Cinnamon Toast Crunch (AKA Rumchata Cupcakes)

Rum Chata (Photo credit: Taekwonweirdo)

I must admit that when I first heard of RumChata I thought it was a new Salsa dance I missed out on.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out it is actually a lovely liquor that tastes like the milk left in the bowl after eating Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  Hence the name above.  I’m all about saving time but not at the cost of flavor! I have two teenage daughters that keep me on the go so I am always glad to find a substitute that saves time without changing the quality. For my first try at these cupcakes I made everything from scratch. As with the Bacon Maple, I found that a box mix works just as well. So here it is:

1 box white cake mix
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup RumChata
Preheat oven to 325 if using dark pans or 350 if using glass. I suggest using paper liners in your cupcake tins. Prepare and bake white cake mix as directed on box except substitute the 1 cup of RumChata listed above for the water asked for on the box. Mix in remaining ingredients listed above..
Frosting:
12 oz cream cheese at room temperature
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 tbsp RumChata
2lb bag powdered sugar
Please note: This makes A LOT of frosting. Feel free to cut the recipe in half. I usually freeze the left over portion.
Combine butter and cream cheese. Mix in vanilla. Slowly mix in powdered sugar a few cups at a time. Add the RumChata and whip until smooth.
Tip: I find that your end product is only as good as the ingredients you use to make it. Using REAL vanilla extract not imitation is a key factor. The best vanilla I have found around my area is from AllSpice in the East Village. Costco’s Kirklands brand vanilla isn’t bad either.