Fresh Orange Cupcakes

 

Hello folks! I made these orange cupcakes a few days ago for a friend's Grandma's birthday... and it was a hit! Even people who haven't tasted it but have seen photos of it have requested the recipe. :) So here it is. I actually made the cake from scratch because I already had my [butter] cake recipe mixed and the cream cheese icing already made from scratch before I changed route. All I really did was dress up my cake batter and the simple cream cheese frosting I made. Today, I am going to show you the easy way to this orange tastiness.

Fresh Orange Cupcakes

1 package butter cake or white cake mix
1/4 cup of brown sugar
2 Tbsp orange zest
1 cup orange juice [please use the real deal, it will make a huge difference in the taste of your cake]
1/2 cup of canola oil

2 tsp good quality vanilla extract

3 large eggs

Preheat oven 350 degrees [at least 15 minutes] or use an oven thermometer.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, brown sugar, and orange zest. Whisk to combine. Add orange juice, canola oil, vanilla extract and eggs on medium speed until lumps disappear. About 2 minutes.

Fill cupcake liners. I use a 1/4 cup [measuring cup] or a large ice cream scoop so the cupcakes turn out all the same size. And your cupcakes bake at the same time. 

Bake cupcakes 20-22 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. 

Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

2 tubs Cream Cheese Frosting

1 Tbsp orange zest

1/4 cup orange concentrate/juice

Mix all ingredients together. :) Pipe or spread your icing on top of your cupcakes. Top with orange wedge to garnish. 

{Note: I have tried it, and my cream cheese frosting from scratch tasted fresher than the icing I made from the pre-made stuff. If you do have a cream cheese frosting recipe from scratch, use it and if your icing comes out a little runny from the orange juice/concentrate, let your icing sit in the refrigerator for a few minutes so it will be much easier to pipe into your cupcakes}

ENJOY!!!