Blueberry Orange Muffins with almond nibs

These muffins smell n taste really good. This batch of muffins recipe is adapted from all recipes.com  Blueberry Lemon Bread. These have been submitted to SCS Star Baker Challenge 2014 1-Star Challenge.

I have changed from a loaf to muffins n changed lemon to orange and increased the flour.

Ingredients 

50gm of SCS salted butter softened

1 cup of castor sugar

1/2 Sunkist orange - juiced

2 eggs room temperature 

2 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

1 punnet or 1 cup blueberries 

Some almond nibs

Method

Line a 12 hole muffin tray with paper liners.

In a medium bowl mix the flour,baking powder and salt together and set aside.

Using a large bowl, cream the softened butter n sugar till light n fluffy.

Preheat the oven to 170 degree celcius 

Add in the eggs one at a time n cream well. Then add in the orange juice n mix in.

Add in the flour mixture alternate with the milk. 

Fold in the blueberries.

Use a ice cream scoop to scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tray.

Sprinkle some almond nibs on the top.

Bake for 45 mins to 50 mins. The batter is quite watery so baking time is long.

Check for doneness using a toothpick. If the stick comes out clean the muffins are baked.

Put trays on wire rack.

Remove muffins to cool on rack after 2 minutes.

Keep in airtight container after completely  cool.

Happy Baking!

Orange Cupcakes with Orange Frosting

 

This continues my dessert making with fruits.

I have three large oranges Outspan from South Africa sitting at home and my girl rejected drinking the juice because it tastes different from the carton ones... sigh... they will not be wasted if I can use them somehow in baking.

 

Flipping through Cupcakes with Attitude, I found Gold Rush Cupcakes which used the juice of  half an orange in the cupcake. I decided to do an orange frosting as well with the juice of the other half orange.

 

These are really large and juicy oranges. When I sliced open, they are red and not orange. But the juice I squeezed out is light orange.

Cupcake Ingredients you need
Unsalted butter 125g
Caster sugar 125 g
Eggs 2 lightly beaten
Orange oil 1 tsp or orange essential oil 5 drops (omitted)
Orange juice from 1/2 orange
Orange zest grated from 1/2 orange (I used 1 whole orange)
Self raising flour 125 g
Orange liquer (Grand marnier) (omitted) 2 tbsp and more for drizzling

I added a few drops of Bake King orange paste and also a little vanilla essence.

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line the muffin tray with cupcake liners.
2. Cream butter using my handheld electric whisk for a few minutes. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat till well combined.
3.  Add eggs and beat until mixture is well blended, light and fluffy.
4. Add orange paste, vanilla essence, juice and zest. Mix well.
5. Add flour and continue to beat until well mixed. Stop immediately when all flour has been mixed well into the batter. (add orange liquer if you have at here)
6. Spoon batter into cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cupcakes sit in muffin tray 5 minutes.
7. Remove cupcakes from tray and let cool on rack before frosting.

If you have orange liqueur, now pierce the cupcakes with several holes while still warm and drizzle the orange liqueur.  Cool and then frost.

Orange Frosting
Vegetable shortening 150g (I used Crisco)
Orange paste
Icing sugar 150g sifted
Orange Juice 3 tablespoon

Method
1.  Beat the vegetable shortening  in an electric mixer for about 2-3 minutes on medium speed.
2. Add orange paste and continue beating.
3. Add icing sugar and continue beating - I added 1/3 at a time in case the sugar flies out. Beat till well combined.
4. Gradually add 1 tablespoon of orange juice to achieve desired consistency.
5. Use a piping bag and star tip to add frosting to the cupcakes.
6. If you find it hard to pipe, just store in the fridge 15 minutes and then use the frosting.

Cooling my cupcakes on rack

 

Pipe them differently for a more interesting display. I also added orange sugar on some and drizzled melted chocolate.

Cupcakes are soft, and the frosting a slight orange taste. Make them soon and enjoy!