Name: Cranberry Orange Cupcakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup 170g butter, softened; 1 cup 200g granulated sugar; 3 large eggs (room temperature); 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tbsp orange zest (about 1 large orange); 1 ¾ cups 220g flour; ¼ cup 30g cornstarch; 1 ½ tsp baking powder; 1 tsp salt; ⅔ cup whole milk (room temperature); ½ cup 120g full-fat sour cream; ¾ cup dried cranberries; 1 tbsp orange juice or warm water (for soaking cranberries); 1 cup 226g butter, room temperature; 6 oz 170g white melting wafers (higher quality like Ghiradelli or better); 1 cup 120g powdered sugar; 2 tbsp heavy cream (add milk, if needed); ½ tsp vanilla extract; Pinch of salt

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Moist vanilla cupcakes filled with orange zest and cranberries topped with a white chocolate frosting.

My husband will be the first to tell you that I absolutely despise making cupcakes. I would much rather just make a snack cake and slather frosting on it. The individual size cakes that dry out easily, the frosting being piped on, forget it! Except, I do realize that there is a time and a place for cupcakes, hence this recipe, because I really do love this flavor combo for winter! As much as I dislike making cupcakes, these are really good if you have the patience I lack lol!

Tips for baking these cranberry orange cupcakes :

Don’t over-mix — Over-mixing will cause the gluten to develop too much and the result is a tight, dense crumb rather than a light, fluffy crumb.
Cool before topping — Allow it to cool for 30-ish minutes so the frosting doesn’t melt.
Don’t over-bake — You want the cupcakes to be just barely done or not even when you take them out. There is a very fine line. Under-baking can cause the tops to be sticky and the centers to fall. Over-baking can cause overall dryness and crunchy tops.

How to make these cupcakes step-by-step:

In a small bowl, combine dried cranberries with 1 tbsp orange juice or warm water. Let soak 10–15 minutes, then drain and pat dry.

In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat ¾ cup butter on medium-high until smooth. Add 1 cup sugar and beat until pale and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Beat in 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tbsp orange zest until fully combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups flour, ¼ cup cornstarch, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt. In another small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together ⅔ cup milk and ½ cup sour cream until smooth. With the mixer on low, add ⅓ of the dry ingredients and mix until most ingredients are incorporated. Mix ½ of the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, repeat steps until both dry and wet ingredients are added and stop as soon as no dry streaks remain. Using a spatula, gently fold in the plumped cranberries.

Divide batter evenly among the liners (about ¼ cup per liner). Bake 18–22 minutes, or until the tops are pale golden and spring back lightly when touched. Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Cranberry Orange Cupcakes

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Vanilla cupcakes filled with orange zest and cranberries throughout and topped with white chocolate frosting.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings: 16 cupcakes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Cupcakes

¾ cup 170g butter, softened
1 cup 200g granulated sugar
3 large eggs room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp orange zest about 1 large orange
1 ¾ cups 220g flour
¼ cup 30g cornstarch
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
⅔ cup whole milk room temperature
½ cup 120g full-fat sour cream
¾ cup dried cranberries
1 tbsp orange juice or warm water for soaking cranberries

White Chocolate Frosting

1 cup 226g butter, room temperature
6 oz 170g white melting wafers (higher quality like Ghiradelli or better)
1 cup 120g powdered sugar
2 tbsp heavy cream add milk, if needed
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

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Method

Cupcakes

In a small bowl, combine dried cranberries with 1 tbsp orange juice or warm water.
Let soak 10–15 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 16 muffin cups with liners.
In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat ¾ cup butter on medium-high until smooth. Add 1 cup sugar and beat until pale and fluffy. This is the best
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Beat in 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tbsp orange zest until fully combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups flour, ¼ cup cornstarch, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt.
In another small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together ⅔ cup milk and ½ cup sour cream until smooth.
With the mixer on low, add ⅓ of the dry ingredients and mix until most ingredients are incorporated. Mix ½ of the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, repeat steps until both dry and wet ingredients are added and stop as soon as no dry streaks remain.
Using a spatula, gently fold in the plumped cranberries.
Divide batter evenly among the liners (about ¼ cup per liner). Bake 18–22 minutes, or until the tops are pale golden and spring back lightly when touched.
Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

White Chocolate Frosting

In a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water, melt white wafers stirring between each, until smooth. Cool until just barely warm to touch. I recommend not using a microwave because it’s too easy to overcook white chocolate/white melting wafers and when they’re overcooked, it’s impossible to use.
In a mixer, beat butter on medium-high for 2–3 minutes until pale and creamy.
Slowly pour the cooled melted white wafers white beating into butter until smooth and slightly thickened.
Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low until combined, then beat on medium-high for about 1 minute.
Add cream as needed for consistency. It should be stiff but pipeable.
If it’s still soft, refrigerate for 15–20 minutes, then slightly re-whip before piping.