Orange cupcakes

I’ve not baked with orange before because virtually every orange cake recipe you see is for chocolate orange – a combination I hate. I wish I liked it; the concept of peeling and then breaking a Terry’s chocolate orange into segments always seems such a nice way to eat chocolate, but – alas – not for me.

The other problem I have with a lot of citrus baking (this post won’t be entirely about my hang ups – honest!) is zest. I can be quite happily enjoying a citrussy cake when the zest hits me. There’s something about the stringy texture, like a worm of peel, that is so unpleasant in my mouth. Yuck. So, as you may have gathered, I left the zest out of these cupcakes but compromised by using an orange juice with “bits” in it. “Bits” are pulp rather than zest so acceptable!

These are fragrant and delicious cupcakes; the orange adds moisture to the sponge but doesn’t make it heavy. I loved the purity and simplicity of the flavour – both sponge and buttercream are orange through and through; it’s surprising for your taste buds because it feels like you’re eating a drink!

Using fresh orange juice gave these a fresh and zingy taste. For my tastebuds, orange blossom water or orange extract can sometimes be too much so I really appreciated the naturalness of the flavour here. On first bite it seems that the flavour is barely there but then it bursts with a fruity explosion in your mouth.

These are cakes that reward you with a wonderful burst of aroma every time you take the lid off their storage container. Sunshine cupcakes for a lovely sunny day!

Ingredients

For the sponge:

120g unsalted butter, at room temperature
145g caster sugar
2 eggs
185g self raising flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
125ml fresh orange juice – as I didn’t use the zest, I chose an orange juice with “bits” in it (Tropicana – I like this make as it’s fruity but not overly sweet)
Optional: 3 tablespoons grated orange zest

For the buttercream:

120g unsalted butter, at room temperature
180g icing sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (start with 2 and add more if the mix needs it)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180˚C/fan oven 160˚C/350˚F/Gas mark 4.

Line a 12 hole cupcake pan with paper cases.

Start by making the sponges: beat together the butter and sugar until pale, light and whippy. It will take quite a while (depending on the softness of the butter) but don’t skimp as this is the stage that makes the sponge light and airy. I will often beat for 10 minutes or more.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Fold in the flour and vanilla extract.

Stir in the orange juice and, if using, the grated zest.

Spoon into the paper cases and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out clean. Mine took 20 minutes. Don’t panic that they look pale – the sponge is pale and won’t turn golden on baking.

Place the tray on a wire rack and, as soon as you can safely do so, remove the cakes from the tin – leaving them to sit in the hot metal tin means that they carry on cooking and can become less fluffy.

Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

Now make the buttercream: place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well combined and light. Add more orange juice until you reach a soft but spreadable buttercream consistency.

Spread or pipe over the cupcakes.

Decorate as desired – I used sugar flowers.

Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.

Eat.