Oatmeal Cupcakes

• 1⅓ cup boiling water
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
• ⅓ cup vegetable shortening
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ cup buttermilk

Cream Cheese Frosting

• two 8-oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
• 12 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Special Equipment

• electric mixer
• cupcake tin
• cupcake liners

Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. Insert liners into cupcake pans
3. Combine boiling water and oats in a medium bowl; let stand 20 minutes
4. Beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, shortening, and vanilla at medium speed of a mixer with a whisk attachment for 5 minutes
5. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add oatmeal, beating until blended
6. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Batter should be soupy
7. Pour batter into lined cupcake tins, filling a third of the way up each liner. Sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean
8. Cool in pans on a wire rack

Frosting

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, until smooth.  Add vanilla and mix for about 4 minutes
2. Slowly sift the confectioners sugar into the butter/cream cheese, about one cup at a time
3. Continue to beat until all lumps are gone.  Add the vanilla and mix until fully combined

Assemble

1. After cupcakes have cooled, using a pastry bag or spatula, apply frosting
2. Dust with cinnamon

Oatmeal Cake recipe adapted from Cooking Light.  Frosting recipe adapted from Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella.