Cinnamon Sugar Swirl Cupcakes

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These Cinnamon Sugar Swirl Cupcakes are a dream of mine come true! There’s cinnamon in the cupcake batter and layers of cinnamon sugar in the cupcake. Then, they’re topped with cinnamon frosting and sprinkled with a little more cinnamon sugar. Irresistible!

Looking for more cupcake recipes? Try this easy Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe!

Easy Cinnamon Swirl Cupcakes

I absolutely love anything covered in cinnamon and sugar, so naturally I’ve been wanting to make cupcakes like these for forever. They’re the perfect dessert for cinnamon lovers like myself. They are soft, light, moist, and absolutely FILLED with cinnamon.

And I didn’t just want to add cinnamon to the batter. I wanted them to be unmistakably cinnamon-y. I figured what better way to do that than with 3 layers of cinnamon sugar! If you love cinnamon rolls, you’ll love these cupcakes.

Recipe Ingredients

These cinnamon roll cupcakes are made with kitchen staples that you most likely already have on hand! Same goes for the cinnamon sugar frosting.

For the Cinnamon Sugar Swirl

• Sugar & Cinnamon: That’s it, folks! Throw together the cinnamon swirl by combining cinnamon and sugar. There will also be some more of both in the cupcakes!

For the Cinnamon Cupcakes

• All-Purpose Flour
• Cinnamon
• Baking Powder: For a lovely rise.
• Salt: Half a teaspoon.
• Unsalted Butter: Bring your butter to room temperature.
• Vegetable Oil
• Sugar
• Vanilla Extract: For flavor.
• Eggs: You want to use large eggs.
• Milk: You’ll need 3/4 a cup for this recipe.

For the Cinnamon Sugar Frosting

• Unsalted Butter: Room temperature.
• Powdered Sugar: Every homemade frosting needs confectioners sugar for volume and consistency.
• Ground Cinnamon: But of course!
• Vanilla Extract
• Water: Or milk.
• Salt: Just a pinch.

How to Make Cinnamon Sugar Swirl Cupcakes

There are a few different components that go into these cupcakes, but don’t let that fool you! They’re super easy to make.

For the Cinnamon Cupcakes

1. Heat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
2. Make Cinnamon Sugar Layer: Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
4. Cream Butter, Sugar, Oil & Vanilla: Add the butter, oil, sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
5. Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until mostly combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
6. Add Half of Dry Ingredients: Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
7. Add Milk & Remaining Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the milk and mix until well combined. The batter may look a little curdled, but that’s ok. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not overmix the batter.
8. Layer Batter & Cinnamon Sugar: Add one tablespoon of cake batter to the bottom of each cupcake liner. Add ¼ teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar swirl to each cupcake liner on top of the cake batter in an even layer. Add two more layers of cake batter and cinnamon swirl, for a total of three layers of cake batter and three layers of cinnamon swirl. Top each cupcake with about half a tablespoon of cake batter.
9. Bake: Bake the cupcakes for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Let Cool: Remove your cupcakes from the oven and place them on a cooling rack to cool.

For the Cinnamon Sugar Frosting

1. Beat Butter: Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
2. Add Half of Powdered Sugar: Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined.
3. Add Cinnamon, Vanilla, Water & Salt: Add the cinnamon, vanilla extract, salt, and 1-2 tablespoons of the water/milk  to the frosting and mix until well combined.
4. Finish Adding Powdered Sugar: Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add additional milk or water as needed to get the right consistency.
5. Pipe Onto Cupcakes: Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon sugar swirl. Keep in mind that the cinnamon sugar on top will soak up moisture as the cupcakes sit, so if you want the obvious look of the cinnamon sugar you see in the photos, you’ll want to add that just before serving.

Tips For Success

I’ve made these crave-worthy cupcakes quite a few times, and I’ve found the following suggestions to be super helpful!

• Layer All Cupcakes at Once: I like to put all the cupcake liners in the pan, add the first tablespoon of batter to each one, then add the first layer of cinnamon sugar, then repeat. It’s much easier to do each step all at once than to do one cupcake at a time and have to keep switching between pouring utensils.
• Use Milk for Frosting: Water will work just fine in the frosting, but adding milk instead makes it a bit creamier.
• Let Cupcakes Cool Completely: Before you frost your cupcakes, they should be completely cooled. If they’re still warm, the frosting could get a little messy.
• Use Good Cupcake Liners: Have you ever had the liners get stuck to your cupcakes? To avoid this, you can purchase grease-proof liners or add a tiny bit of non-stick spray to them. Grease-proof liners are a must for frequent cupcake bakers, as they won’t stick to your cupcakes and you don’t have to grease them.

How to Store Homemade Cupcakes

You can store your cinnamon cupcakes at room temperature for 2-3 days, as long as you keep them in an airtight container. I store my cupcakes in my cupcake carrier, and I love taking the top off and having the smell of cinnamon sugar hit me like a tidal wave. You can almost taste the cinnamon in the cupcake without even biting into it!

After 3 days, transfer your cupcakes to the fridge and enjoy them within the next couple of days. Though I seriously doubt they’ll still be there!

Can I Freeze Cinnamon Cupcakes?

Yes! Wrapped them well in both clear wrap and foil, then freeze. Frozen cupcakes will last for up to 2 months! Thaw them overnight in the fridge and bring them to room temperature, if desired.

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Enjoy!

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