Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard cupcake/muffin pans with paper liners and set pans aside.
• In a medium bowl, sift together 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ cups cake flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and 1½ tablespoons cinnamon. Set the dry mixture aside.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature) with 1¾ cups sugar until pale and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
• Add 4 large eggs, one at a time, beating until each egg is incorporated and scraping down the sides between additions. Beat in 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.
• Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the sifted dry mixture to the batter in three equal additions, alternating with two equal additions of 1¼ cups milk, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Beat only until combined after each addition; do not overmix.
• Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
• Bake at 350°F, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out just barely clean, about 20 minutes. Do not overbake.
• Transfer the pans to wire racks and let the cupcakes cool completely in the pans before removing the liners.
• While the cupcakes cool, make the cinnamon-sugar dusting: in a small bowl mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Set aside.
• To make the cream cheese frosting, in a medium bowl beat together 8 ounces cream cheese and ½ cup unsalted butter (both at room temperature) until light and fluffy.
• Add 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the frosting and beat just until combined.
• With the mixer on low, gradually add 3 cups sifted powdered sugar to the frosting, about one cup at a time, beating well after each addition until smooth and pipeable. If the frosting is too thin for piping, add more powdered sugar as needed.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip with the frosting and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes. Pipe fresh so the surface is slightly tacky.
• Immediately dust the freshly piped frosting with the prepared cinnamon-sugar mixture so it adheres.