Summer Orange Cupcakes

If you have such a thing as spare time in the cool of the morning these days, this is a pretty quick recipe to put together either for that evening’s dessert or to spoil children between dips in the wading pool possibly giving you a few minutes of respite.

Summer Orange Cupcakes

1/2 cup melted butter
1 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
Grated zest of one orange

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.

Add melted butter to sugar in a mixing bowl and beat to incorporate and smooth out the sugar. Add the eggs and beat well. Blend in the orange juice, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Beat to just blend the dry ingredients, stir in the zest and spread into cupcake paper lined cupcake tins.
Depending on size of you cupcakes, you can get 12-18 cup cakes.

Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Enough fresh orange juice to form a spreadable icing.

Plain and Simple Cupcakes

Plain Cupcakes – But Not in Taste!

½ cup butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake papers.

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and incorporate well. Sift together all the dry ingredients including the spices and add alternately with milk and vanilla extract. Beat to just mix well. Don’t over beat.

Spoon into cupcake cups. An ice cream scoop makes quick work of this! Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until top bounces back when lightly touched and the cupcakes are nicely browned.

Makes about 12-18 cupcakes depending on size.

Vanilla Icing

1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Enough cream or milk to form a spreadable icing.

Remember to sprinkle some colorful sugar or decorations on top.