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These are Orange Cupcakes. Super light and refreshing with the perfect amount of sweetness. Top with frosting and sprinkles!
But if orange isn’t your thing check out these other tasty cakes: Perfect Carrot Cake Recipe, Vegan Cupcakes, Ultimate Banana Cake Recipe, and Lemon Raspberry Cake.
Orange Cupcakes | Light and Fluffy
These Orange Cupcakes! I wanted to make something springy and fresh, but slightly different. I originally thought I’d make lemon cupcakes since I’m a lemon freak and all but opted for orange because it’s kinda-sorta out of the norm. Meaning: you all should have oranges on hand or have at least heard of oranges. If you haven’t heard of oranges before, find some and get ready to live!
Main Ingredients Needed
To make Orange Cupcakes, start by gathering these ingredients from your pantry:
For the Cupcakes
- Flour – needed for structure to hold these cupcakes together.
- Sugar – used to sweeten.
- Salt – helps to balance out and enhance the sweet flavors.
- Baking Soda + Baking Powder – used as leavening agents. I like to use both in cupcakes for extra lift.
- Milk – used for moisture and the protein in the milk gives a soft crumb texture.
- Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil – helps keep the cupcakes really moist. Canola oil can be used in place of vegetable oil.
- Vanilla Extract + Almond Extract + Orange Zest – all the zing you need for these delicious cupcakes. It’s a balance of flavors that works SO perfectly together.
- Egg – used for structure.
For the Frosting
- Butter – softened. One of the main ingredients for all frostings!
- Orange Juice + Orange Zest – These ingredients make their way into the frosting that helps tie everything together! If you love orange you’ll love these cupcakes.
- Vanilla – for flavor.
- Powdered Sugar – brings the perfect sweetness to the frosting, and helps thicken it.
How to Make Orange Cupcakes|Directions
Here are the step by step directions to make Orange Cupcakes. Scroll to the bottom to find the printable recipe card.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat oven. Line muffin tins with paper liners and set them aside.
Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Stir with a fork to combine and make a large well in the center.
Step 3: Add in Wet Ingredients
Pour in orange zest, milk, vanilla, almond extract, egg and oil into the well and stir until just combined. This cake batter tastes REALLY good….not that I ate it by the spoonful or anything…
Side note: if you want to sub butter for oil, check out the notes at the bottom of the recipe. I think the butter tastes a little better. But, I used to eat straight up butter right out of the fridge when I was 3.
Step 4: Fill Tins and Bake
Spoon into prepared tins to be 3/4 full and bake 22 minutes for regular cupcakes and 12 minutes for minis. Cool completely before frosting.
Step 5: Make Frosting
In the meantime, whip some butter and orange zest up together and take a big whiff. Mmmmm….orange. Next, add orange juice and vanilla. Slowly stir in powdered sugar until it starts to mix in. Scrape sides and whip 30 seconds until light and fluffy.
Frost cupcakes and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
FAQs
Can I Make Ahead and Freeze Orange Cupcakes?
Yes you can! I would recommend freezing these in a freezer safe ziplock bag or container before frosting. When ready to use, let defrost completely and add whatever frosting you want! You can freeze with the frosting on, but it will be hard to keep them pretty through the process.
Can I Use Almond Milk?
Yes, you can use almond milk in this recipe. Doing so will not change the taste or texture of the cupcakes.
Can I Use Butter As a Substitute For Oil?
Using 1/2 cup softened butter in place of 1/2 cup oil is a great and tasty option. Whip butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in egg, zest, vanilla and almond extract. Alternate stirring in dry ingredients with milk, finishing with the dry. Scrape sides and mix again briefly. Spoon into pans and bake as usual.
More Cupcake Recipes to Try!
Anyways, I hope you all enjoy your Easter weekend full of good food like these orange cupcakes and these little nests. Have a good one, friends! 🙂
Orange Cupcakes with Orange Frosting
Ingredients
for the cupcakes-
- 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 egg
for the frosting-
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Stir with a fork to combine and make a large well in the center.
- Pour in orange zest, milk, vanilla, almond extract, egg and oil into the well and stir until just combined.
- Spoon into prepared tins to be 3/4 full and bake 22 minutes for regular cupcakes and 12 minutes for minis. Cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, whip butter, orange juice, zest, and vanilla together. Slowly stir in powdered sugar until it starts to mix in. Scrape sides and whip 30 seconds until light and fluffy. Frost cupcakes and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Tasted amazing but my tops fell! What did I do wrong? Advice for next time
Add a couple of top Cardomum and some chopped roasted pecan pieces….next level!!!
Nice idea, but the recipe definitely needs some tweaking. To start, the batter needs more liquid, and it needs a longer baking time. Not sure what else I’d adjust but if I ever try these again I’ll experiment.
Try adding s couple teaspoon of cardamom an chopped peacan pieces- way better!
They were okay I have had better muffins
Omg these are the best ever I make them all the time and everyone loves them! So simple to throw together. I even put a little oj in the batter 😄 thanks Lauren👍
Can you freeze them??
Yes! Just be sure to freeze before you frost them. Then once defrosted, you can add whatever frosting you’d like. (You definitely CAN freeze them with frosting, but it would be hard to keep them looking pretty through the process.)
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Would using almond milk instead of regular milk work? Looks like a great recipe 🙂
I think that should work just fine!
[…] Orange Almond Easter Cupcakes […]
These were absolutely delicious! Love the combination of orange and almond.
I’m thinking of making these for my baby’s first birthday. Can you sub applesauce for the oil?
You can but it would change the texture a bit.
SO cute, and they look delicious!
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I plan to use butter so do i need to add milk into those better? (after zest,almond and vanilla extract and egg? not in the dry flour mix) then pour dry one first then those liquid one and ends with dry mixture?
My friend just sent me this link as she’ll be making these cupcakes and bringing them over for game night Friday. I have to say that A) I happen to love your URL and B) I greatly enjoyed the writing style on this post and will be immediately searching through your blog!
~Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook
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Gorgeous Easter cupcakes! I hope you and your family had a blessed Easter.
Ooh I’m such a sucker for any almond-citrus flavor combo!
Delicious! I made orange cupcakes for Easter also!
Just made these, but used blood orange, really good.
[…] and recipe available at Lauren’s Latest Posted by The Cupcake Connoisseur in Fruit Cupcakes, Nut Cupcakes and tagged with almond, […]
I am all over orange stuff these days. Super yum!
I am behind on reading blog posts, so I did not get to make these adorable cupcakes for Easter. But, I have pinned them for next year. 🙂
I’ve never heard of World Market, but now I have to start searching for one in my area! So adorable 🙂
Zesty, sweet and adorable! Have a fun Easter!
These look yummy, and the chicks are so cute!
You had me at Almond- Anything Almond has my name on it. Get, ready, I’m coming over right now!
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Easter Eggs, of course. Cupcakes!! Yum.
Super cute cupcakes, and they sound delicious! The chicks are so perfect!
YUM! These look delicious! Very cute measuring spoon, too!
yum! these look so good and i love that it’s orange almond! that’s a combination you don’t see everyday 🙂 gorgeous frosting on them, too!
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Totally want these STAT! Love those chicks too!
adorable! never thought to mix orange and almond!!
Those little chicks are adorable!!
These are gorgeous, Lauren. I love all of that orange zest. So refreshing!
Ahaha Those little chicks are so cute! The cupcakes look great, and the recipe sounds delicious.
My kind of cupcakes!!!!
I’ve made orange donuts that remind me of these, and with coconut in them, rather than the almond…gosh your cupcakes and the frosting is PERFECT!!
That pink measuring spoon is so cute. I love seeing unique measuring spoons. I’m kind of stuck with the Oxo ones. They’re great and all, just not all that fun to look at. Speaking of cute, those decorative chicks are just too precious. They kind of look like real chicks!