The Cinnamon/White Chocolate Cupcake Experience

One of my best Christmas gifts this year was a candy bar: white chocolate laced with cinnamon. It was both yummy and truly inspiring. (As were the tub of sour cream, the slab of Ghirardelli white chocolate and the jar of Vietnamese cinnamon from Christina's, all of which had been singing siren songs from my kitchen ever since I got home from Florida.)

Cinnamon Sour Cream Cupcakes

1 stick butter
1 3/4 c sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 c sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp really good Vietnamese cinnamon, plus more to taste if it's REALLY good
3 c flour
1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin tins with cupcake cups.

Combine butter and sugar in stand mixer (it will be more crumbly than creamed). Beat in eggs one at a time, then sour cream, then vanilla. Add cinnamon. Add flour and baking soda; test flavors (yes, that means lick the spatula!); add more cinnamon or sugar as needed. Batter will be smooth but thick.

Fill cupcake cups about 3/4 full; bake 20-25 minutes, or until your kitchen smells all cinnamon-heavenly and a toothpick comes out clean from the center of a cake.

White Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting

1 c heavy cream
1 c mascarpone cheese
4 oz white chocolate, chopped fine

Warm the cream over medium heat or in microwave until it feels hot, but do not let it boil (or even simmer). Place the white chocolate in a heatproof mixing bowl and pour the warm cream over it; whisk until the chocolate melts. Chill mixture in your freezer or an ice bath. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture and a second piece over the whole bowl; refrigerate for at least 4 hours. (This, obviously, can be made ahead of time -- like, the day before.)

Combine mascarpone and half of the white chocolate mixture in your stand mixer and whip until well combined, roughly 2 minutes. Add the other half of the white chocolate mixture, increase the speed to high, and beat until the frosting holds stiff peaks.

Frost cooled cupcakes; garnish with a sprinkle of Vietnamese cinnamon. Enjoy!