Orange Cupcakes

Hey everyone Happy Foodie Friday! I'm also joining Cupcake Sunday this week and I wanted to make something different! I found a recipe somewhere on-line for orange cupcakes and thought I'd make them with cream cheese frosting.

I made a little gumdrop flower for those of us that are wishing for spring:@)

Truthfully, they're ok, not amazing. This recipe only makes 12 cupcakes, I don't understand why it
calls for 3 eggs. That caught my attention right away, but still thought I'd try it. They're very dense. 

In an attempt to lighten them up, I used my cupcake corer and filled them with strawberry rhubarb jam.
Also added orange extract and grated orange zest to the frosting.

The verdict from the office was... very good!
But, if you've ever worked in an office you know that's not a hard crowd to please:@)

I am however, a big fan of these cupcake liners from the Paula Deen line at Michaels-yep my kinda diet!!!

Ok folks, I'll post the recipe in case you'd like to try it.

Orange Cupcakes

1/2 C butter, room temp

2/3 C sugar (do not cut back)

3 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp orange extract

Zest of one orange (optional, I did use it)

1 1/2 C AP flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 C milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cupcake tin or line with paper liners.

2. Put zest and sugar in bowl of mixer and blend till moist and fragrant. Add butter, beat till fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add extracts.

3. Mix dry in separate bowl.

4. With mixer on low alternately add flour and milk in three additions, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape down sides of bowls.

5. Fill muffin cups and bake 18-20 minutes.

Makes 12 cupcakes.