Author: Amy

Halloween Cupcakes

I’m not a creepy Halloween kind of woman. Give me Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin, adorable monsters that could either be Muppets or something you’d encounter in a Disney movie, cute bats, adorable spiders with googly eyes…I’m all for that. But the sinister side of Halloween, with psycho clowns and vengeful undead creatures and sinister yard displays? No, thanks.

These cupcakes – a simple caramel cupcake with vanilla buttercream – were inspired by the cuter side of this spooky holiday, including monsters that could indeed be Muppets or something you’d encounter in a Disney movie, shy mummies, and pumpkins made easily by simply piping with a star tip. I really wanted to make some cute bats and adorable spiders too, but maybe next time.

Ingredients

Caramel cupcakes

  • 1 2/3 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream and Decorations

  • 1 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • Green, brown, and either orange or yellow and red food coloring*
  • Candy eyes
  • Note: You’ll need the Wilton piping tips 47 (basketweave), 233 (grass), 21 (star), 5 (plain), and 352 (leaf) tips for decoration 

*I think Wilton’s gel food coloring is the best, even if the little jars aren’t as convenient as squeeze bottles. The colors are richer and don’t cause my buttercream to start to break down, which has happened with other brands. 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; this makes about 21 cupcakes. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and melted butter, whisking until no lumps remain. Whisk in egg, sour cream, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Slowly whisk in flour mixture until batter is completely smooth; it will be fairly thick.

Using a two-inch cookie scoop, drop scoops of batter into prepared cupcake pans, filling about half-full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove from pans immediately; cool completely before frosting.

To make your frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is completely incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract and milk and beat to completely combine. 

To decorate, begin with your mummies’ it’s easier to start with white, then tint your frosting as you go along – just reserve enough white to make your green, orange, and brown for the remaining cupcakes. Frost a thin layer of white on each cupcake; add small/medium candy eyes. Fit a piping bag with a Wilton 47 basketweave tip and pip strips across the cupcake.

For monsters, tint a portion of frosting green and place a thin layer of green on each cupcake. Fit a piping bag with the Wilton 233 grass tip. Pipe fur onto each cupcake; add large, medium, or small candy eyes, whatever you prefer. 

For pumpkins, tint frosting orange and place in a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 22 star tip (note: my tip is more of a closed star, but when I searched online the 22 is now more of an open star – you can use either an open or closed star tip for this). Hold the bag directly above the cupcake and pipe up and down to make the pumpkin shape. Tint a very small amount of frosting brown and place in a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 5 plain tip; pipe the pumpkin stem. Replace the Wilton 233 on your bag of green frosting with the 352 leaf tip and pipe on leaves.

Store cupcakes at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days. 

 

Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips

Many years ago I baked this recipe, which I found on the back of the bag of Reese’s peanut butter chips, as cookie bars. They were a huge hit at one of my video shoots at work, where I shared with my colleagues that any time there’s a recipe on the back of something, it’s bound to work out well. Why? Because ingredient makers have test kitchens where bakers spend hours trying out recipes. The best ones end up on the backs of packages…and this is one of those recipes.

This time I chose to follow the recipe on the bag to bake as cookies (well, sort of, I made them much larger than I should have), but I think I liked the bar version better. These are delicious of course, but bars are so much easier in the grand scheme – mix the dough, press it into the pan, and bake it. Efficient and delicious. Maybe that should have been the name of this blog!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 10-ounce package Reese’s Peanut Butter baking chips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda; set aside.

In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine.

Add flour mixture in two batches, beating well and scraping the sides of the bowl between each addition. Stir in peanut butter chips.

Using a 1 or 2-inch cookie scoop, drop scoops of dough onto the baking sheets, leaving a few inches between each; I baked 6 cookies per sheet using a 2-inch scoop. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges are set but centers are still puffy. Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 24 2-inch cookies.

Spice Bundt Cake

Once again, my reliable Bundt cake recipe came through with a delicious result. Last fall I made a cinnamon version, and I wanted to mix in some additional autumn spices for this recipe. The mix below is technically pumpkin spice, including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, but you could go with whatever blend you choose. Apple pie spice (which includes cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice) would be a good option as well.

For the icing, I went with apple cider as my liquid, and I’m not sure it made much of a difference. You could easily substitute with water or milk if you prefer.

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon cloves
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon butter extract

For the icing

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon butter extract
  • 3-4 tablespoons apple cider

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and butter extract. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients to completely combine.

Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in tin for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, butter extract, and 1 tablespoon cider; add enough additional cider to make a thick but pourable icing. Pour over cake and allow to drip down the sides. Allow icing to set before serving.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days; this cake stays moist for a very long time.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

So, I turned 48 this year. I’ve been baking for probably 40 or so of those years, and in all that time I’d never made a cookie cake. This summer I’ve made three, and let me tell you, they’re delicious.

You can buy special cookie cake tins that yield the traditional 1/4 inch thickness of a grocery store or shopping mall cookie cake, but I used a standard 8-inch round cake pan instead. While the edges get very, very brown (read: almost burnt), the end result is still delicious.  This recipe comes from Sally’s Baking and she recommends a glass pie dish, which I’d like to try next time. I tweaked her recipe by adding more vanilla (as I always do) and going with vanilla buttercream for the decoration instead of chocolate, and it turned out really well.

Ingredients

For the cookie dough

  • 12 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips, plus about 1 tablespoon to sprinkle over the top

For the vanilla buttercream & decoration

  • 4 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Multicolored sprinkles

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch round cake tin with baking spray and set aside.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat to combine. Add flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt and beat until just combined; be careful to not over-mix the dough. Stir in chocolate chips.

Press dough evenly into the baking tin; cover loosely with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. You can remove the foil for the last 5 minutes or so of baking, but be very careful about your edges! Cool completely in the tin, then turn out onto your serving plate.

While the cookie cake cools, make your buttercream: Beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is completely incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract and beat to completely combine. Fit a piping bag with a large plain tip (I use the Wilton M1) and pipe a star border around the edge of the cake; I also piped my 48 in the center. Add sprinkles if desired.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days; this treat holds its moisture pretty well. Makes about 9 servings.

Creamsicle Layer Cake

Creamsicle – that amazing combination of orange and vanilla – is one of my absolute favorites. I’ve made many treats in this classic flavor, including creamsicle cupcakes, creamsicle cut-out cookies, and creamsicle pound cake, all with rave reviews.

This creamsicle layer cake is a twist on a lemon blackberry cake I made many years ago, and it was delicious. I’m only sorry I didn’t take a photo of the top before I cut it, because I piped on some lovely orange flowers that sort of reminded me vaguely of the truffula trees from The Lorax.  Just one thing to note: the method of mixing the cake might seem odd, but it’s a real technique called “reverse creaming,” where you combine the dry ingredients first, then slowly mix in the butter before adding the wet ingredients. The goal is to create a more tender crumb, which this cake definitely has. 

Ingredients

For the cake 

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 4 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 orange juice
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • zest of 2 cara cara oranges
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • scant 1/8 teaspoon fiori di sicilia (or 1/4 teaspoon orange extract)
  • 12 tablespoons butter, slightly softened but still cool, cut into pats 

For the frosting

  • 1 1/4 cups (20 tablespoons, or 2 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature 
  • 4 1/2 – 5 cups powdered sugar 
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2-3 tablespoons orange juice
  • scant 1/8 teaspoon fiori di sicilia
  • Orange and green food coloring

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, then grease the parchment and lightly flour the pans.

In your stand mixer, combine the sugar, cake flour, baking powder, and salt; beat for 30 seconds to combine. 

In a glass measuring cup, combine eggs, milk, vegetable oil,  orange juice, orange zest, vanilla extract, and fiori di sicilia. Whisk to combine; set aside while you add your butter in the next step.

 With the mixer running on low, add butter to the dry ingredients one pat at a time, until the mixture looks like coarse sand. 

Add half the egg mixture and beat on medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes, then scrape down the bowl and add the remaining egg mixture in two batches, beating for about 30 seconds after each.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then remove from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons orange juice, and fiori di Sicilia, beating to combine completely. If necessary, add another tablespoon of orange juice – you want the consistency to be pipable, so not too soft or too stiff.

Reserve about 1/2 cup of frosting and tint it orange; reserve another 1/4 cup and tint it green. The rest of the frosting can remain white. 

To assemble and frost your cake, place one cake layer on your serving plate. Frost the cake to just shy of the edges so your frosting doesn’t squish out when you place the second layer on top. Top with the second layer and frost the top and sides of the cake to create as smooth a surface as you can. 

To make my design, I used the Wilton 5 small plain tip to pipe flower stems of various heights, then used the Wilton 21 medium star tip to pipe various sizes of flowers. I used the Wilton 352 leaf tip to add leaves and grass. I also piped a border of flowers around the bottom of the cake and added a leaf every few inches. 

Once frosted, store your cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Makes about 9 servings, depending on how thick your slices are. 

S’mores Bars

Occasionally I take a treat to the office and people go completely wild. Such was the case with these s’mores bars, which I’ve made twice already this summer and people still ask me to make again. Fear not, coworkers. There will always be more s’mores bars, regardless of the time of year.

These treats are essentially a chocolate chip cookie dough made with crushed graham crackers. A layer of marshmallows, which melts and leaves a delicious flavor and wonderful chewy texture, goes in between two layers of cookie dough. One caveat: the dough is quite thick and rather difficult to spread, but I developed an effective (if not slightly odd) technique for creating the layers.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 12 full sheets of crackers, see tips below)
  • 1 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 2 1/4 cups miniature marshmallows

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 baking tin with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

To make graham cracker crumbs, break full sheets apart and place in a zip-top bag. Use a mallet, rolling pin, or the back of a spoon to finely crush into crumbs. It takes about 10-12 full sheets of crackers to make 1 1/2 cups; start with 10 and add more if you need to.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat to combine. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating on low to just combine. Stir in graham cracker crumbs, then chocolate chips.

Divide the dough in half; it will be difficult to spread in the pan because it’s so thick, and there’s not a ton of dough.  I took handfuls of dough and flattened them between my palms to create large cookie-sized portions, then placed them in the tin to cover the bottom and spread the dough gently with my fingers to connect the pieces together. Top with miniature marshmallows and repeat the process to cover the marshmallows as completely as you can. It’s okay if a few marshmallows poke through.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the center is still set up still soft. Remove from oven and cool in the pan about 15 minutes, then lift out using the parchment paper and cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares. Makes 24.

Shark Cookies

Last week was Shark Week, an annual event on the Discovery Channel that aims to educate people about these often-feared aquatic creatures. As I’ve posted before, I actually love sharks, even if Jaws and great whites in general scare the living daylights out of me. But whenever I visit an aquarium, the sharks are always my favorite creatures, gliding serenely through the tanks. I aspire for the level of serenity I imagine them to have.

Anyway…these treats are an easy bake as standard sugar cookie cut-outs, but boy, do they take a while to decorate. They’re also massive; I didn’t chill my dough long enough before baking them and they spread immensely in the oven, but they were delicious nonetheless.

For the cookies

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 cups flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the icing

  • 6 tablespoons shortening
  • dash of salt
  • 2 egg whites
  • 4-5 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 – 2 teaspoons water, if necessary*
  • Blue food coloring
  • Miniature chocolate chips, for eyes

*Sometimes your egg whites will be larger than others, so you may not need the extra liquid for the frosting. You can always add a few teaspoons of water if you need to, but do so sparingly – once you add it, you can’t take it back out! 

Preparation

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Add vanilla and about half the flour mixture, beating until combined; beat in remaining flour. If your dough is still crumbly, add 1-2 teaspoons of water.

Divide dough in half and knead each just slightly.  Form each half into a disc and place on plastic wrap; cover with another piece of plastic wrap and roll out to flatten into about 1/4 inch thickness. This helps later on, so you don’t have to work your dough as much when rolling and re-rolling after cutting, making your cookies more tender. Refrigerate until just barely firm, about 20-30 minutes. If you refrigerate overnight, let your dough stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes before you roll it out.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough from fridge and roll to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into shapes and place on baking sheets, leaving room for the cookies to spread; I baked 6 sharks on each sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until just golden at the edges.  Cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, combine shortening, egg whites, salt, and one cup powdered sugar in a mixing bowl.  Beat on low speed until combined, then increase speed to medium, then high, and beat for 1 minute. Add remaining powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating for about 1 minute each time – you can add as much as 5 whole cups of powdered sugar but may need a little extra extract or water to keep the consistency as easily spreadable. Add extracts and beat; if your frosting is too thick, add 1-2 teaspoons of water. You want a smooth consistency that’s easy to pipe.

Reserve about 1/3 cup of white frosting; tint the remainder light blue (or if you want to make grey, use a few drops of black food coloring). Using a small offset spatula, frost the bellies of the sharks white, then frost the remainder of the body and bottom fin with blue. Add a mini chocolate chip eye; allow frosting to set before storing cookies between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature. Makes about 36.

Almond Bundt Cake

The latest adaptation of my amazing poppy seed cake comes in a simple almond version, but it’s incredibly delicious. I’ve made this recipe in so many flavors, but neglected almond (one of my faves) until now, and it turned out very well.

The next time I make this, I plan to pair it with a fudgy chocolate icing like on this vanilla version; I feel like that would make a great flavor combination, because chocolate and almond are good flavor friends. Stay tuned!

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon butter extract
For the icing
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 2-3 tablespoons water

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt tin.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and extracts. Stir in flour in three batches, mixing to combine completely.

Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in tin for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and 1 tablespoon water; add enough additional water to make a thick but pourable icing. Pour over cake and allow to drip down the sides. Allow icing to set before serving.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days; this cake stays moist for at least a few days.

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

Okay so I don’t know whose idea it was to put a layer of fudge filling between two layers of oatmeal cookie dough and bake it but whoever they are, they deserve a Nobel prize. Not that they give Nobel prizes for baking. But maybe they should.

These treats were so popular at the office that I baked a second batch this weekend to take them in for everyone who stopped me in the hallway and said “I heard those oatmeal fudge bars were delicious and I didn’t get one because they were already gone.”  There are many recipes for treats like this online, but mine came from Food Lovin Family and I just added some more vanilla, per usual. I’m also curious about whether adding cinnamon to the cookie dough would enhance the flavor, so I may try that next time.

Ingredients

For the cookie dough

  • 1 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned, rolled oats

For the fudge layer

  • 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 normal-sized bag)
  • 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 baking tin with parchment paper, extending the paper over the sides; this makes it easier to lift the bars out. I clip the edges of my parchment to the baking tin with binder clips while I’m assembling to make it easier for the parchment to stay in place while spreading the dough and filling, then I remove the clips before the tin goes in the oven.

Make the oatmeal cookie dough: Cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine. Beat in flour, baking soda, and salt to combine, then stir in oats.

Take 2/3 of the cookie dough and press it into your baking tin, then make your fudge filling by placing your chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt in a saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently until melted and smooth, then pour over the unbaked cookie dough and spread to cover evenly.

Take your remaining cookie dough in small portions and flatten them out as best you can between your hands, then place them over the fudge layer to cover it; the original recipe called for just dropping spoonfuls of dough onto the fudge, but I wanted a more even top layer. Cover the fudge as best you can; it’s okay if there are some gaps.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely in the tin; lift out the parchment and cut the bars into squares. Makes 24.

Creamsicle Cupcakes

These are some of the most popular cupcakes I’ve ever baked. Seriously, people raved not just about the flavor (which can transport you back to your childhood summers in one bite) but the texture as well. I say a good recipe goes a very long way, and this is based on one I found at Sally’s Baking and have adapted into multiple different flavor combinations – but this might be the best one yet.

If you don’t have fiori di Sicilia, that’s okay – you can use orange extract for a similar flavor. But I highly recommend visiting King Arthur Baking to buy some – it goes a long way in the flavor department and lasts a while because you only need a few drops, or at most about 1/8 of a teaspoon, at a time. Also, I prefer Cara Cara oranges for most baking, but you can use regular navel oranges if they’re not available.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 2/3 cups flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 medium Cara Cara orange
  • Scant 1/8 teaspoon fiori di Sicilia (sub in 1/2 teaspoon orange extract if necessary)

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Scant 1/8 teaspoon fiori di Sicilia (sub in 1/2 teaspoon orange extract if necessary)
  • 2-3 teaspoons orange juice
  • 2-3 drops yellow and red food coloring for orange tint

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; my batch made 17 cupcakes.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter, then add sugar and stir to combine; mixture will be grainy. Refrigerate for 1 minute, then remove and add egg, yogurt, milk, vanilla extract, orange zest, and fiori di Sicilia. Stir into the flour mixture until no lumps remain.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into tins and fill about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and place cupcakes on wire racks to cool completely.

To make frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract, fiori di Sicilia, and orange juice and beat to combine completely. Add yellow and red food coloring one drop at a time, mixing to reach your desired tint. Fit a large piping bag with a large star tip (I use the Wilton M1) and pipe swirls of frosting onto cupcakes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.