Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cupcakes

We had a big box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch that I wanted to use for a Rice Krispies treats type of dessert but hadn't gotten to it yet.

The only acceptable way to eat cereal in my opinion is straight out of the box. But the others in my house like milk and cereal so I wanted to develop a cupcake with a frosting tasted like the milk, and cake that tasted like the cereal with bits of the cereal on top.

I got good feedback while testing this recipe. It's overall not crazy sweet so it could be considered an acceptable breakfast. The cake itself is very dense but the frosting is very light and buttery. 

Makes 16

Cake:

2 c. All-purpose Flour

1/3 c. Granulated Sugar

1/2 C Brown Sugar

1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

2 tsp. ground Cinnamon

1/4 tsp. Salt

3/4 c. (1 1/2 stick) softened Butter 

1 c. Milk

1 large Egg

2 tsp. Vanilla extract

Frosting:

1/2 C Nonfat Milk powder

1 1/2 sticks of Butter, softened

1 C Powdered Sugar

1/4 tsp Vanilla extract (don't over measure or it will taste more like vanilla frosting than milk)

1-2 tbs of Milk to thin frosting

Cinnamon toast crunch for topping

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 16 muffin tins with paper liners.

In a large bowl mixed together butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and eggs. In a separate bowl mixed together flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.

Add milk and flour mixture into butter mixture a third of a time alternating milk and flour and until combined. 

Spoon batter evenly into paper lined muffin tin cups.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.

Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

In a large bowl mix together butter, nonfat milk powder, and vanilla. Add in powdered sugar. Thin with milk as needed. We aren't looking for a pipeable consistency so it doesn't need to be stiff.

Spread a layer of frosting on the cupcakes and dip in cereal just before serving (up to 4 hours before) so cereal doesn't loose it's crunch. 

Refrigerate for maximum freshness.