Tuesday 4 March 2014

Cinnamon and Orange Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting











Now that it's Autumn, I feel it is my duty to provide you with cinnamon cupcakes... even if it's Spring where you are. That's just the kind of person I am.



Cinnamon and Orange Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
slightly adapted from Annie's Eats
Makes 12

For the Cupcakes:
1 cup cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup full-cream milk
1/4 cup Greek yoghurt
60g unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
180g caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting:
115g unsalted butter, softened
250g cream cheese, softened
2-3 cup icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. and line a 12-hole cupcake pan with paper liners

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

Put the butter, milk and yoghurt into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until the butter has melted. The mixture may look a little curdled, but don't worry, it will be fine. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with  the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and eggs for 5 minutes until the batter falls from the paddle back into the bowl in thick ribbons (ribbon stage). Beat in the orange zest and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add one-third of the flour and mix until just combined. Add half the milk mixture and mix until just incorporated. Add another third of the flour then mix, the rest of the milk then mix and the remaining third of flour, mixing after each additional until just combined. Do not over mix.

Divide the batter evenly between the paper liners and bake for 16-18 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes our clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Frosting: 
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with  the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until very smooth. Add the butter and beat again until very smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the vanilla and cinnamon and beat again. Slowly add the icing sugar until you have a piping consistency.

Put the frosting into a disposable plastic piping bag, cut a 1cm opening at the tip and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.

17 comments:

  1. I wish it were Spring! Dang this winter is just hanging on. The high temperature today as 19°F. BTW, the cupcakes look delectable.

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    1. Sounds cold. I think you need a cupcake to warm you up.

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  2. These look like THE PERFECT cupcake to accompany our 21 degree day here....Spring arrives here on 3-20 for us but it doesn't feel like that's even possible! Happy Fall my friend!

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    1. Thanks Jessica. We are still getting very hot days here and it's Autumn - the weather is weird.

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  3. I'm always in the mood for cinnamon, regardless of the time of year. These looks so, so good!!

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    1. Thanks Maira. I'm with you on the cinnamon thing. Anytime is a good time.

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  4. I love the combination of cinnamon and orange, but I've never put them together in cupcakes before! I'll have to make them with gluten free flour so that I can enjoy them too and cream cheese frosting - sign me up!

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    1. Thanks Amy. Cinnamon and orange go together really well. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

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  5. I was just going to say that you're lucky to have an autumn temperature because here, we're tired of the cold winter! Greek yogourt, orange and cinnamon, yummy! With the frosting, wawiwaa!!

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    1. We are still having hot days mixed with a few cooler days. It's very early Autumn, but I'm always in the mood for cinnamon.

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  6. I am ALWAYS in the mood for fall flavors!!! These look so divine, especially with the Greek yogurt in the batter (my fav!) and that heavenly fluffy frosting. Yum. As a side note, I'm also in love with that wood! Everything about this is wonderful :)

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    1. Thanks Cynthia. The yoghurt in the batter makes these cupcakes really moist and tender-crumbed.

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  7. My goodness, these look delicious! Fabulous photos too!

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