Where’s the Milk? No...Seriously...

“Orange you glad I didn’t say banana?” - the same uncle who probably tells you he's "got your nose."

I had buttermilk. It had been sitting calmly in my refrigerator, smelling like nothing, which meant we were good to go to adapt a recipe for Orange Buttermilk Cake from Dawn Casale of One Girl Cookies in Brooklyn, NY.

I had decided I was going to take her cake recipe and turn it into cupcakes, because sometimes when you’re asked to bring something for a party or get-together, cakes can be a little annoying for the host or hostess, you know, now they need more plates, a knife to cut the cake, forks, etc, etc, etc. Whereas a cupcake simply fits in the eater’s hand like it’s always been meant to be there.

So the night before I was meant to make these cupcakes I gave my buttermilk one last whiff for good measure and went to bed feeling good baking vibes.

Halfway through my recipe the next day I opened the buttermilk and was hit with an awful, nasty, almost acidic smell, and realized that in the past 12 hours, my buttermilk had gone off to greener pastures.

Now, for most people, this would be fine. There are lots of ways to make buttermilk on the fly: mix milk with lemon juice, vinegar, anything to get it to curdle. Unfortunately, I don’t generally drink cow’s milk and right now my unsweetened almond breeze was just not going to cut it.

I frantically searched through my refrigerator and landed on the closest thing I had. A small carton of half and half. I turned my eyes to the sky, said a quick prayer to baking gods and poured out a cup-full to add to my waiting batter.

Well, the baking gods must have been listening because what I ended up with was one of the creamiest, softest, most melt-in-your-mouth cupcakes I’ve ever had. And now I’m passing my mistake that worked onto you.

Orange Blossom Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream

Adapted from Dawn Casale of One Girl Cookies

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

Grated zest of one orange

1 cup half and half

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:

6oz cream cheese

8 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

½ cup cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed. Yes, there’s a difference between Dutch-processed and not, but if this is the only frosting you want to make and you don’t have Dutch-processed, your buttercream will survive and still be awesome)

4 cups confectioners’ sugar

Yellow and Orange sugar (optional)

Directions:

Making the cake:

1.     Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.     Line a cupcake pan with liners.

3.     In a bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda.

4.     Using a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed for around 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy.

5.     Scrape the excess batter off the sides of the bowl and turn the mixer to low.

6.     Add the eggs one at a time and then the orange zest.

7.     Beat the mixture together on low speed until it is thoroughly combined, around 2 minutes.

8.     In another bowl (yes, this recipe uses quite a few bowls) mix together the half and half and vanilla.

9.     Add one third of the flour and one half of the half and half mixture to the mixing bowl with the eggs, butter, etc. and beat the ingredients on low speed. Follow this by scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl and then adding another third of the flour mixture and the rest of the half and half mixture, beating the ingredients together again.

10.  Scrape down the bowl once more and add the final third of flour, gently using a rubber spatula to fold it into the batter until it is fully incorporated.

11.  Pour the mixture into the cupcake liners, filling them about ¾ of the way to the top.

12.  Bake the cupcakes for around 15-18 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

13.  Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for around 20 minutes, before transferring them to cooling racks.

While the cupcakes are cooling make the buttercream:

1.     Using a hand mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until they reach a creamy consistency.

2.     Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla, and mix again.

3.     Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the cocoa powder and the confectioners’ sugar, and mix again.

4.     Once frosting reaches the desired consistency, cover it and allow it to sit until the cupcakes have cooled.

Frost the cupcakes either by spreading the frosting with a butter knife or spoon, or use a pastry bag, or even a Ziploc bag with the corner cut off, fill it with the frosting, and pipe the buttercream on each cupcake individually. Then, if you’re feeling sassy, sprinkle the frosting with orange and yellow sugar, to give these sunny cupcakes a little bit more pizazz!

These cupcakes are definitely not subtle when it comes to their orange flavor. Every bite has a citrus-y zing to it, and what’s great about that is, once you’re done with the ooey, gooey frosted top, you still want to eat the rest! More sweets for everyone!

Enjoy with a big glass of milk…and maybe watching football…because that’s how we did it…and it was hilarious…because nothing is funnier than a room of big Bro-ish guys screaming at Ray Lewis while simultaneously enjoying a bright orange and yellow cupcake.

Til next time!

D