Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

Cupcakes for breakfast? Yes please! Ok I know that’s bending the rules a bit but they are cinnamon roll cupcakes. Donuts, cinnamon rolls, poptarts, cupcakes….what’s the difference really. But don’t worry they’ll be good the rest of the day too :).

I have about a dozen projects waiting to share with you. But when I finished these cupcakes this morning, I knew they had to be shared right away. These really takes just like a cinnamon roll with cream cheese icing…with about half the workload an less messy to eat.

These were seriously easy.  The cake is a slightly altered yellow box cake with cinnamon sugar swirled in topped with a cream cheese icing flavored using Duncan Hines Cinnamon Roll Frosting Creations.

Boxed yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 TBS cinnamon
toothpick
Cream cheese cinnamon icing
1 stick unsalted butter
1 8oz. package of cream cheese
5 cups powdered sugar
2 TBS milk
1 packet Duncan Hines cinnamon icing flavor

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 and place 24 cupcake wrappers in  muffin tin(s).

Step 2: Mix the boxed cake mix, eggs, water, oil, and sour cream.

Step 3: In a small bowl mix brownsugar and cinnamon together.

Step 4: Spoon one tablespoon of batter into every cup. I use a table spoon and a small rubber spatula to make sure I’m getting a level tablespoon to keep all the cupcakes the same size.

Step 5: Spoon two TBS of batter into each cupcake liner. Then spoon 1/4 TSP of cinnamon sugar mix to the side of each cupcake liner on top of the batter. Add 1 more TBS of batter and 1/4 TSP of cinnamon sugar on top. You should now have 3 TBS batter and 3/4 TSP cinnamon sugar.

Step 6: Take your toothpick and swirl around the batter in a circular motion, then sprinkle some more cinnamon sugar on the top.

Step 7: Bake for at 350 for 16 minutes.

Kinda like french toast right?

Now for the icing. I made the mistake of letting my kids try the it, the entire time I was piping on the icing I had two toddlers at my legs saying “I yike it” and “lil moe, peas”. I love that they are talking now :)

Step 1: Cream together cream cheese and unsalted butter.

Step 2: Slowly mix in powdered sugar one step at a time.

Step 3: Add in milk.

Step 4: Add in cinnamon roll icing mix.

You can just smoother the cupcakes in icing and I promise nobody will care. But if your wanting it to have the roll check out Frosting Cupcakes 101.

Now make some coffee and give it a test try! And of course in true cinnamon roll style we heated them up in a microwave for a few seconds until the icing was melted. Don’t tell I said this but I caught the hubby licking his plate…shhhhhh. Haha. Wouldn’t these be adorable at a bun in the oven baby shower? Or for coffee with the ladies, morning meetings…so many uses! You really have to try these! And when you let me know what you think!