Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Oh my goodness! I may have found another cupcake to add to my favorites list - and it doean't even have chocolate! It's almost like a Tastycake Coffee Cake. It tastes just like a Snickerdoodle cookie. I think I am in love.

These cupcakes are very simple but amazing. I researched several recipes online and mixed and matched until I came up with this one. I think the half and half in the batter and the icing really enhance the texture.

Just a few things to note for when YOU make these. First, the cupcakes don't really get brown. They are very light in color so use a toothpick to check if they are done. Also, there are several options for when and if to dust them with a cinnamon sugar mixture. I dusted the tops before I baked them and it made almost a sugar crust on top. You can also dust them after they are iced. Or you could do both. Or neither. It's up to you. Another thing you could do is fill the cupcakes with a thick vanilla whipped cream and forget the icing. Those would really taste like a coffee cake!

This time around I used a Wilton #12 tip for piping the icing onto the cupcakes. I thought it made them more homey and casual then the 1M tip. You can even spread the icing on with a spatula or knife. These are pretty hard to mess up.

I hope you enjoy these! Let me know how they turn out!

Be sure to check out Cupcake Tuesday and It's A Blog Party!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
(makes approx. 24 regular cupcakes)

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ¾ cups sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups half and half
Cinnamon sugar mixture for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of the half and half. Beat 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Scoop batter into cups, filling ¾ of the way. Bake for 17-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan two minutes then remove to rack to finish cooling.

Cinnamon Vanilla Buttercream
(makes enough for approx. 24 regular cupcakes)

½ cup vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 cups powdered sugar
½ cup half and half

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together vegetable shortening, salt, cinnamon, vanilla and 2 cups of the sugar. After incorporated add remaining sugar in two batches, alternating with the half and half. Add more sugar to thicken and more half and half to thin to desired consistency. Beat on high for about 10 minutes until creamy and fluffy.