These orange flavored cupcakes are light and fluffy and topped with an amazing frosting meringue. Seriously, they just might become your new favorite treat! You’re going to love the flavor of this orange cupcakes recipe!
To frost the cupcakes, your goal is to get stiff peaks with the meringue. The combination of the ingredients and a good mixer will get you there, I promise! Just be sure to let the cupcakes cool completely to room temperature before you try to add anything to the top!
Instructions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
In a second bowl, blend together butter, granulated sugar and orange zest until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add in eggs, one at a time. Set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the cream, orange juice, orange extract and vanilla extract.Slowly add half of the flour mixture to the butter-sugar batter, blend, then add half of the cream mixture, blend, and repeat.
Meanwhile, place egg whites in a mixing bowl and whip on low speed until light and frothy. Add cream of tartar and turn speed to medium-high. When soft peaks begin to form, slowly add in 1/4 cup of sugar. Whip until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Bring the sugar/water mixture to a rapid boil and cook until it reaches 248˚ to 250˚ F on a candy thermometer.With the mixer running, pour syrup in a thin, steady stream directly into the meringue. Whip meringue until cool to the touch, 5-8 minutes.