Orange Cupcakes with Tart Orange Frosting

Is it pathetic that when my mom told me I needed more vitamin C in my diet I immediately started thinking of the sweetest way I could get it down? 

Well here I have it: orange cupcakes.  Yay for vitamin C!
Maybe there is only 1/2 cup of orange juice in the whole recipe, but at least I can say I had orange juice today.

As usual I was lacking an ingredient, and this time it was cake flour. But I'm proud of myself because I was resourceful, I made my own.  Forget buying cake flour, this is way easyyy:
1 cup all purpose flour - 2 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp cornstarch = 1 cup cake flour!!!
What the heck do you know? Accept it, I'm a genius... Okay okay, Joy the Baker might have taught me that.

Oh! Just a warning before I forget.  Actually warning sounds a bit threatening.  More like, just a heads up. What I'm trying so say is, this recipe is kinda more than really tart. Personally I like tart but if you don't like tart things, well I warned you. Now you're wondering, "hmmm...Do I like tart things?"  I say go for it.

Orange Cupcakes
makes 1 dozen

- 1 3/4 cup cake flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 eggs, separated and whites beaten until stiff
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 stick butter, softened

Cream butter, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla in a mixing bowl.
Mix flour, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to creamed ingredients in 1/2 cup intervals, alternating with portions of the orange juice.
Fold in beaten egg whites. Spoon batter into cupcake liners until 1/2 full.
Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool completely then frost.

Tart Orange Frosting

- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 4 tbsp butter, softened (1/2 stick)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1 orange, zested

Beat all the ingredients in a mixing bowl for about 2 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy. Using a small spatula, place about 1 tbsp of frosting on top of each cupcake. 
Note: I like to refrigerate the icing for about 30 minutes before icing so it can firm up. Print This Post