Cinnamon Swirl Cupcakes

From Your Cup of Cake

Cakes:

French Vanilla  or Vanilla Cake Mix

3 eggs

½ cup oil

1 cup sour cream

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp almond extract

2 TBS white sugar

½ TBS brown sugar

1 TBS cinnamon

Cinnamon Buttercream:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ cup butter

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp milk (if needed)

3 tsp cinnamon

1 ½ tsp vanilla

Cinnamon-sugar to decorate

1.  Preheat oven to 350℉ and line muffin tins with cupcake liners (about 24). Spray liners with nonstick cooking spray if desired.

2.  In a large bowl, mix oil, eggs, vanilla and almond together.  Sift (for easy mixing) in about ½ of the of the cake mix and stir only until combined.  Add buttermilk and sour cream.  Sift in the last half of the cake mix and fill cupcake liners ¼ full. 

3.  Combine sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle generously over batter. Fill liners again over the cinnamon mixture with batter until ¾ full.  

4.  Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.  Let cool completely.

5.  To make Cinnamon Buttercream; Beat cream cheese and butter for 2 minutes.  Then add powdered sugar, milk, cinnamon and vanilla.  Let beat for 3-5 minutes.  If too stiff—add more milk.  If too thin—add more powdered sugar.  Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top if desired.