These Cranberry Orange Almond Cupcakes are the perfect bake when cranberries are in season. Light and fluffy almond cupcakes are topped with an orange buttercream and Sugared Cranberries!
If you are looking for more cranberry recipes, check out my Maple Cranberry Scones, Cranberry Orange Thumbprint Cookies, or my Lemon Cranberry Bars.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This recipe for Cranberry Orange Almond Cupcakes are a perfect recipe for New Years as they look sparkly with the sugared cranberries on top! Not to mention they are really simple and easy to make. You can even make the batter ahead of time and pop it in the fridge, so all you have to do is scoop and bake off the cupcakes the day of your party. Which makes this a really easy but yet impressive recipe for a party. They would even make a great Christmas recipe as well, which means I will definitely be making these again next year!
This recipe for simple almond cupcakes is topped with an orange buttercream and Sugared Cranberries! Be sure to make the Sugared Cranberries first before making the cupcakes, this way they are ready when you are frosting your cupcakes as you want them to stick to the buttercream when added on top.
Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Almond Cupcakes
Organic Cranberries
Costco Kirkland Organic Cane Sugar
Frontier Co-Op Organic Almond Extract
Florida Crystals Organic Powdered Sugar
Frontier Co-Op Organic Orange Flavor
Why Organic
Why use organic ingredients in this recipe? You all know I’m a huge organic advocate, and I bet you may be thinking sometimes, Why would I even bother to use organic ingredients in something that is so sweet and indulgent? But, that is the exact reason why you should use organic ingredients! Sweet things need to have flavor in order to be good, otherwise they are just sweet and they don’t taste like much else. Organic ingredients are more pure than conventional ones, therefore they actually have more flavor than the non organic options. Say it with me, organic means more flavor! And not just more flavor but a more true and pure flavor. And organic ingredients are much healthier for you to eat in general as they do not contain GMOs or anything artificial. Plus, you are being environmentally friendly when you choose organic ingredients!
So, I highly recommend that you buy the best organic ingredients for this recipe! You can also shop my Amazon Storefront for all my favorite organic ingredients here. Tip – hover over each ingredient to see the name. And if you want to learn more about organic foods and the difference, read my post here on Food Labels and What They Mean.
This recipe for Cranberry Orange Cupcakes is seriously impressive, for being so easy to make! Sugared Cranberries are an amazing topping that makes these cupcakes festive with very little effort.
Ingredients
- Topping
Sugared Cranberries (find recipe here)
- Batter
1/2 cup (113 grams) organic salted butter, softened
170 grams (3/4 cup) organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon organic almond extract (like Frontier Co-Op)
2 organic large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup organic milk, room temperature
1/4 cup organic sour cream, room temperature
170 grams (1 cup plus 3 tablespoons) organic cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Frosting
1 cup (226 grams) organic salted butter, softened
454 grams (3 cups plus 3 tablespoons) organic powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons organic orange flavor (like Frontier Co-Op)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake tin with liners.
- To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cane sugar, and almond extract. Mix on low until combined and there are no butter chunks. Add the eggs, milk, and sour cream and mix on low until combined.
- In a separate bowl, add the cake flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt and whisk together. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the cake flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on low until combined.
- Fill cupcake liners three-quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cupcake tin.
- To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, and orange flavor. Mix on low until combined, then speed mixer up to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag with decorating tip #808. Pipe frosting onto each cupcake and top with sugared cranberries.
- Store in a cake dome in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Gluten Free – Replace the cake flour with 170 grams (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon) organic gluten free flour blend.
- High Altitude – Bake at 350°F for 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
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Make sure to check out my Maple Cranberry Scones recipe, which I'm sure you'll love too! And, share it with someone who you think may also like it!
