Fresh Orange Cupcakes With Orange Icing - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups pastry flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
1 tablespoon vanilla (or use 2 teaspoons orange-flavor extract)
1 orange, zest of (or to taste)
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 egg yolks (room temperature)
2 egg whites (room temperature)
1/4 cup sugar
orange food coloring (optional)
ORANGE ICING
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3 1/4 cups icing sugar (more as needed)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
orange food coloring (optional)
orange sprinkles or colored sprinkles

Preparation

Set oven to 350\u00b0F.
Line 18 muffin tins with paper liners.
For the cupcakes; sift together the flour 1-1/4 cups sugar, baking powder and salt.
Add in oil, buttermilk and vanilla or orange extract, beat one minute using an electric mixer.
Add in the orange juice and egg yolks; beat for about 1 minute more.
In a another bowl beat egg whites until foamy.
Gradually add in 1/2 and beat until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold in the whites to the creamed batter.
Evenly divided the batter between the muffin tins.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until cupcakes test done.
Allow to cool completely before frosting.
FOR THE FROSTING; in a bowl beat the butter until fluffy (about 3 minutes).
Add in the vanilla, zest and orange juice; beat until combined.
Add in 3 cups icing sugar to start, adding in more if needed to achieve desired consistency.
Add in a few drops orange food colouring if desired.
Spread on the cooled cupcakes, then sprinkle with orange sprinkles if desired.