Indulge in the ultimate holiday treat with these irresistible Cranberry Orange Cupcakes. Each delicate cupcake is a symphony of flavors, bursting with bright orange zest and succulent fresh cranberries, all crowned with a velvety, luscious cranberry orange buttercream. For an extra touch of festive elegance, garnish them with sparkling sugared cranberries.
If you’re a devoted fan of the vibrant cranberry orange flavor combination, then your taste buds are in for a serious treat! Beyond these delightful cupcakes, you absolutely must try our sensational Cranberry Orange Cheesecake, a dessert that promises an equally enchanting blend of tart and sweet, perfect for any special occasion.
The Ultimate Cranberry Orange Cupcakes: A Holiday Delight
Every now and then, a culinary inspiration strikes from the most unexpected places. For me, it was a seemingly simple evening out with my sisters, which concluded with a casual stop for a couple of cupcakes. My excitement mounted as I anticipated savoring a cranberry orange cupcake, a flavor profile I deeply adore. However, the experience was quickly met with a wave of disappointment. It wasn’t that the cupcake was inherently bad; rather, it simply lacked the “wow” factor, falling short of the vibrant, fresh flavors I had envisioned. It was mediocre, and I knew I could do better.
That moment became the catalyst. I returned home with a newfound determination to create my own version – a Cranberry Orange Cupcake that not only met but exceeded my expectations. I wanted a cupcake that truly celebrated the festive season, brimming with the bright, zesty essence of orange and the tart sweetness of fresh cranberries. The result, I’m thrilled to say, surpassed that bakery cupcake by a mile, offering a moist, flavorful, and truly special treat. These homemade Cranberry Orange Cupcakes are absolutely perfect for any holiday gathering, family celebration, or simply as a way to spread a little joy during the festive season. There’s nothing quite like a perfectly crafted cupcake to mark the holidays!
Searching for another show-stopping holiday cupcake recipe? You absolutely must try these delightful Gingerbread Cupcakes, a warm and spicy treat that captures the essence of winter festivities!
Crafting Your Cranberry Orange Masterpiece: The Three Essential Components
While these Cranberry Orange Cupcakes might appear sophisticated and complex, the entire recipe can be elegantly broken down into three manageable and equally delightful parts. Each component plays a crucial role in building the cupcake’s exquisite flavor and texture, transforming them from a simple dessert into a truly gourmet experience.
1. The Star Topping: Sugared Cranberries
There’s something truly magical about sugared cranberries; I find them so addictive, I could snack on them like candy! My journey with these shimmering berries began way back in 2007, and I simply couldn’t resist bringing them back to crown these holiday cupcakes. They infuse a stunning visual appeal and a delightful textural contrast that elevates the entire dessert. While they don’t demand extensive active effort, do remember they require an overnight soak, so plan your baking adventure accordingly. This crucial step ensures the cranberries are plump and ready to absorb that wonderful sugary coating. For those who appreciate visual guidance, you can find a detailed, step-by-step photo tutorial in our dedicated Sugared Cranberries post.
2. The Foundation: Fluffy, Flavorful Cupcakes
Every time I embark on the journey of baking cupcakes from scratch, I’m reminded of a fundamental truth: the effort required isn’t significantly greater than reaching for a box mix. Yet, the profound difference in flavor and texture is absolutely unparalleled. These Cranberry Orange Cupcakes are a testament to that. The rich, moist crumb, infused with bright orange zest and bits of fresh cranberry, delivers a depth of flavor that a pre-made mix simply cannot replicate. The vibrant citrus notes perfectly complement the tartness of the berries, creating a harmonious and utterly delicious base for our festive treat.
3. The Crown Jewel: Silky Cranberry Orange Buttercream
If the alluring combination of cranberry and orange captivates your palate, then this buttercream is destined to become your new culinary obsession. It’s not just frosting; it’s a luscious, silken dream that perfectly balances the tartness of the cranberries with the bright, aromatic essence of fresh orange. The intense orange flavor in this buttercream is derived solely from fresh orange zest, which offers a pure, concentrated citrus punch without artificial notes. However, for those who crave an even more pronounced orange kick, a hint of orange extract can be added to deepen the citrus profile to your desired intensity. This buttercream isn’t just a topping; it’s an integral part of the cupcake experience, delivering a creamy, fruity finish that ties all the flavors together beautifully.
Essential Tips and Tricks for Perfect Cranberry Orange Cupcakes
Achieving bakery-quality Cranberry Orange Cupcakes at home is entirely within your reach with a few expert insights. Here are some key tips and tricks to ensure your baking experience is smooth and your results are spectacular:
- Understanding the Yield: 14 Cupcakes. I understand that yielding exactly 14 cupcakes can be slightly unconventional and might leave you with an odd number of liners in your muffin tin. Most standard recipes produce 12 or 24. However, I’ve meticulously crafted these measurements to keep the ingredient ratios simple and straightforward. My priority was ease of preparation over perfect divisibility, avoiding cumbersome measurements like “1 1/3 teaspoons.” While my usual cupcake recipes yield 12, the addition of fresh cranberries significantly increases the batter volume, resulting in these delicious 14 servings. If you only have one 12-cup muffin tin, simply use two additional liners on a baking sheet for the extra batter.
- Embracing the Bakery-Style Texture. It’s important to set your expectations regarding the texture of these cupcakes. Unlike the often ultra-light and airy texture you get from a box mix, these homemade Cranberry Orange Cupcakes boast a more substantial, yet incredibly moist and tender crumb – much like what you’d find in a high-end bakery. This denser texture is a hallmark of quality homemade baking, signifying a rich, full-bodied flavor and superior moisture that truly melts in your mouth. They are not “fluffy” in the same sense as a boxed cake, but they are infinitely more flavorful and satisfying.
- Mastering the Cranberry Orange Buttercream. This buttercream is truly divine, but it can be a bit temperamental, especially when introducing the fresh cranberries. I’ve been there: a perfect, fluffy buttercream, and then, upon adding the cranberries, it suddenly “breaks,” appearing separated and unappetizing. This is often due to the acidity in the cranberries reacting with the fats in the butter. Don’t despair if this happens! My foolproof method involves two steps:
- Vigorous Beating: First, continue beating the buttercream on medium-high speed for a solid 5-6 minutes. Often, this intense aeration helps bring the emulsion back together.
- The Warm Towel Trick: If beating alone isn’t enough, grab a kitchen towel, run it under hot water, wring it out, and then wrap it around the outside of your mixer bowl while the buttercream continues to beat. The gentle, consistent heat will work wonders, coaxing the separated fats and liquids back into a smooth, beautiful, and fluffy consistency.
The resulting buttercream may be slightly softer than usual. To ensure it holds its shape perfectly when piped, I recommend refrigerating the frosted cupcakes for about 15-20 minutes before serving. This will help the buttercream set beautifully. If you prefer to bypass this potential challenge altogether, simply omit the fresh cranberries from the frosting recipe, and you’ll still have a delicious, vibrant orange buttercream.
- Precision in Cranberry Preparation. How you prepare your cranberries makes a difference in their integration into the cupcakes versus the buttercream.
- For the Cupcakes: I advocate for a “roughly chopped” approach with a knife. This means ensuring each cranberry is at least halved, but allowing for larger pieces. These larger cranberry chunks provide delightful bursts of tartness and texture within the moist cake.
- For the Buttercream: To ensure a smooth piping experience and even distribution of flavor without clogging your piping bag, the cranberries need to be much finer. I achieve this by pulsing the cranberries a few times in my Blendtec (or any food processor). The goal is small, finely chopped pieces that seamlessly blend into the creamy frosting without creating lumps.
More Festive Holiday-Worthy Desserts to Sweeten Your Season
Beyond these delightful Cranberry Orange Cupcakes, the holiday season offers a wonderful opportunity to explore a variety of festive desserts. Here are some of our other cherished recipes, perfect for impressing your guests or simply enjoying with loved ones:
- Buche de Noel (Yule Log Cake): A stunning and classic holiday centerpiece.
- Cranberry Cake with Warm Butter Sauce: A comforting and rich dessert, perfect for a cozy winter evening.
- No Bake Nutella Cheesecake: An effortlessly elegant dessert with a universally loved flavor.
- Eggnog Cupcakes with Caramel Eggnog Buttercream: Capture the spirit of the holidays with these festive and boozy-optional treats.
- Christmas Shortbread Cookies: Simple, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth cookies, a staple for any holiday cookie platter.
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Cranberry Orange Cupcakes
Deborah Harroun
30
18
10
10
48
14 cupcakes
Dessert
American
Pin
Ingredients
Sugared Cranberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup superfine sugar*
Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 2 eggs
- zest of 1 orange
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries roughly chopped
Frosting
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream**
- 3/4 cup fresh cranberries finely chopped
Instructions
To make the cranberries:
- Combine the 1 cup of sugar and water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. If the water gets too hot and starts to boil, remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, then add the cranberries. (You don’t want the cranberries to burst, which is why you don’t want the water too hot.) Pour the simple syrup and cranberries into a bowl and cover. Refrigerate overnight.
- Drain the cranberries. Place the superfine sugar in a shallow bowl and add the cranberries. Shake to coat the cranberries with the sugar. Transfer to a surface lined with waxed paper and allow to dry for at least 1 hour.
To make the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 14 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In the bowl of a mixer, beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions. Beat in the orange zest.
- In a liquid measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and the orange extract. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter and beat until combined. Follow that with 1/2 of the buttermilk. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, the remaining buttermilk, then the remaining flour mixture, beating to combine between each addition. Fold the cranberries into the batter.
- Fill each of the prepared cups about 2/3 full of the batter. Bake until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
To make the frosting:
- Beat the butter in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until completely combined. Beat in the orange zest. Add in the cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Beat in the cranberries.***
To assemble:
- Pipe the frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes. Top each cupcake with several sugared cranberries.
Recipe Notes:
Total time includes time to make the sugared cranberries.
*If you don’t have superfine sugar, you can process regular granulated sugar in a food processor for a few seconds to achieve finer particles.
**While regular milk can be used, heavy whipping cream is highly recommended for a richer, more luxurious buttercream texture.
***The buttercream may appear to “break” or separate when cranberries are added due to their acidity. If this occurs, continue beating on medium-high for 5-6 minutes. If it still doesn’t come together, wrap a hot, damp kitchen towel around the mixer bowl while beating; the warmth will help emulsify it. Alternatively, to avoid this issue entirely, simply omit the cranberries from the frosting for a pure orange buttercream.
Sugared Cranberries recipe adapted from Cooking Light
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