Orange Vanilla Bean Cupcakes Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Split vanilla beans lengthwise; using the tip of a sharp knife, scrape seeds from the center into creamed mixture. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Fill prepared cups half full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles and coarse sugar as desired. Refrigerate leftovers. Freeze option: Freeze cooled cupcakes in resealable freezer containers. To use, thaw at room temperature. Frost as directed.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, combine cream, orange juice, and vanilla extract.
• With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter, sugar, vanilla-bean seeds, and zest until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of the cream mixture, and beating until just combined.
• Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
• To finish, use a serrated knife to trim tops of cupcakes to make level. Using an offset spatula, spread buttercream over cupcakes in a smooth, even layer. Place a candied orange slice on each cupcake. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip (#5) with buttercream, and pipe dots around edge of each orange. Cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 1 day in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.
• Wash the oranges, trim off tops and bottoms, and cut oranges into 1/8-inch-thick slices (12 total). Remove seeds.
• Bring sugar and the water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat; boil, stirring, until clear, about 5 minutes. Add enough orange slices to fit in one layer; simmer, turning slices occasionally, 20 to 40 minutes (depending on toughness of rinds), or until translucent but still orange in color. Using a slotted spoon, transfer slices to a heatproof container. Repeat with remaining slices. Pour the syrup into container with slices; let cool completely. Orange slices can be refrigerated up to 1 week in airtight containers.

Steps:

• FOR CUPCAKES: Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake tins with papers.
• In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and zest gradually and beat until fluffy, about three minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the orange juice and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.
• Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
• Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
• TO MAKE THE FROSTING: In a medium-size saucepan, whisk the flour into the milk until smooth. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes very thick and begins to bubble, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Cover with waxed paper placed directly on the surface and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• In a large bowl, on the medium-high speed of an electric mixer, beat the butter for three minutes, until smooth and creamy.
• Gradually add the sugar, beating continuously, and mix until fluffy, for three minutes. Add the vanilla and beat well.
• Add the cooled milk mixture and beat for five minutes, until very smooth and noticeably whiter in color. Add a few drops of red food coloring to give a pink tint to the frosting, if desired. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes (no less and no longer-set a timer!).
• Use immediately to frost the cupcakes. If you like, garnish with coconut (or other candies of your choice!).

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Cream butter, sugar, vanilla seeds, and orange zest until pale and fluffy. With mixer running, add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl.
• Combine cream, orange juice, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Sift togetherflour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, addflour mixture to butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with cream mixture, ending with flour; beat until just combined.
• Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until testers inserted in the centers come out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. Undecorated cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 1 day (or frozen for up to 2 months).
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of each cupcake to make level. Using an offset spatula, frost tops of each cupcake with some buttercream. Place a candied citrus slice on each cupcake. Fit a pastry bag with a small plain tip, and fill with remaining buttercream. Pipe dots around edges of orange slices. Cupcakes will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.