Best Whole Wheat Cranberry Orange Cupcakes Recipes

CRANBERRY ORANGE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Combine the 1 cup of sugar and water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. If the water gets too hot and starts to boil, remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, then add the cranberries. (You don't want the cranberries to burst, which is why you don't want the water too hot.) Pour the simple syrup and cranberries into a bowl and cover. Refrigerate overnight.
• Drain the cranberries. Place the superfine sugar in a shallow bowl and add the cranberries. Shake to coat the cranberries with the sugar. Transfer to a surface lined with waxed paper and allow to dry for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 14 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• In the bowl of a mixer, beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions. Beat in the orange zest.
• In a liquid measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and the orange extract. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter and beat until combined. Follow that with 1/2 of the buttermilk. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, the remaining buttermilk, then the remaining flour mixture, beating to combine between each addition. Fold the cranberries into the batter.
• Fill each of the prepared cups about 2/3 full of the batter. Bake until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
• Beat the butter in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until completely combined. Beat in the orange zest. Add in the cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Beat in the cranberries.***
• Pipe the frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes. Top each cupcake with several sugared cranberries.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Mix together 2/3 cup sugar and orange zest in a bowl. Allow to sit at room temperature until sugar is infused with orange flavor, about 3 hours.
• Combine orange juice concentrate and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Simmer, stirring continuously, until thoroughly combined and thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let orange syrup cool to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl.
• Combine butter and orange zest-sugar mixture in a large bowl; mix with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in yogurt and eggs until blended. Alternately fold in flour mixture and 2/3 cup of the orange syrup (that should be pretty much all of the syrup) in 3 additions, beginning and ending with flour. Fold in nuts and dried cranberries.
• Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 25 minutes. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool, about 20 minutes.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat to make the icing. Add 1/2 cup cranberry sauce and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and continue to boil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add milk and bring to a boil again, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.
• Gradually add sifted powdered sugar to icing. Beat with an electric mixer until thick enough to spread, adding a little hot water if icing is too thick.
• Spread frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and let it harden just a bit. Pipe a ring of cranberry sauce around the edge of each cupcake and sprinkle with orange zest for some added color.

WHOLE WHEAT CRANBERRY ORANGE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes:
• Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a cupcake pan with twelve paper baking cups.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 3 to 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
• Slowly add the eggs, mixing after each addition.
• Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, followed by one third of the milk. Mix slowly. Add another third of the flour mixture, followed by another third of the milk. Mix again slowly. Add the final third of the flour mixture, followed by the final third of the milk. Mix slowly, stopping to scape down the bowl.
• Add the orange zest and mix until completely incorporated.
• Using a spatula, gently fold in the cranberries.
• Using a standard-size ice cream scoop, fill each baking cup so that it is two-thirds full, and bake for 22 to 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• For the glaze:
• Whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl, and warm in a small saucepan on low heat, stirring until fully mixed. Let the glaze cool for 10 minutes before drizzling on the cupcakes.
• Serve in a lined basket, and enjoy for a delicious breakfast!