Orange Blossom Cupcakes Recipes

ORANGE CUPCAKES WITH THE CREAMIEST ORANGE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / 160C fan forced. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Place the flour, corn flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and whisk to mix well.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the melted butter and sugar just to combine.
• Add the milk, eggs, orange juice, zest and vanilla and whisk really well to combine.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir through gently with a spatula until just combined.
• Fill the cupcake cases to about ⅔ full. Bake for around 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out with just a couple of crumbs on it. Transfer to a cooling rack. You can go straight on with steps 1-3 of the buttercream.
• In a small saucepan, whisk the flour with a little milk to a paste. Add the remaining milk, 1/2 cup of sugar and orange peel.
• Heat over low heat, stirring constantly until it gets very thick (like a thick custard or pudding).
• Press this mixture through a strainer into a bowl. Discard the orange peel and cover with plastic wrap pressed to the surface and let it cool to room temperature before continuing (notes).
• Once the pudding mixture is cool, beat together the butter and ½ cup of sugar until lightened and creamy. About 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl a few times through the process.
• Add 1 spoonful of the pudding mixture at a time, mixing on low between each. Make sure each spoonful is incorporated before adding the next.
• Once all the pudding mixture is added, beat for a further 5-7 minutes on medium until it looks whipped and creamy. You should not be able to feel any sugar granules. (If it looks like it separates, don't worry, just keep on beating. It will all come together into a beautiful, almost whipped cream looking frosting).
• Finally add the vanilla and orange zest and give it one final quick mix just to mix it through.

ORANGE DREAM MINI CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Line 48 mini-muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in orange zest, orange juice and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition., Fill prepared cups two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 11-13 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely., For buttercream, in a large bowl, beat butter and salt until creamy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth., Using a paring knife, cut a 1-in.-wide cone-shaped piece from top of each cupcake; discard removed portion. Fill cavity with marmalade. Pipe or spread buttercream over tops.

ORANGE CREAM CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium low; slowly beat in the melted butter, then add the orange zest and vanilla.
• Beat in the flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture; beat until just combined (do not overmix).
• Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds of the way. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Bring the orange juice to a boil in a saucepan; reduce the heat to medium and simmer until reduced to1 1/2 tablespoons, about 8 minutes. Let cool.
• Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the butter, a little at a time, until smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low; sift the confectioners' sugar into the bowl and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla, the cooled orange syrup, orange zest and food coloring and beat on medium speed until combined. Refrigerate until spreadable, about 15 minutes. Spread the frosting on the cupcakes; top with candied orange zest.

LEMON BLOSSOM CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the Cupcakes:
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a standard cupcake pan with twelve paper baking cups, or grease the pan with butter if not using baking cups.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt on a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 3 to 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.
• Add the vanilla to the milk in a large liquid measuring cup.
• Add one third of the dry ingredients followed by one third of the milk, and mix thoroughly. Repeat. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the last third of dry ingredients followed by the last third of milk. Mix slowly until just incorporated. Add lemon juice and zest, and mix thoroughly at low speed.
• Scoop the batter into the cupcake pan using a standard-size ice-cream scoop until the cups are two-thirds full, and bake for 16 to 18 minutes (start checking at 15 minutes), or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the Frosting:
• Combine the ingredients in a mixer and whip together at high speed until light and airy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Frost the cupcakes with a swirl, and top with a lemon wedge or piece of lemon zest!

ORANGE BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray miniature muffin tins with cooking spray.
• Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil and blend with a stand mixer for about 2 minutes or until smooth.
• Pour about a tablespoon of batter into each spot in the muffin tin. I used a mini ice cream scoop about the size of a melon baller.
• Bake for about 12 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and set aside to cool slightly.
• Sift the confectioner's sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the water, oil and vanilla and mix until smooth.
• Dip the warm cupcakes into the glaze and place them on a wire rack with waxed paper underneath to cool and for the glaze to set. This could take a while especially if it's humid.
• When the glaze has set completely the cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container until it's time to serve them.