French Toast Cupcakes

I'm going to apologize in advance for not having a picture of this cupcake, but the thought crossed my mind after they were shipped off to be devoured!  This cupcake is something totally outside the normal realm of chocolate and vanilla.  This cupcake can do double duty as breakfast and/or dessert.  I was thrilled when finally someone asked me to bake these because I was dying to do something other than red velvet (trust me my red velvet is delicious, but I needed a change of pace!).  Hope you enjoy this tasty little number!


French Toast Cupcakes
Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 tsp maple extract
1/2 cup half & half, divided


Glaze:
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp ground cinnamon


Whipped Cream Buttercream:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 oz heavy whipping cream


1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2.  Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl.  Whisk to distribute ingredients and set aside.
3.  In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, butter, and eggs until combined.  Add maple extract and whisk until combined.
4.  Add 1/3 flour mixture to butter mixture, followed by 1/4 cup half & half, 1/3 flour mixture, 1/4 cup half & half, and final 1/3 of flour mixture.  Whisk until smooth.
5.  Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full with batter and bake 18-24 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
6.  Cool cupcakes for 10 minutes on wire rack.
7.  Combine ingredients for glaze and brush warm cupcakes with glaze.
8.  Finish cooling cupcakes completely.
9.  Whipped cream buttercream:  cream shortening and butter until fluffy; add powdered sugar and cream until well blended; add salt, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and whipping cream; beat at high speed until frosting is fluffy.
10.  Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.


Source:  Cupcake adapted from BakeSpace French Toast Cupcake & Frosting adapted from Wilton's Extra Special Buttercream Icing