Snickerdoodle Cupcakes v2.0

I recently purchased a copy of Martha Stewart's Cupcakes and have baked a few of the recipes (including the Orange-Vanilla Bean Cupcakes and these Snickerdoodle Cupcakes) since. I already had a go-to Snickerdoodle Cupcake recipe when I first saw the recipe for these cupcakes popping up around the blogosphere, but was curious to try them nonetheless. I made the cupcakes as the recipe suggested, topping them with clouds of Seven-Minute Frosting and sprinkling them with a bit of cinnamon sugar.

I was curious to see how they compared to my other Snickerdoodle Cupcake recipe. I really enjoyed the lightness of the cupcakes itself but oddly found the cinnamon flavor to be lacking, despite using a whole tablespoon of delicious King Arthur Flour Vietnamese Cinnamon in the batter. I think this could be contributed to the fact that my other recipe also includes a hefty dose of cinnamon in it's cream cheese frosting. The seven-minute frosting is really where these cupcakes failed in comparison to my favorites. While the airiness of the seven-minute frosting was refreshing, it lacked flavor and the cupcakes could have really used the extra hint of cinnamon. I'm also a huge fan of cream cheese frostings and I think the tangy flavor pairs well with the punch of cinnamon.

All said, I'd definitely make these cupcakes again in the future, but I'd frost them with the cinnamon cream cheese frosting instead of the seven-minute frosting suggested by Martha.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
makes about 28 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups milk

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Snickerdoodle Cupcakes - Martha Stewart Recipes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups milk

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Snickerdoodle Cupcakes - Martha Stewart Recipes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cups whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.
To finish, combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip, pipe frosting on each cupcake: Hold bag over cupcake with tip just above top, and squeeze to create a dome of frosting, then release pressure and pull up to form a peak. Using a small, fine sieve, dust peaks with cinnamon-sugar. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are frosted; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.


Seven-Minute Frosting
from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

NOTE: This recipe makes a ton of frosting. Unless you plan to make a double batch of cupcakes or would like extra, I suggest reducing the recipe to half.

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cups water
2 tablespoon light corn syrup
6 large egg whites, room temperature

Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar with the water and corn syrup in a small saucepan; clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Continue boiling, without stirring, until syrup reaches 230 degrees.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer running, add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, beating to combine.

As soon as sugar syrup reaches 230 degrees, remove from heat. With mixer on medium-low speed, pour syrup down side of bowl in a slow, steady stream. Raise speed to medium-high; whisk until mixture is completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl) and stiff (but not dry) peaks form, about 7 minutes. Use immediately.

*I used the Ateco 809 large round tip to frost these cupcakes.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups milk

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Snickerdoodle Cupcakes - Martha Stewart Recipes