These orange cupcakes are made with a soft orange cupcake, filled with orange curd, and topped with orange mascarpone frosting.
These orange cupcakes are a burst of citrusy delight. The moist, fluffy cupcakes are infused with the zesty flavor of fresh orange juice and zest, creating a vibrant base.
Inside, a luscious orange curd filling, with a velvety texture and tangy sweetness.
Each bite bursts of orange flavors, from the cupcake's subtle notes to the curd's tangy punch and the frosting's velvety finish.
Topped with a luscious orange mascarpone frosting, a dreamy blend of creamy mascarpone, and the refreshing zing of orange zest.
For more cupcake recipes, check out my banana pudding cupcakes, strawberry filled cupcakes, carrot cake cupcakes, pumpkin cupcakes, and red velvet cupcakes.
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Why this recipe works
- Orange flavor- these cupcakes are loaded with orange flavor from the orange cupcake base and the orange mascarpone frosting to the orange curd that has a zesty and delicious orange flavor.
- Texture- these delicious cupcakes are made with a soft cupcake base that is made with buttermilk, butter, and sour cream which makes these super soft and melt in your mouth.
- Orange curd filling- each cupcake is filled with a zingy and silky smooth homemade orange curd that is made with fresh and juicy oranges.
- Orange mascarpone frosting- then finally, these cupcakes are topped with a light and fluffy orange mascarpone frosting that is perfect if you are looking for a light and not heavy frosting for your cupcakes.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Butter- Use unsalted butter for this recipe. Only butter will work, no margarine or coconut oil. Margarine has an undesirable taste and can ruin the flavor of this dessert.
Eggs- you will need 2 large eggs for this recipe. Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature.
Flour– we used all-purpose flour for this recipe. cake flour will work great as well.
Baking powder and baking soda – to help the cake rise. Ensure that your baking powder and baking soda are not expired.
Orange juice- use freshly squeezed orange juice for this recipe. Fresh oranges will give you the best result. I don't recommend using store-bought orange juice. This will make the flavor pop!
Orange zest- I recommend zesting the orange first and then juicing it.
Granulated sugar– we like to use granulated sugar, the most common sugar used in baking. Caster sugar will work great as well.
Vanilla extract- adds extra flavor. You can use vanilla bean extract or pure vanilla extract for better flavor!
Buttermilk- gives the cupcake extra moisture. You can make your buttermilk if you don’t have one on hand. Simply mix a cup of milk with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
Sour cream- use either sour cream or Greek yogurt. Both will work great.
Kosher salt- you will need about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
For the orange mascarpone frosting
Mascarpone cheese- is the most important ingredient, make sure that you put your mascarpone cheese at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before starting to make the recipe.
Heavy cream- make sure that your heavy cream is cold. Cold heavy cream whips better and quicker.
Powder sugar- you will need powdered sugar for this recipe. you don’t have to buy powdered sugar, you can make it at home by blending granulated sugar in a blender or food processor.
Instructions
Preheat an oven to 350f (180c) and prep a cupcake pan with liners.
In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter, vanilla extract, kosher salt, orange zest, and sugar. Mix with an electric hand mixer until creamy and smooth for about 3 minutes.
Add the eggs, orange juice, and sour cream, and mix until a creamy mixture forms.
Add ½ of the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ½ of the buttermilk. Mix until almost combined.
Add the rest of the flour and the buttermilk and mix until just combined and there are no lumps of flour showing.
Use an ice cream scoop to fill out the cupcake ⅔ full (do not overfill) and bake in a 180 (350f) preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes for 10 minutes and transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely (don’t frost warm cupcakes)
Make the orange curd
While you allow the cupcakes to cool, make the orange curd. Put all of the ingredients in a saucepan and cook it over medium-low heat whisking constantly.
Once the butter melts, the consistency of the mixture will be thin, don't increase the heat. Keep whisking until the mixture thickens for about 5 minutes.
When the mixture thickens, transfer it to a fine-mesh strainer set over and bowl and strain the mixture from any unnecessary lumps. This will give you a perfect and smooth curd.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the mixture cool for about 20-30 minutes.
Make the orange mascarpone frosting
Into a large mixing bowl, add the heavy cream, orange zest, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar and mix with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. (don't overbeat the mixture so you don't create butter)
Add the mascarpone cheese (which is at room temperature) and mix it lightly into the whipped cream using a spatula until a creamy mixture forms.
Do not overmix this mixture! Stop just when the mixture is creamy and smooth. If you overmix this, the mixture will curdle and lose its creaminess.
Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag with a star piping tip.
Make a small hole in the middle of each orange cupcake. We used a knife to do so, you can also use a cupcake corer.
Fill the hole with the orange curd until just full. Frost the cupcakes with the frosting and top with more orange curd and a small slice of orange.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Use fresh, high-quality oranges for maximum flavor. Zest the oranges before juicing them to capture the vibrant oils in the zest. Incorporate both the zest and juice into your cupcake batter.
- Use cupcake liners to prevent the cupcakes from sticking to the pan, making them easier to remove and creating a more professional appearance.
- Choose the right type of orange. Navel oranges are a classic choice, but you could also experiment with other varieties like Valencia or blood oranges for a unique twist.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Don't overmix the batter. Once you've added the dry ingredients, mix just until they're incorporated. Overmixing can lead to tough, dense cupcakes.
- Use an ice cream scoop to evenly distribute the cupcake batter into the muffin tin liners to ensure each cupcake is uniform in size and bakes evenly.
- Don't overbake. Keep an eye on the cupcakes as they bake and remove them from the oven as soon as a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them with buttercream frosting. This will prevent the frosting from melting and sliding off the cupcakes.
Faq's
Overmixing the batter can lead to dense and dry cupcakes, so it's essential to mix the ingredients gently and avoid overmixing.
Additionally, using high-quality ingredients, such as fresh eggs and real butter or oil, can contribute to the overall texture of the cupcakes.
For cupcakes, it's best to use navel oranges or Valencia oranges.
These varieties are juicy, sweet, and have a vibrant orange flavor that will complement the cupcake batter nicely.
Avoid using bitter or overly tart oranges, as they can throw off the desired flavor balance in baked goods.
My biggest tip for this is to do the toothpick test. Insert a toothpick into the middle of 1-2 cupcakes, and if it comes out clean, with a few moist crumbs, the cupcakes are ready!
Yes! Follow the recipe as written and bake them for about 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcakes comes out clean.
Storing
These cupcakes will last up to 5 days in the fridge (dairy needs to be stored in the fridge). Cover them with plastic wrap or foil to prevent them from drying out.
Freezing
Freeze with the frosting- first, ensure that the cupcakes are completely cooled. Place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze them for about 1-2 hours until the frosting is firm.
Once firm, wrap each cupcake individually in plastic wrap and then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag.
Label the container with the date and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw by letting them sit at room temperature for about 1-2 hours before serving.
Freezing without the frosting- allow the cupcakes to cool completely after baking. Once cooled, place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze for about 1 hour to set.
Then, wrap each cupcake individually in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours.
Make these ahead of time
You can make these cupcakes 1-2 days ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the fridge so they won't dry out.
Or, you can make the cupcakes ahead of time freeze them according to the freezing instructions, and thaw them before serving.
Substitutions
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour.
Dairy-free- you can make this cupcake recipe dairy-free by replacing the butter with vegan butter. Also, replace the buttermilk with vegan milk and the heavy cream with coconut milk.
Variations
Orange chocolate cupcakes- make a chocolate cupcake base and add 2 tablespoon of orange zest to the cupcakes, use the same frosting and orange curd as in this recipe.
For the chocolate cupcakes, use the recipe from my chocolate cupcake recipe.
Spiced orange cake- infuse warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves into the batter for a cozy, aromatic treat.
White chocolate- add mini white chocolate chips to the cake batter for a delicious white chocolate flavor.
Orange and cranberry- for a festive twist, add 1 cup of frozen or fresh cranberries and make this into an orange cranberry pound cake!
Cardamom orange cake- add ground cardamom to the batter for an exotic and fragrant variation of orange pound cake.
Berries- add 1 cup of fresh or frozen berries to the batter, and throw them in flour before adding them to the cake batter.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls- best glass mixing bowls.
- Whisk set- our favorite copper whisk set.
- Cupcakes tins- our favorite Wilton cupcake tins.
- Open star piping tip- our favorite Wilton piping tip for cupcake decoration.
- Electric hand mixer
- Rubber spatula
More cupcake recipes
Nutella cupcakes- These Nutella cupcakes are made with delicious chocolate Nutella cupcakes, filled with Nutella, and topped with Nutella buttercream and chopped hazelnuts!
Honey cupcakes- These honey cupcakes are made with soft and moist cupcakes, topped with freshly made whipped cream, and more honey!
Vanilla cupcakes- These moist and tender vanilla cupcakes are made in one bowl and are topped with the most delicious vanilla buttercream frosting.
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If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Orange Cupcakes w/ Orange Curd and Orange Mascarpone Frosting
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- ½ cup Butter softened, unsalted
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Orange zest
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ cup Orange juice
- ⅓ cup Sour cream
- 1 ⅔ cups Flour
- ⅓ cup Buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
For the orange mascarpone frosting
- 8.8 oz Mascarpone cheese
- 1 ½ cups Heavy cream
- ⅓ cup Powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Orange zest
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
For the orange curd
- ½ cup Orange juice fresh!
- 1 ½ tablespoon Orange zest fresh
- ¾ cup Granulated sugar
- ½ cup Butter unsalted
- ⅓ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 Eggs
- 3 Egg yolks
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350f (180c) and prep a cupcake pan with liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter, vanilla extract, kosher salt, orange zest, and sugar. Mix with an electric hand mixer until creamy and smooth for about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, orange juice, and sour cream, and mix until a creamy mixture forms.
- Add ½ of the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ½ of the buttermilk. Mix until almost combined.
- Add the rest of the flour and the buttermilk and mix until just combined and there are no lumps of flour showing.
- Use an ice cream scoop to fill out the cupcake ⅔ full (do not overfill) and bake in a 180 (350f) preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the cupcakes for 10 minutes and transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely (don’t frost warm cupcakes)
Make the orange curd
- While you allow the cupcakes to cool, make the orange curd. Put all of the ingredients in a saucepan and cook it over medium-low heat whisking constantly.
- Once the butter melts, the consistency of the mixture will be thin, don't increase the heat. Keep whisking until the mixture thickens for about 5 minutes.
- When the mixture thickens, transfer it to a fine-mesh strainer set over and bowl and strain the mixture from any unnecessary lumps. This will give you a perfect and smooth curd.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the mixture cool for about 20-30 minutes.
Make the orange mascarpone frosting
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the heavy cream, orange zest, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar and mix with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. (don't overbeat the mixture so you don't create butter)
- Add the mascarpone cheese (which is at room temperature) and mix it lightly into the whipped cream using a spatula until a creamy mixture forms.
- Do not overmix this mixture! Stop just when the mixture is creamy and smooth. If you overmix this, the mixture will curdle and lose its creaminess.
- Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag with a star piping tip.
- Make a small hole in the middle of each cupcake. We used a knife to do so, you can also use a cupcake corer.
- Fill the hole with the orange curd until just full. Frost the cupcakes with the frosting and top with more orange curd and a small slice of orange.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Use fresh, high-quality oranges for maximum flavor. Zest the oranges before juicing them to capture the vibrant oils in the zest. Incorporate both the zest and juice into your cupcake batter.
- Use cupcake liners to prevent the cupcakes from sticking to the pan, making them easier to remove and creating a more professional appearance.
- Choose the right type of orange. Navel oranges are a classic choice, but you could also experiment with other varieties like Valencia or blood oranges for a unique twist.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Don't overmix the batter. Once you've added the dry ingredients, mix just until they're incorporated. Overmixing can lead to tough, dense cupcakes.
- Use an ice cream scoop to evenly distribute the cupcake batter into the muffin tin liners to ensure each cupcake is uniform in size and bakes evenly.
- Don't overbake. Keep an eye on the cupcakes as they bake and remove them from the oven as soon as a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them with buttercream frosting. This will prevent the frosting from melting and sliding off the cupcakes.
Jessica says
Loved the orange curd and the frosting was super light.