Cranberry Orange Cupcakes with Cranberry Orange Buttercream

This idea was 100% my mom's creative thinking.  After watching me bake dozens of lemon blueberry and lemon cranberry cupcakes this past week, she suggested I make a cranberry orange cupcake.  One of her favorite foods during the holidays is a cranberry orange relish served with Thanksgiving dinner.  I know you are probably envisioning the can-shaped cranberry sauce being sliced up and plopped down next to some turkey, but I ensure you this is not what I am talking about.  This cupcake is light, and refreshing, yet subtly sweet!


Cranberry Orange Cupcakes with Cranberry Orange Buttercream
1 cup butter, softened

4 1/2 cups sugar, divided

3 eggs

3 1/2 cups cake flour

1/4 cup corn starch

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sour cream

1 cup buttermilk

4 tsp orange zest

1/4 cup orange juice (fresh squeezed)

12 oz fresh cranberries

2 cups water

Frosting:

2 cups butter, softened

2 tsp orange extract

1/2 cup cranberries, boiled and pureed

6-8 cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

2.  Combine 2 cups water, 1 cup sugar, and 12 oz cranberries in medium sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Boil until cranberries begin to burst.

3.  Strain cranberries and toss with 1/4 cup sugar.  Set aside to cool.

4.  Beat butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy.

5.  On low speed, add eggs one at a time, being sure to let fully incorporate before adding the next.

6.  In a separate bowl, whisk together cake flour, corn starch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together

7.  In another bowl, combine buttermilk, orange zest, and orange juice.

7.  Add about 1/3 dry ingredients to the sugar mixture, then buttermilk mixture, then 1/3 dry ingredients, sour cream, then final 1/3 dry ingredients.  Make sure to let the ingredients fully combine before adding the next.

8.  Fold cooled cranberries into batter.

10.  Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake for 16-22 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

11.  To make frosting:  repeat step 2 with a second bag (12 oz) of fresh cranberries; strain and set berries aside to cool.  Puree cooled cranberries and set aside.  Beat butter and orange extract until light and fluffy.  Add cranberries.  Gradually add powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.

12.  Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.