Cinnamon Sugar Cupcakes

       These cinnamon sugar cupcakes are tasty! I brought them to another cupcake party and the ladies at the party loved them. They are different, but very, very good. Each cupcake is dense and tastes strongly of cinnamon. The texture of the cake leans more towards pound cake, but not quite as dense. The frosting is a cinnamon cream cheese frosting. The cinnamon adds a slight spiciness and the cream cheese adds tang. Then you top off the cupcake by sprinkling a cinnamon/sugar blend over the top of the frosting. The sprinkle of sugar adds a lot to the visual appeal, it adds sparkle and also a slight crunch compared to the creamy frosting and dense cake.
      All I can say is make.these.now! Go into y0ur kitchen and whip up a batch of these. However, be ready to take them to someone, because they are highly addictive. I made mini cupcakes and I was taking a taste here and a taste there, until all of the sudden...6 mini cupcakes were gone. I realized then that I was out of control--so I quickly packaged up the rest to take to the party! (Unlike someone else I know...I don't eat cupakes after I've packaged them up for someone else. [clears throat BEBM;) ]) Thank goodness I didn't come home with any either, I'm sure I would have eaten them in between washing my face and brushing my teeth that night!
     Now go make these. They use a boxed cake mix, so for the few of you that only eat from-scratch goodies turn a blind eye toward the ingredients, but still make these. I know that if you like the taste of cinnamon rolls or cinnamon toast or snickerdoodles you will LOVE these cupcakes. But don't say you weren't warned if you weigh a little more the next morning.

Cinnamon Sugar Cupcakes
adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor
1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
1 1/4 cup buttermilk (regular milk works too)
3/4 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 heaping tablespoon cinnamon


Frosting
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


For Sparkle
1/4 teaspoon groud cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar


Directions
Cupcakes:
Preheat of to 350º.
Pour dry cake mix into a large bowl. Add pudding mix and stir with a whisk.  Add buttermilk, oil, eggs and heaping tablespoon of cinnamon. Mix until most lumps have disappeared. 


Fill a lined muffin pan about 3/4 full. Bake 17-22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Leave the cupcakes in the pan for 4 more minutes then remove the cupcakes to a wire rack. Allow cupcakes to cool prior to frosting.


Frosting:
Beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer. After creamed together slowly add the powdered sugar and cinnamon until completely combined and fluffy. If the frosting looks too wet add a little more powdered sugar, if the frosting looks too dry add a little milk or cream.


Sparkle:
Mix 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon for sprinkling over frosted cupcakes.