These moist and fluffy Orange Cupcakes are incredibly delicious, with the sweet, aromatic zing that can only come from fresh orange juice and orange zest.
Creamy orange buttercream frosting, infused with more orange zest and juice, finishes these little cakes off perfectly.
If you’re looking for a tasty dessert for a celebration, or just a sweet treat to enjoy at home, these orange cupcakes are sure to hit the spot!
With a very different flavor than the typical chocolate cupcakes and vanilla cupcakes, bright and zesty orange cupcakes taste fresh and exciting.
Desserts with juicy oranges in them taste just like happiness feels! These treats are wonderful any time of year, and I especially like to make them in the colder months, when fresh oranges are abundant and I’m longing for warm, sunny days.
They’re a perfect match for Mother’s Day, Easter, and Spring birthdays too!
I love the sweet citrusy orange flavor in desserts! If you enjoy this recipe, you’ll also love my easy orange juice bundt cake and glazed orange muffins.
Orange Cupcake Recipe Highlights
- Made from Scratch – Once you see how easy it is to make homemade cupcakes from scratch, you won’t see the need for expensive boxed mixes with questionable ingredients anymore.
- Simple Ingredients – If you enjoy baking, you probably already have everything you need already. Pick up 3 or 4 big juicy oranges, and you’ll be ready to make cupcakes!
- Easy Orange Buttercream Frosting – The best part about this recipe (and maybe most cupcake recipes!) is the rich, creamy frosting on top. We’ll make an easy American style buttercream that can be whipped up in just minutes.
Key Ingredients
Here is everything you’ll need to bake these cupcakes, plus some details on the most important ingredients:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- All Purpose Flour: When measuring flour, be sure to use the scoop and level method, rather than scooping your measuring cup into the flour container.
- Baking Powder: This leavening agent makes the cupcakes light and fluffy.
- Butter: Unsalted butter at room temperature adds rich flavor and texture.
- Eggs: While you’re softening the butter, pull out the eggs as well. Room temperature eggs will mix into the batter more smoothly than cold ones will.
- Orange Juice and Zest: Use a microplane or a very fine grater to remove the zest from the oranges, then slice them in half and juice them. You’ll need 3 or 4 large, juicy oranges for this recipe.
- Sour Cream: Makes these orange cupcakes extra moist.
- For the Frosting: Softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract are blended with heavy cream and more orange zest and juice.
How To Make Orange Cupcakes with Orange Frosting
Get ready to bake by preheating the oven to 350°F (180°C) and lining a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners.
Tip!
The orange cupcake frosting is amazing, and quite possibly the best part about this recipe! If you prefer something less zesty, try the fluffy vanilla buttercream from my Jam-filled cupcakes recipe, or cream cheese frosting.
Recipe Tips
- Measure Correctly. I have some tips and tricks for making sure that you’re measuring your ingredients correctly! Accurate amounts are very important in baking recipes.
- Oranges. Be sure to use unwaxed oranges for your zest. If your fruit is coated in wax, it can be easily removed with hot water and a soft scrub brush.
- Using an Electric Mixer makes the process of mixing the batter and frosting much easier. I usually switch to a spatula once the flour is added in though, so that I don’t accidentally overmix the cupcake batter.
- Cupcake Liners. I prefer to use paper liners when making cupcakes. If you’d rather not, be sure to grease the muffin pan well so that the cakes don’t stick.
- Cool Completely. Let the cupcakes cool on a wire cooling rack until they are at room temperature before adding the frosting. Buttercream on warm cupcakes will melt!
- Decorate your Cupcakes just like mine using a large piping bag and a wide open star tip (Wilton 8B is a good option). You can also use any piping tip that you have on hand, or skip the piping and spread the frosting using an offset spatula.
Cupcake Storing and Freezing Tips
- To store unfrosted cupcakes: Keep cooled and unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container and store on the counter for up to one week.
- To store frosted cupcakes: Buttercream frosted cakes should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They’ll be best if enjoyed within 4-5 days.
- To freeze cupcakes: I recommend storing the cupcakes and frosting separately in the freezer. Both can be frozen and stored for up to 2 months. Allow both to thaw in the fridge overnight. Frost the cupcakes prior to serving.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use bottled orange juice?
I rarely recommend using bottled citrus juices when it comes to flavoring recipes. Instead, make this recipe when you can find juicy fresh oranges, and juice them by hand. The flavor of fresh OJ is superior to anything from a bottle or carton.
Why did my cupcakes sink?
If your perfectly risen, domed cupcakes fall once you bring them out of the oven, it could be because you mixed too much air into the batter. Next time, be sure not to overmix after you’ve added the dry ingredients.
Don’t worry though! those sunken cupcakes will still taste amazing, and the orange buttercream will hide any imperfections.
How should I decorate orange cupcakes?
Add a small orange wedge or curled pieces of orange peel to each cupcake just before serving! You can also add sprinkles, white chocolate shavings, or a pinch of orange zest to decorate these. Get creative and have fun with your cupcakes!
More Delicious Cupcake Recipes
Zesty and sweet Orange Cupcakes will be a wonderful and different fresh dessert for your next celebration! Be sure to save the recipe so you can easily find it again
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Orange Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12 cup muffin pan
- Cupcake liners
- Electric Hand mixer or Stand mixer
- Large piping bag fitted with a large tip
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups (190 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons orange zest from about 2 large or 3 medium oranges
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (125 g) sour cream
- ¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice from about 1 large or 2 medium oranges
Frosting:
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons orange zest from one large orange or two medium
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) orange juice
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), or 160°C for a fan oven, and line a 12-count muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the sugar, butter and orange zest until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Add the sour cream and orange juice and gently stir to combine.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting:
- In a large bowl add half the powdered sugar, butter and orange zest and mix until smooth. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix well.
- Add the orange juice and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the heavy cream as needed and mix to achieve desired consistency.
- Pipe or spread over the cooled cupcakes.
Notes:
- Oranges. Be sure to use unwaxed oranges for your zest. If your fruit is coated in wax, it can be easily removed with hot water and a soft scrub brush.
- Measure Correctly. I have some tips and tricks for making sure that you’re measuring your ingredients correctly! Accurate amounts are very important in baking recipes.
- Using an Electric Mixer makes the process of mixing the batter and frosting much easier. I usually switch to a spatula once the flour is added in though, so that I don’t accidentally overmix the cupcake batter.
- Cupcake Liners. I prefer to use paper liners when making cupcakes. If you’d rather not, be sure to grease the muffin pan well so that the cakes don’t stick.
- Cool Completely. Let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack until they are at room temperature before adding the frosting. Buttercream on warm cupcakes will melt!
- Decorate your Cupcakes just like mine using a large piping bag and a wide open star tip (Wilton 8B is a good option). You can also use any piping tip that you have on hand, or skip the piping and spread the frosting using an offset spatula.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Nancy says
Would this work as a 9×13 cake? If so would I bake at same temp just a bit longer?
Little Sunny Kitchen says
You would want to double the recipe to fill a 9×13 cake pan. I haven’t tested the recipe as a cake, but I would say to bake at the same temperature, and add time until the center of the cake is cooked through.