Snickerdoodle Cupcakes!

 

What makes the history of Snickerdoodles so interesting?
 
1. You won't find recipes for snickerdoodles in early American cookbooks.
---You WILL find plenty of recipes for currant (they are like raisins) cakes and jumbles combining sweet spices, nuts and dried fruits
2. Some food historians say snickerdoodles are a New England recipe [English origin].
---Others say it is from the Pennsylvania Dutch or German origin.

ACTUALLY! None of that is that interesting to me….what I find most fascinating about the snickerdoodle..is its taste- it is so damn good!

This past Wednesday Top Chef “Just Desserts" premiered! So in honor of the show’s début I had to bake something! (What? I can’t watch a cooking show especially one dedicated to desserts and not eat while watching! )

Since Snickerdoodle cookies are the office favorite I decided to instead bake the classic cookie as a cupcake! Ironically enough the first “quick bake” challenge on the show was a cupcake challenge.

There is not much more I can really say about this cupcake, it is really quick and easy to make, and the icing is divine. Best icing I have made yet-due to the use of a real vanilla bean I am sure!

Warning: my camera broke... of course it would..perfect timing..after telling the world about my blog..sigh..anyway a new camera is coming my way soon, so for this entry please bear with me. I took the photos on my cell phone..however if you'd like to see a more aesthetically appetizing photo visit the busty baker site!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
Adapted from Martha Stewart Cupcakes
Makes 28 cupcakes

1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 ½ cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups milk

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with 2 additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.
4. Divide the batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about three-quarters full (about 2 tablespoons batter). Bake, rotating halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool in tins for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream

4 cups confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, for dusting
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for dusting

If you are not aware of how to scrape a vanilla bean see below:

-cut vanilla bean down the middle in half

-scrape our sides of vanilla bean

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla extract, vanilla beans, and salt, and beat until combined. Add confectioner’s sugar, a half cup at a time, beating until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
2. Using a pastry bag fitted with a decorating tip, pipe frosting onto cupcake: hold bag over cupcake with the tip just above the surface and squeeze to create a blob of frosting, then release pressure and pull up to form a peak.
3. In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar. Dust mixture over top the peaks.