Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream
These Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting are fluffy cinnamon cupcakes made with butter, whipped egg whites, and cinnamon sugar. One of my favorite fall cupcake recipes!
Servings: 16 cupcakes
Ingredients
Snickerdoodle Cupcakes:
- 4 egg whites
- 1 3/4 cup cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup sour cream
Brown Sugar Frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream + 2 Tbsp, divided
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
Topping:
- Cinnamon Sugar
- Cinnamon Sticks
Instructions
Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with liners. Set aside.
- With a hand mixer or standing mixer, whisk egg whites until they reach stiff peaks. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, sift cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- Whisk whole milk and vanilla extract together. Set aside.
- With a hand mixer or standing mixer, cream the unsalted butter until it is light and fluffy. Add in granulated sugar, and cream the mixture until light and fluffy.
- Alternately, add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients into the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. (I add in 1/3 of the dry ingredients, mix until combined. Then add in 1/2 of the wet ingredients, mix until just combined. Then 1/3 dry, etc.)
- Add in the sour cream, mixing until just combined.
- Finally, gently fold in the egg whites until combined.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake tins, filling about 2/3 of the way full (this batter makes about 16-18 cupcakes). Tap the cupcake pans on the counter a couple of times (this helps release any trapped air).
- Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Allow to cool before frosting.
Brown Sugar Frosting
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar, and 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking continually. Once boiling, remove from heat and allow to cool (I like to cool in the freezer for about 20 minutes).
- Once cool, pour the mixture into the bowl of a standing mixer and whisk for about 1 minute.
- Next, add in powdered sugar, beginning with 2 1/2 cups. Whisk until well combined.
- If the frosting feels too thin, add in the remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar. If it feels too thick, add in 1-2 Tbsp of heavy whipping cream.
- Add in a pinch of salt, and whisk together.
- Spoon frosting into a piping bag, and pipe on top of each cupcake. (Or spread frosting with a knife.)
- Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and top with a cinnamon stick, if desired.