Cranberry Orange Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream

I ate all of these myself.

My S.O. does not do cupcakes.

I love all things holiday, and S.O. is not into any of it. He’s the resident scrooge.

I thought this was finally going to be the year that I got him to help me hang up Christmas lights, but then he allegedly threw out his back golfing a few weeks ago, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it was all an act to get out of light-hanging. Turns out, it wasn’t.

If there’s one part of the holidays that he loves though, it’s the food. He’s all about the food. Actually, he’s all about food anytime, holiday or not.

And he’s got a big sweet-tooth, but a metabolism to match it. I can always count on him to devour any sweets.

With the exception of cupcakes. Anytime I make them, he doesn’t touch them. They sit around and I end up eating them all myself.

It’s the frosting. For someone who loves desserts, he’d be fine if he never saw frosting again in his life. I cannot understand that.

He cites his aversion to frosting as the fact that it’s just mostly sugar and not much else.

That’s what makes it SO GOOD. That’s kinda the draw to frosting, right???

It’s weird, but I no longer question it, and I accept that all cupcakes coming out of the kitchen are my responsibility to consume. I’m okay with that.

I happen to be a sucker for all things orange, so I had no problem polishing these off. A simple sugar cookie with orange frosting? Perfect. An orange cupcake with orange frosting? Sign me up.

These also boast chopped fresh cranberries that add a little tartness and juiciness to these cupcakes.

A classic pairing of cranberry and orange, especially around the holidays, these cupcakes are flavored with fresh orange zest, fresh orange juice, and fresh, plump cranberries. Fluffy orange buttercream frosting tops off these moist cupcakes, and also mostly gets its flavor from fresh orange zest.

Sure to be a holiday favorite, these cupcakes are sweet, tart, moist, and pretty. And loaded with frosting. Unless you’re my S.O. and you’re not into frosting (????), what’s not to love?

Cranberry Orange Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream

Sarah @ The Gold Lining Girl

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Course Cupcakes

Servings 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

  

For cupcakes:

• 3/4 c. shortening
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. orange extract
• zest of 1 orange
• 3 c. cake flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 c. orange juice
• 2 c. fresh cranberries coarsely chopped

For buttercream:

• 1/2 c. butter softened
• 4 c. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. orange extract
• zest of 1 orange
• 2-3 tbsp. orange juice

Instructions

 

For cupcakes:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in extracts and orange zest.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
• Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl mixture, alternately with the orange juice.
• Fold in the cranberries.
• Line two baking pans with regular-sized muffins cups with paper liners.
• Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

For buttercream:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy.
• Beat in powdered sugar, orange extract, orange zest, and enough orange juice to make the frosting thick and fluffy, but spreadable.
• Frost the cupcakes.