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Vanilla Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These vanilla spice cupcakes are a simple small batch, one-bowl cupcake recipe made with brown sugar. Top them with tangy cream cheese frosting and some sprinkles for a fun treat!

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter, room temperature 60 g
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar 100 g
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup canola oil 60 mL
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 cup all purpose flour 120 grams
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup water
Frosting
  • 1/2 cup butter 113 g
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature 67 g
  • 1 cup icing sugar 120 grams
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Vanilla Spice Cupcakes
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar.
  3. Add the egg and mix again for a few minutes.
  4. Add in the oil and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
  5. Next, sift in the dry ingredients: all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
  6. Line cupcake tin with cupcake liners (about 7-9).
  7. Bake at 350ºF for 12-15 minutes. Cupcakes are done when toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  8. Cool cupcakes in cupcake tin for about 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. In a large bowl, beat room temperature butter with softened cream cheese until fluffy – about 5-7 minutes.
  2. Add in 1/3 cup icing sugar at a time and mix until incorporated.
  3. Repeat process, until all icing sugar has been used up.
  4. Beat until incorporated and frosting is light and fluffy.
  5. If frosting is too soft, add in more icing sugar (2 tbsp at a time), if too frosting is too stiff, add a little cream (1 teaspoon at a time)
  6. Transfer frosting to a piping bag, fitted with a tip like the Wilton 2D tip.
Assemble & Decorate
  1. Swirl frosting onto cupcakes as desired.
  2. Sprinkle with sprinkles if using