Orange Cupcakes 

If you love bold citrus desserts, these Orange Cupcakes made with whole boiled oranges are a must-try, packed with natural orange flavour.

And if baking with fresh, seasonal fruit is your thing, you'll also love this Guava Cheesecake or the stunning Blackberry Lemon Bundt Cake.

Key Ingredients

• Unsalted butter - Used in the cupcake batter and the frosting. Make sure you are using unsalted, room-temperature butter for the best results. 
• Vanilla extract - Choose a good-quality vanilla extract for this recipe; if you don't have vanilla essence, it will also work. You can also choose to use vanilla bean paste instead.
• Almond essence - Optional but recommended, as it adds a great fragrance and taste to the cupcakes.
• Oranges - Choose whole oranges for this recipe. These are boiled until soft and then blended. The orange puree is used in the batter and the frosting for a true orange flavor.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

These orange cupcakes are so delicious and pair well with a variety of frostings. If you'd like to try these cupcakes without the orange buttercream, then have a look at this recipe for Nutella Buttercream, this Chocolate Frosting with Melted Chocolate, or this recipe for Vanilla Bean Buttercream. 

How to Make Orange Cupcakes

Boiled Orange

1. Step 1: Place a medium-sized pot filled with water over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the orange and cook for about 2 hours, or until soft. Keep topping up the water level so that the orange is covered. Once softened, remove the orange from the water and allow it to cool. 

2. Step 2: Use a sharp knife to cut off the top and tail of the orange, and then slice it in half and remove any seeds. Add the cooled orange pieces to a food processor and blend until a puree forms. Add the puree to a bowl and set aside until needed. 

Orange Cupcakes

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line 24 cupcake liners into two 12-hole cupcake pans. Add the butter and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until creamed, about 3 minutes.

2. Step 2: Add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between each addition. Add the vanilla and almond essence, then beat again.

3. Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, almond flour, and salt. With the mixer running at a low speed, add the milk and flour mixture to the cupcake batter in 3 additions, alternating between the two, starting with the flour and ending with the milk. Once added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, ensuring everything is well combined. 

4. Step 4: Add the blended orange puree to the cupcake batter and mix through with a rubber spatula.

5. Step 5: Use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake liners to two-thirds full. Bake in a preheated oven for about 15 - 20 minutes or until a light golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

6. Step 6: Cool completely on a wire rack. 

Orange Frosting

1. Step 1: Add the icing sugar and softened butter to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Step 2: Combine the cream, vanilla, and almond essence together in a small jug. With the mixer running at medium speed, add the cream mixture to the frosting, 1 tablespoon at a time. Once added, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat the frosting until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl often. 

3. Step 3: Add the orange puree to the frosting and beat again until combined. Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle.

4. Step 4: Pipe a swirl of frosting onto the cupcakes and decorate the top of each cupcake with dried orange slices or twirls of orange rind. 

Storage

Cupcakes cool quickly and dry out just as quickly, so try to frost them the same day they are baked. If you don't have time to decorate the cupcakes the same day you bake them, store them in an airtight container or cover the cupcake trays with plastic wrap until the next day.

For any leftover frosted cupcakes, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days. 

These orange cupcakes are such a beautiful soft color, and the combination of the orange and almond flavors is something special! If you love this flavour combination, you can't miss trying this Orange and Almond Layer Cake!