Cupcake 6 - Cinnamon Cupcakes with Chocolate Chili Cinnamon Frosting

I must confess, I got side tracked early this weekend. My plans were in place to make the Ultimate Yellow cupcake, actually excited to "cupcake" the Cooks Illustrated yellow cake and then.... the new Food and Wine showed up in the mail on Friday. The recipe for the Cinnamon Cake with Chocolate Cinnamon Ancho Chilli frosting called my name, begging me to give it a whirl. I love the idea of ancho chilli powder in the frosting! I quickly shelved the yellow cupcakes, jumped on board with much more sexy cinnamon cupcakes and was not disappointed. A little dicey getting the baking time down from cake to cupcake, but over all nice cinnamon flavor and the frosting was over the top! The cinnamon, ancho chili powder and cyanne worked well with the chocolate in the frosting. Next time I may go with all bittersweet chocolate, instead of half white chocolate and half bittersweet. I rarely have a use for white chocolate.

Rating 9 out of 10.

Not to worry the yellow cupcakes are on the roster for next weekend. Its my Dad's birthday and he has requested "something" with butterscotch frosting. I've got to stay old school, Dad's not too adventurous.

Cupcakes
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 c AP flour
1 c cake flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
3/4 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 t pure vanilla extract
1 c sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners, 24 cupcakes.
In a medium bowl, whisk the AP flour, cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a standing mixer, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time until incorporate, add vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternating with sour cream, scraping sides of bowl between additions. Scoop 2/3 c of batter into each cupcake well. Bake 17-20 minutes until golden until tooth pick comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.

Frosting
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 c confectioners’ sugar, sifted 1
1/8 c heavy cream
1/2 t pure vanilla extract
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t ancho chile powder
1/4 t cayenne pepper
pinch of salt
2.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
2.5 ounces white chocolate, melted and cooled

In a standing mixer beat the butter until creamy, add the confectioners' sugar in three additions, beating until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions. Add the cream vanilla, cinnamon, ancho chile powder and cayenne beating at low speed until incorporated. Gradually beat in the bittersweet and white chocolate. Once the bowl is scraped, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes until light. Frost cooled cupcakes.

Note: I doubled the frosting recipe and had lots left over after generously frosting the 24 cupcakes.