Cranberry Orange Cupcakes Recipe
These Cranberry Orange Cupcakes are light, fluffy orange cupcakes with fresh cranberries baked right in and a pile of orange buttercream on top. Cranberry and orange just scream Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I will eat these any time of year.
If you are collecting cupcake recipes for the holidays, this is the one that looks the fanciest for the least work, thanks to a sugared cranberry on top.
Below are the ingredients and why they matter, my tips for keeping the cranberries from sinking, a few variations, and how to store them. The full recipe card is at the bottom.
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Ingredients and Swaps
- Vegetable oil: oil instead of butter is what keeps these soft for days. Any neutral oil works.
- Whole milk: gives a tender crumb. Two percent works in a pinch.
- Room temperature eggs: they mix in smoothly and help the cupcakes rise evenly.
- Orange zest: this is where the orange flavor comes from. Zest before you juice.
- Cranberries: fresh or frozen both work. If you use frozen, do not thaw them first. Dried cranberries work too, but they are sweeter and chewier.
- Frosting: butter, powdered sugar, orange juice and zest. Swap in cream cheese frosting if you prefer it a little tangy.
Tips for the Best Cranberry Orange Cupcakes
- Toss the cranberries in a spoonful of the flour before folding them in. It keeps them from all sinking to the bottom.
- Fill the liners about two-thirds full. Any more and they spill over the top.
- Let them cool completely before frosting. Warm cupcakes melt buttercream right off.
- Do the sugared cranberries while the cupcakes cool so they have a few minutes to dry before they go on top.
- Liners save you from scrubbing a muffin pan. Use them.
Variations
- Mini cupcakes: use a mini muffin pan and start checking at about 10 minutes.
- White chocolate: fold in a handful of white chocolate chips with the cranberries.
- Cream cheese frosting: beat cream cheese in with the butter for a tangier top.
- Skip the sugared cranberries: a little extra orange zest on top looks just as pretty.
How to Store Cranberry Orange Cupcakes
Keep frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days, and let them sit out for a bit before serving. Unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for up to two months. Thaw them on the counter, then frost.
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
The questions I get about these every holiday season.
More Cranberry and Orange Recipes
- Cranberry Orange Cookies
- Cranberry Orange Whoopie Pies
- Cranberry Orange Bread
- Orange Cranberry Oatmeal
- Recipes Using Oranges
- Cranberry Orange Spritzer
- White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
- Apple Cranberry Muffins
More Cupcake Recipes
- Orange Cupcakes with Italian Meringue
- Raspberry Surprise Cupcakes
- Rocky Road Cupcakes
- Cotton Candy Cupcakes
- Strawberry Creme Wafer Cupcakes
Cranberry Orange Cupcakes Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ Cup(s) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Cup(s) White Sugar
- ½ Cup(s) Vegetable Oil
- 2 Eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup(s) Whole Milk
- Zest of One Orange
- 1 Cup(s) Cranberries
Frosting:
- 1 Cup(s) Butter
- 5-6 Cup(s) Powdered Icing Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Orange Juice
- Orange Zest
Sugared Cranberries:
- 18 Cranberries
- ½ Cup(s) Water
- ½ Cup(s) White Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the cupcake liners to the cupcake pan.
- Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a different bowl, beat the oil and sugar until fluffy for about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and milk.
- Add the flour slowly and mix. There should be no lumps. Add the orange zest and cranberries and stir.
- Pour the batter into the cupcake liners and bake about 2/3 full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes.
- As the cupcakes are cooling, you can make the frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat the powdered sugar, orange juice, and butter for two minutes. It should form stiff peaks. Add in more juice or zest if you’d like.
- Put the frosting into a piping bag with a tip. Add to the cupcakes.
- Dip a cranberry in the water and roll in white sugar. Add one to the top of each cupcake.
Nutrition
Handy for Cupcakes
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