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Close-up view of homemade orange cupcakes topped with fluffy, swirl-shaped pale-orange buttercream frosting and garnished with fresh orange zest. The cupcakes are baked to a perfect golden color and presented neatly in white paper cupcake liners. The scene is set on a marble surface, highlighting a fresh, inviting, and authentic homemade appearance.

Orange Cupcakes

5 from 1 vote
These homemade orange cupcakes are bursting with real citrus flavor from fresh orange juice and zest. They are light, moist, and easy to make, topped with a creamy orange frosting for a perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Frosting & Decorating 10 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, European
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cupcakes:
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour - Use gluten-free blend if needed
  • ½ cup unsalted butter - Softened; use coconut oil for dairy-free
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large large - Room temperature
  • ⅓ cup fresh orange juice - From 1-2 oranges
  • 2 tablespoon orange zest - Freshly grated
  • ½ cup buttermilk - Substitute: ½ cup milk + ½ teaspoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Orange Cream Frosting:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter - Softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoon fresh orange juice - Adjust for consistency
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest - Adds fresh citrus flavor
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
  • Few drops orange food coloring - Optional

Equipment

  • Standard 12-cup muffin tin (For baking evenly sized cupcakes)
  • Paper cupcake liners (Prevents sticking, easy serving)
  • Large mixing bowl (For combining wet ingredients)
  • Medium mixing bowl (For whisking dry ingredients)
  • Electric mixer (Hand or stand mixer for batter and frosting)
  • Measuring cups and spoons (For accurate ingredient measurements)
  • Citrus zester or microplane (Extracts orange zest for maximum flavor)
  • Citrus juicer (Ensures efficient juice extraction)
  • Rubber spatula (For folding ingredients and scraping the bowl)
  • Wire cooling rack (Helps cupcakes cool evenly)
  • Ice cream or cookie scoop (Helps evenly portion batter)
  • Piping bag & tip (Optional, for frosting decoration)

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Place paper liners in a standard 12-cup muffin tin.
  3. Bring eggs and butter to room temperature. Zest and juice the oranges, keeping them separate.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  5. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
  6. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  7. Stir in orange zest and vanilla extract until combined.
  8. In a measuring cup, combine orange juice and buttermilk.
  9. Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix on low until just combined.
  10. Scrape down the bowl and give a final gentle mix.
  11. Fill each cupcake liner about ⅔ full (about 3 tablespoon of batter).
  12. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  13. Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  14. In a large bowl, beat softened butter until creamy (about 2 minutes).
  15. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing on low.
  16. Mix in orange juice, vanilla, salt, and zest until smooth. Adjust consistency with more sugar (thicker) or juice (thinner).
  17. Add a few drops of orange food coloring if desired.
  18. Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
  19. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes in a spiral motion.
  20. Optionally, top with orange zest, a thin orange slice, or sprinkles.
  21. If serving in warm weather, chill cupcakes for 15 minutes to set the frosting.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcakeCalories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 3gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 150mgPotassium: 60mgFiber: 1gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 450IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 1mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes

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