Exam Week Cupcakes (Cinnamon Cupcakes with Mocha Cappuccino Buttercream Frosting)

One thing I absolutely adore to bake and eat is a cupcake. I'm always inspired by the Food Network show "Cupcake Wars" because the bakers on there are always coming up with interesting, out-of-the-ordinary flavors. Tonight, I randomly thought about making cupcakes, and I wanted to make a unique flavor of cupcakes for me and my roommates. Since the upcoming two weeks are midterm time at school, I decided to incorporate cappuccino mix into them some way. Whenever I drink coffee, I always sprinkle cinnamon on top, so I decided to make the cake portion cinnamon flavored. Since there is cappuccino in the frosting, this recipe also comes in handy while studying to keep students awake and focused. I also sprinkled a little bit of cinnamon on top of the frosting so that people can see there is cinnamon in the cake. I know you'll love these little babies! Makes 12 cupcakes.
Here's the recipe:
For the cake portion:
1/2 c. softened butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2/3 c. cold milk
1 T (aka 3 tsp.) ground cinnamon
1/8 c. brown sugar
ziploc bag

Preheat oven to 350. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Next, stir in the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add this to the butter mixture, and stir in the cold milk.
Line the muffin pans with paper muffin liners, and evenly distribute the batter into each one.
Bake for 18-24 minutes. (Mine only took 21 minutes.)
Set aside and cool.

For the Mocha Cappuccino Buttercream Frosting:
1/8 c. instant mocha cappuccino mix
1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 c. powdered sugar

Pour the milk into a small saucepan and set on the stove at high heat until the milk starts to boil. Add to a mug that is filled with the cappuccino mix and stir. Set mixture aside and let it cool completely. When it is cool, pour it into a mixing bowl and add the softened butter. Beat at medium speed until well combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1/2 c. at a time, until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
When the cupcakes are cool to the touch, fill a ziploc bag with the frosting, zip it up, and cut a small hole in a corner of the bag. This is an easy way to pipe icing onto a cupcake. Spiral inward with the frosting from edge of the top of the cupcake. When done, sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon onto each, if you wish, as a garnish.
Enjoy!