Cinnamon Bun Cupcakes

Directions

1. Cinnamon Goo // Vanilla Cake
2. Cinnamon Goo: Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a bowl until the mixture looks like wet sand. Note that this mixture will not come together all the way—that’s totally normal. Don’t beat yourself up thinking you’re doing something wrong. Set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 baking cups.
4. Melt the butter in a microwave at 60% power for 1½ to 2 minutes. Keep the butter warm—do not allow it to sit and cool off.
5. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-low speed for 2 minutes until light yellow and lightly foamy.
6. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Pour the warm butter into the eggs slowly, so that the mixture tempers and the eggs do not scramble. Once the butter is added, reduce the speed to medium-low.
7. With the mixer running, add the milk, vanilla, and salt. Mix for 1 minute until well combined.
8. Sift together the flour, granulated sugar, and baking powder and add to the batter. Mix on medium until just combined, 10 to 20 seconds. Remove the bowl and paddle from the mixer and use the paddle to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, ensuring that everything is well mixed.
9. Scoop the batter into the prepared baking cups, filling them two thirds of the way. Using a teaspoon, mix the cinnamon goo once again to reincorporate the butter and sugar. Place random small dollops of the goo over each unbaked cupcake.
10. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The cupcakes are done when the centers spring back when you touch them.
11. Remove the cupcakes from the oven. Let cool for 5 minutes. Leave the oven on to bake the streusel.

1. Cinnamon Streusel // Cinnamon Butterscotch // Cream Cheese Buttercream
2. Cinnamon Streusel: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a clean bowl of the mixer on medium speed until the mixture looks like small pebbles. If the mixture is still too smooth, add more flour, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Sprinkle the streusel over the baking sheet, making sure there are no large clumps. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pan once, until golden brown.
3. Cream Cheese Buttercream: Follow the recipe for French Buttercream. Once completed, add the cream cheese and beat on high until well incorporated. If the cream cheese is particularly liquidy, it could cause the buttercream to “break.” If that happens, add the guar gum and continue beating on high for 2 minutes until the mixture comes back together.
4. For American frosting: Prepare the recipe as directed, replacing the mascarpone with the cream cheese.
5. Assembly: Fill a pastry bag fitted with a fluted tip with the cream cheese buttercream and pipe onto each vanilla cupcake. Sprinkle the streusel crumbs over each cupcake. Using a teaspoon, drizzle the cinnamon butterscotch over each cupcake.
6. Half Assed Corner: Skip the cinnamon streusel and used crushed cinnamon-flavored cereal instead.