Orange Cupcakes With The Creamiest Orange Buttercream Food

ORANGE CUPCAKES WITH THE CREAMIEST ORANGE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / 160C fan forced. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Place the flour, corn flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and whisk to mix well.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the melted butter and sugar just to combine.
• Add the milk, eggs, orange juice, zest and vanilla and whisk really well to combine.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir through gently with a spatula until just combined.
• Fill the cupcake cases to about ⅔ full. Bake for around 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out with just a couple of crumbs on it. Transfer to a cooling rack. You can go straight on with steps 1-3 of the buttercream.
• In a small saucepan, whisk the flour with a little milk to a paste. Add the remaining milk, 1/2 cup of sugar and orange peel.
• Heat over low heat, stirring constantly until it gets very thick (like a thick custard or pudding).
• Press this mixture through a strainer into a bowl. Discard the orange peel and cover with plastic wrap pressed to the surface and let it cool to room temperature before continuing (notes).
• Once the pudding mixture is cool, beat together the butter and ½ cup of sugar until lightened and creamy. About 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl a few times through the process.
• Add 1 spoonful of the pudding mixture at a time, mixing on low between each. Make sure each spoonful is incorporated before adding the next.
• Once all the pudding mixture is added, beat for a further 5-7 minutes on medium until it looks whipped and creamy. You should not be able to feel any sugar granules. (If it looks like it separates, don't worry, just keep on beating. It will all come together into a beautiful, almost whipped cream looking frosting).
• Finally add the vanilla and orange zest and give it one final quick mix just to mix it through.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES WITH DUFF'S SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin tins with 18 cupcake liners.
• Pass the cocoa powder, all-purpose and cake flours, baking soda and baking powder through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Whisk in the granulated and light brown sugars, orange zest and salt until thoroughly combined. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, water, melted butter and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until combined.
• Divide the batter among the cupcake liners, filling each by about two-thirds. Bake until set and a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Frost the cupcakes with the buttercream and garnish with candied orange peel.
• Place the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of stand mixer. Set the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water and heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar has dissolved and is warm to the touch (about 160 degrees F). When you touch the mixture, it should feel completely smooth and not at all gritty.
• Immediately transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. On high speed, whip until glossy and stiff, about 15 minutes.
• Switch to the paddle attachment and lower the speed to medium. Add the butter, piece by piece, incorporating each before adding more. Lower the speed further and mix until silky and smooth.
• Remove the tops and bottoms from the oranges. Cut away the skin, removing both the peel and the white part of the skin. Cut the skin into thin strips.
• Place the peels in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute. Drain and repeat the process two more times.
• In a large pan over medium heat, stir the sugar and 1 cup water together until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil, add the peels and reduce to heat to low. Cook, swirling occasionally (no stirring!), until the peels are very soft and almost translucent, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Toss the peels in sanding sugar until completely covered, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.