Vanilla Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream

Ingredients

Vanilla Pumpkin Cupcakes

•  1 box French Vanilla cake mix (I prefer Betty Crocker Super Moist French Vanilla
•  1 (3.4 ounce) JELL-O Instant Pumpkin Spice pudding mix
•  1 cup sour cream
•  1 cup salted butter, softened
•  4 eggs
•  1/2 cup milk
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

•  1 cup salted butter, softened
•  1 cup vegetable shortening
•  1 pinch of salt
•  1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  4 cups powdered sugar
•  1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
•  1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
•  cinnamon and sugar for topping

Instructions

To Make Vanilla Pumpkin Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Line muffin pans with cupcakes liners.
2. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, mix all cupcake ingredients, for one minute on low. Continue mixing batter for another minute on medium-high. Note, the batter will be very thick. Do not overmix!
3. Divide the batter evenly into cupcake liners, filling each two-thirds full.
4. Bake cupcakes for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool on wire rack before frosting.

To Make Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

1. In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, blend butter and shortening until smooth. Add a pinch of salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Continue mixing until well blended. Gradually add powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Eventually, you will have a very thick mixture.
2. On the highest speed of your mixer, continue mixing while slowly pour in the heavy whipping cream.
3. Continue beating on high speed until frosting is fluffy.

Frost cooled cupcakes with buttercream and garnish with cinnamon and sugar.