RECIPE ~ Orange Cupcakes

I have struggled with baking citrus-flavored cakes. For example, I’ve tried many strawberry cakes, and I still haven’t found one that tastes good. I’ve had the same struggle with orange. I love orange-flavored desserts, because they are not overly sweet and they have a refreshing taste. I finally came up with something that tastes great. It all started with discovering a good quality orange extract. This recipe will make approximately 1 dozen orange cupcakes. This recipe works at altitude (Denver).

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. fresh orange zest
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
• 1 tsp. pure orange extract (go for the high-quality extract)
• 1/4 cup milk

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients, including flour, baking powder and salt, and set them aside.

Zest the orange and place it in a large bowl. Add the sugar and use your hand mixture to mix the salt and orange zest together. Then add the room-temperature butter. Start by mashing the butter into the sugar and orange zest mixture. Then use your hand mixer to whip the butter, sugar and orange zest fully together.

Mix the butter into the orange zest/sugar mixture

Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla bean paste and orange extract and beat it in until it is thoroughly mixed.

Now you will use the low setting to add the flour mixture and milk, alternatively. Start by adding 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat it in until it is mixed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add 1/2 of the milk and mix it in. Add 1/3 more of the flour mixture and mix it in. Add the remaining of the milk and mix. Finally, add the remaining flour and mix it in.

The batter will be thick. Spoon the batter into your cupcake pan lined with cupcake papers. Bake for approx. 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cupcakes cooling

Cool the cupcakes completely and then frost them! I used a very simple vanilla bean paste buttercream frosting. Another option is a cream cheese frosting. Either will be delicious. I sprinkled a few orange-colored candy decorations for a little pop!

Frosted and decorated

Ready to enjoy!