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Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

All the deliciousness of a cinnamon roll in just 30 minutes! These cinnamon roll cupcakes are made with a delicious, soft vanilla cake with a cinnamon brown sugar swirl, and topped with a sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting.
Servings 12 cupcakes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
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Equipment

  • Cupcake tray
  • Cupcake liners
  • Electric mixer with whisk attachment
  • Silicone spatula or wooden spoon
  • Piping bag or zip-lock bag

Ingredients
  

Cinnamon Roll Filling

  • 113 grams butter room temperature
  • 100 grams brown sugar
  • 10 grams flour
  • 12 grams cinnamon powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Vanilla Cupcake

  • 170 grams unsalted butter room temperature
  • 170 grams caster sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla paste/essence
  • 3 eggs
  • 150 grams all-purpose flour
  • 20 grams corn flour can sub for more flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 200 grams cream cheese room temperature
  • 100 grams unsalted butter room temperature
  • 250 grams icing sugar* see notes
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence

Instructions
 

Cinnamon Roll Filling:

  • Place room-temperature butter in a bowl. It should be soft enough to mix easily but not melted.
  • Add brown sugar, cinnamon powder, and a small pinch of sea salt. Mix everything together using a spatula or wooden spoon until well combined.
  • Transfer the cinnamon filling into a piping bag or a zip-lock bag. Set aside for later.

Vanilla Cupcakes

  • Pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees celsius and line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners.
  • In a large bowl, add room-temperature butter and caster sugar. Whip on high speed with an electric mixer for 3–5 minutes until pale and fluffy. (Make sure the butter isn't too cold, or it won't cream properly.)
  • Add room-temperature eggs and vanilla extract. Beat for another 2–3 minutes until smooth and fully combined. (No streaks of egg should remain.)
  • Add in the flour, baking powder, cornflour (or extra flour if substituting), and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter with a spatula first, then mix briefly on low speed. (Avoid overmixing to keep the cupcakes tender.)
  • Divide the batter into cupcake liners, filling each about halfway.
  • Pipe a swirl of the cinnamon filling into the center of each cupcake, pushing the piping tip slightly into the batter so the filling stays inside while baking.
  • Bake for 20–25 minutes and let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a bowl, add room-temperature cream cheese and butter. Both should be similarly soft to prevent the frosting from splitting.
  • Beat together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. (If the mixture looks slightly split, it will come together once the sugar is added.)
  • Add icing sugar in three parts, mixing well after each addition. Include the cornflour with the first batch of sugar. Stir in vanilla extract and whisk again until fluffy.
  • If the frosting feels too soft, refrigerate for 30–60 minutes until it firms up slightly.
  • Once the cupcakes have cooled, frost them generously and sprinkle a little cinnamon on top for a perfect finish.

Video

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A post shared by Ayesha Nemat Khan (@bakewithayesha_)

Notes

Storage:
These cupcakes can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days. I recommend bringing them to room temperature before eating for the best experience. 
Tips and Tricks:
  • Use room-temperature ingredients:
    Make sure your butter, cream cheese, and eggs are all at room temperature. This helps everything mix together smoothly and gives a better cupcake texture.
  • Don't overmix the batter:
    Once you add the dry ingredients, mix only until combined. Overmixing can make your cupcakes tough instead of soft and fluffy.
  • Proper consistency for cinnamon filling:
    The filling should be soft enough to pipe easily but not runny. If your butter is too melted, the filling might leak out during baking.
  • How to swirl the filling:
    Insert the piping tip slightly into the cupcake batter before piping. This keeps the cinnamon filling inside the cupcake instead of pooling on top.
  • Even cupcake baking:
    Fill each liner about halfway for the cupcakes to bake evenly without overflowing. Use an ice cream scoop or piping bag for more control.
  • Fixing split cream cheese frosting:
    If your frosting looks slightly split after whipping, don’t worry. Keep adding the icing sugar and whipping — it will come back together.
  • Chilling the frosting:
    If your frosting feels too soft to pipe nicely, pop it into the fridge for 30–60 minutes. It will firm up and hold its shape better when piped.
  • Cooling cupcakes completely:
    Always wait until the cupcakes are fully cooled before frosting. If they’re even a little warm, the frosting can melt.
Course: Dessert
Keyword: cinnamon, cinnamon roll, cinnamon roll cupcake