Orange Meringue Cupcakes Recipes

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE MERINGUE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners. Put the cocoa powder in a large bowl. Microwave the milk and water in a small microwave-safe bowl until steaming, 1 to 2 minutes; pour over the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Whisk the sugar, vegetable oil, egg, vanilla and orange zest into the cocoa mixture, then whisk in the flour mixture.
• Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling them three-quarters of the way. Bake until the tops of the cupcakes spring back when gently pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Make the ganache: Microwave the chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted, about 1 minute. Let sit until thickened but still pourable, 5 minutes. Spoon over the cupcakes, gently spreading to cover. Let set 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the meringue: Whisk the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Cook, whisking, until the sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form, 5 to 8 minutes. Tint with orange food coloring. Generously spread the meringue on the cupcakes and lightly brown with a kitchen torch.

ORANGE DREAMSICLE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes; set aside.
• Beat the butter, granulated sugar, egg yolks, orange zest and orange oil in a separate large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and combined, about 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the orange juice. Fold in the beaten egg whites. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about halfway. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then remove to racks to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes. Reduce the speed to low; gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Add the milk, increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy. Frost the cupcakes. Top with sanding sugar and orange gummy candies.
• Orange oil gives the cupcakes an intense orange flavor that you can?t get from just extract or zest.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES WITH DUFF'S SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin tins with 18 cupcake liners.
• Pass the cocoa powder, all-purpose and cake flours, baking soda and baking powder through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Whisk in the granulated and light brown sugars, orange zest and salt until thoroughly combined. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, water, melted butter and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until combined.
• Divide the batter among the cupcake liners, filling each by about two-thirds. Bake until set and a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Frost the cupcakes with the buttercream and garnish with candied orange peel.
• Place the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of stand mixer. Set the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water and heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar has dissolved and is warm to the touch (about 160 degrees F). When you touch the mixture, it should feel completely smooth and not at all gritty.
• Immediately transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. On high speed, whip until glossy and stiff, about 15 minutes.
• Switch to the paddle attachment and lower the speed to medium. Add the butter, piece by piece, incorporating each before adding more. Lower the speed further and mix until silky and smooth.
• Remove the tops and bottoms from the oranges. Cut away the skin, removing both the peel and the white part of the skin. Cut the skin into thin strips.
• Place the peels in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute. Drain and repeat the process two more times.
• In a large pan over medium heat, stir the sugar and 1 cup water together until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil, add the peels and reduce to heat to low. Cook, swirling occasionally (no stirring!), until the peels are very soft and almost translucent, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Toss the peels in sanding sugar until completely covered, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

ORANGE CHIFFON CUPCAKES WITH MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 standard cupcake cups with paper liners. Set aside.
• In a medium grease free bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks with an electric mixer. Slowly add 1/3 cup of sugar and beat to stiff peaks. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, sugars, baking powder and salt. Add remaining ingredients and beat with same mixer (no need to wash beaters) until combined (about 1 minute). Fold egg whites into the batter being careful not to deflate the egg whites. Spoon mixture, a little over half full, into each cupcake cup liner. Bake for approximately 18 minutes or until skewer inserted comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pan for about 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Make Buttercream: Place water and sugars in a small saucepan. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to cook for approximately 5 minutes. Sugar will be dissolved. Whip egg whites in a stand mixer (make sure bowl is grease free) to stiff peaks. Slowly add hot sugar syrup to egg whites and continue beating on high speed until bowl is cool to the touch about 10 to 15 minutes. Add butter a piece at a time and mix completely before adding the next piece of butter. Repeat until all butter has been used. Add confectioners' sugar. Mix to combine. Add orange liqueur and 2 teaspoons of zest. Mix to combine. Frosting will be smooth and creamy.
• Generously frost cupcakes with a piping bag or spatula and top with coarsely grated orange zest.

ORANGE-VANILLA BEAN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Cream butter, sugar, vanilla seeds, and orange zest until pale and fluffy. With mixer running, add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl.
• Combine cream, orange juice, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Sift togetherflour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, addflour mixture to butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with cream mixture, ending with flour; beat until just combined.
• Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until testers inserted in the centers come out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. Undecorated cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 1 day (or frozen for up to 2 months).
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of each cupcake to make level. Using an offset spatula, frost tops of each cupcake with some buttercream. Place a candied citrus slice on each cupcake. Fit a pastry bag with a small plain tip, and fill with remaining buttercream. Pipe dots around edges of orange slices. Cupcakes will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.

FILLED AND FROSTED ORANGE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 20 standard-sized muffin cups with muffin liners and spray lightly with cooking spray.
• Mix butter for cupcakes in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and beat for 2 more minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition until incorporated. Mix in orange zest.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the milk, beating batter briefly after each addition. Mix in orange juice. Pour batter into the prepared muffin cups until they are about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put a mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• Remove bowl from the freezer and add heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla for filling. Whip with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form (make sure they don't fall over), 3 to 5 minutes. Don't overmix or your whipped cream will start separating and turning into butter. Put filling in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Cream softened butter for frosting with an electric mixer for 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in powdered sugar. Beat for 2 minutes. Mix in milk, vanilla, and salt.
• Use a serrated knife to make a 3/4-inch hole in the center of each cooled cupcake. Fill the holes with filling and frost the tops with frosting. Garnish each cupcake with an orange peel.