.
4. In a large bowl, or standing mixer bowl, use mixer to cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs, one at a time until combined, and then beat in the vanilla.
6. On low speed, add flour mixture to butter and sugar mixture in three batches. Alternate those batches with one half of the milk, beating till combined after each addition. (i.e., flour, milk, flour, milk, flour).
7. Fill cupcake liners one half to three quarters full depending on the size of your tins. My tins were large, so I only filled them about half way full.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out dry.
9. Cool on wire racks.

For Frosting:
1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese together.
2. Add vanilla and cinnamon.
3. Add confectioners' sugar, one cup at a time, making sure it's completely incorporated before adding the next cup, until all 5 cups are added.
4. Once cupcakes have completely cooled, either spread or pipe (I piped) icing on top of each cupcake.
NOTE: Since the icing is made with cream cheese, the cupcakes need to be refrigerated once they've been iced.

For Final Topping:
1. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small pinch cup or ramekin.
2. Sprinkle mixture on top of each cupcake after it's been frosted.