- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Zest from one orange (just over 1 Tablespoon)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice (squeeze it from the one you zested above)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Cointreau (or orange extract)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (click here)
Preheat your oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt).
In your mixer (or a large mixing bowl), blend the butter, granulated sugar, and orange zest on medium-high speed for 4 minutes, scraping the sides down 2 or 3 times as you go.
Mix in the eggs one at a time, combining the first one thoroughly before adding the second. Measure your heavy cream and add the orange juice, Cointreau, and vanilla.
Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the cream mixture until everything is in your mixing bowl and the cupcake batter is well-mixed.
This recipe is for one dozen cupcakes, but I usually get 13 out of the batter. Fill each cupcake cup ¾ full and bake for 25-30 minutes depending on your oven’s temperature. I usually rotate the muffin tins halfway through just to be on the safe side. Cupcakes will be golden brown and an inserted toothpick will come out clean.
After you remove the cupcakes from the oven, let them settle for 10 minutes then transfer the individual cupcakes to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Frost the cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting and decorate them as you choose.
Hillary Danaher 