Recipe adapted from The Marble Kitchen
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 16 minutes
Servings: 12
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3-5 tablespoons heavy cream, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
black food dye or chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 F and line cupcake pan with paper liners.
In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Using electric or stand mixer, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar about 4 minutes on medium or medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, mixing well and scraping down bowl.
In small bowl or measuring cup, whisk milk and vanilla. Set aside.
Add 1/3 dry ingredient mixture to butter mixture and beat until combined. Add 1/2 milk mixture and mix well. Continue alternating dry and wet ingredients.
Bake about 16 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle of cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
To make frosting: Using electric or stand mixer, beat butter and salt on medium-high speed 5 minutes, scraping down bowl halfway through.
Reduce speed to low and add sugar 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with heavy cream until 3 tablespoons have been added. Stop occasionally to scrape down bowl. Once all sugar is in, add vanilla and beat on medium-low 1 minute until light and fluffy. If desired, add additional cream 1 teaspoon at a time until frosting reaches preferred consistency.
Place buttercream in piping bag with large round tip. Pipe tall mounds of frosting on each cupcake in ghost shapes (wider on bottom, narrower on top). Add dots of black food dye or chocolate chips for eyes.
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