Vanilla Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
Portable, playful, and particularly pleasing, this easy cupcake recipe is one you can make anytime. Frosting optional, the cakes are that good.
Vanilla Cupcakes
Ingredients
makes 12 cupcakes
- 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup canola or corn oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line your muffin tin with liners and set aside.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the egg and yolk and sugar until thickened and lightened to a cream color, about 2 minutes.
4. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. On low speed, mix in the oil and vanilla until blended. Mix in the sour cream until no white streaks remain. Mix in the flour mixture until it is incorporated and the batter is smooth.
5. Evenly divide the batter into the lined muffin tin. Batter should reach no higher than 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes until just set.
6. Cool before frosting, or just go ahead and enjoy.
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange juice
2 tsp grated orange zest
3 cups confectioners sugar
Directions
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, orange juice and zest on medium speed until light and fluffy.
2. Reduce to low speed and add confectioners sugar, gradually, one cup at a time, beating well with each addition.
3. Increase speed to medium high and beat until smooth, adding more sugar if needed to get a slightly thicker consistency (the more sugar, the stiffer the frosting). I prefer to err on the less sugary side even if I get a softer frosting in the end.
4. Spread the frosting with an offset spatula or butter knife. Alternately put the frosting in a piping bag and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.