Orange Cupcakes Two Ways!

Mmmm! These cupcakes are my favorite! I'm so excited to finally share them with you. Just looking at the picture makes me wish I had one here to eat. Pictured are cupcakes I made for my sister's baby shower. I made fresh orange cupcakes, two ways. One being my favorite Orange Chiffon Cupcakes - they taste just like Sprinkles cupcakes to me. Nice and dense, not too sweet. Then I made an Orange Chocolate cupcake for all the chocolate lovers.

Orange Frosting

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoon butter, softened (1/2 stick)
• 2 tablespoon orange juice
• Zest from 1 orange
• 1 tablespoon milk or cream

Beat all ingredients with a mixer until smooth. Spread on cooled cupcakes with a table knife. Frosting may also be refrigerated and used the next day. To re-soften frosting, set out at room temperature for one hour. Then beat with mixer adding one tablespoon of milk at a time until frosting is smooth.

Glaze Option: Add more milk to frosting to thin down to a glaze type consistency.

Lemon: For lemon frosting, use lemon juice and zest instead of orange.

Orange Chocolate Cupcakes

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• Eggs, according to package
• Oil, according to package
• Orange juice, instead of water according to package
• 1 tablespoon orange liquor
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven according to cake mix package. Line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners. Set aside. Mix the chocolate cake mix according to the directions on the package. Substitute orange juice for water. Add orange liquor. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill cupcake tins 2/3 full. Bake according to package directions for cupcakes. Let cupcakes cool in pan for about 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Orange Chiffon Cupcakes

Adapted from Kelly Madey’s recipe on Food Network

• 2 large egg whites
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons orange liquor
• 1 cup half and half
• ½ cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoon orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake tins with liners. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks with a mixer. Slowly add 1/3 cup of sugar and beat to stiff peaks. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the cake flour, sugars, baking powder and salt with a whisk (to sift ingredients together). Add remaining ingredients and beat with mixer (using same beaters) until combined. Carefully fold egg whites into the batter. Fill cupcake tins til 2/3 full. Bake for approximately 18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pan for about 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Tip: I like to use a ½ cup measuring cup to fill cupcake tins. That way I only have to scoop the batter once rather than spooning it in.

Lemon Cupcakes: Use lemon zest and limoncello instead of orange zest and orange liquor.