Cranberry Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting Recipes

FRESH CRANBERRY ORANGE CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• In a small saucepan bring the sugar and water to a boil and dissolve the sugar completely. Let the syrup rest for 5 minutes to cool it, then pour it into a bowl with the cranberries. Let the syrup cool to room temperature, then cover the bowl and put it in the refrigerator overnight.
• Drain the cranberries and shake them out a bit to make sure you only have a thin coating of the syrup on them. Spread out the superfine sugar on a plate and roll the cranberries in the sugar. Test out the rolling with just a couple at first. If the coating seems gloppy or thick, shake out the cranberries some more or pat them dry with a paper towel.
• Transfer the cranberries to a tray lined with wax paper and let them dry for 1-2 hours. Once they are ready the sugar will have formed a stable crust.
• Preheat oven to 350F. Set out a standard sized 12 well muffin tin and fill the wells with cupcake liners.
• Using a food processor or a knife, roughly chop the cranberries until you have 1 1/2 cups of chopped cranberries.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a small bowl rub the sugar and the orange zest together until the sugar is fragrant. Using a stand mixer with the flat beater on medium speed, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides and add the eggs one at a time, scraping after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat in.
• Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients. Beat until just mixed together with a little flour still showing. Take the bowl of the mixer off the stand, add the cranberries, and fold them in with a silicone spatula.
• Divide the batter among the 12 wells in the tin. Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until the cupcakes are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Let them rest for 2-3 minutes, then carefully take them out of the muffin tin and let them cool on a cooling rack. Can be made up to 2 days ahead.
• Using a hand mixer, whip the cream cheese and butter on high until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix in. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix on low until combined, then increase the speed to high and beat together until smooth.
• Pipe or spread frosting over the tops of each cupcake. If you wish, sprinkle a bit of red sanding sugar over to decorate. (Another good idea would be to use themed sprinkles depending on the occasion.) If you made the sugared cranberries, top each cupcake with 2 or 3 of them.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, and coat the liners and the top of the tin with cooking spray.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, clove and salt together in a medium bowl. Beat the sugar and eggs in another medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. While continuing to beat, gradually pour in the butter, then beat in the orange zest. Adjust the speed to medium-low, and add half the flour mixture. Add the milk, then the remaining flour mixture, taking care not to overmix the batter. It will be thin, like pancake batter; transfer it to a liquid measuring cup to make filling the muffin cups easier.
• Divide the batter evenly among the cups of the prepared muffin tin. Bake until the tops spring back when pressed, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. (The cupcakes can be baked a day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.)
• For the frosting: Bring the cranberries, granulated sugar, orange juice and ginger to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves, the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Set aside 1/3 cup for garnish.
• Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Beat in the confectioners' sugar. Add the cooled cranberry mixture, and beat until completely incorporated.
• Divide the frosting evenly among the cupcakes, and use a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon to swirl. Garnish each with a dollop of reserved cranberry sauce and a piece of orange zest.

CRANBERRY CUPCAKES WITH MAPLE CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. and line six 1/2-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
• In a small heatproof bowl cover cranberries with boiling water and soak 5 minutes.
• While cranberries are soaking, into a bowl sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy and beat in egg, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and milk alternately in several batches, beginning and ending with flour and stirring until smooth
• after each addition.
• Drain cranberries and pat dry. Chop cranberries fine and stir into batter. Divide batter among muffin tins and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
• Making frosting while cupcakes are baking:
• In a bowl beat together frosting ingredients until smooth and chill.
• Turn cupcakes onto a rack and cool 10 minutes. Spread cupcakes with frosting.

CRANBERRY CUPCAKES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
• Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in orange zest and vanilla extract. Add in 1/2 the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Add buttermilk and heavy cream, mixing until just combined. Mix in remaining flour mixture until just combined. Batter will be thick.
• Fold 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter until incorporated. Fold in remaining egg whites until no streaks of egg white remain. Fold in chopped cranberries. Spoon batter evenly into each prepared cupcake liner, filling each liner about 7/8 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cupcakes spring back lightly when touched, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting. Beat butter in a bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until completely smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Add powdered sugar and salt, and beat until smooth and well combined, another 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in melted white chocolate and beat until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in heavy cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until frosting is smooth, light, and fluffy, 2 to 3 more minutes.
• Frost the cooled cupcakes with the frosting.

CRANBERRY CUPCAKES WITH LEMON ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs, then stir in milk. Sift in flour and baking powder; use a metal spoon to fold into the batter. Gently fold in frozen cranberries.
• Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven until well risen and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool. Do not ice until completely cooled.
• Beat butter in a bowl until fluffy. Sift in confectioners' sugar, then add lemon juice and zest; beat icing until smooth and creamy. Spread or pipe icing over the cupcakes.

CREAM CHEESE CRANBERRY MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in cranberries and pecans. , Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the muffins comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. , Combine confectioners' sugar and milk; drizzle over muffins.

CRANBERRY BARS WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs, sour cream and extracts. In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Fold in baking chips, cranberries and walnuts. Spread into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack., For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Beat in confectioners' sugar; spread over top. Sprinkle with cranberries. Cut into bars or triangles. Refrigerate leftovers.

ORANGE CRANBERRY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Cupcakes:
• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and orange zest over low heat until hot (but not boiling); cool to lukewarm, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low, add the egg and egg whites one at a time, and beat until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add half the flour mixture, then the milk mixture, then the remaining flour mixture, beating until just blended after each addition. In a small bowl, toss the cranberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold the cranberries into the batter.
• Divide the batter evenly among the liners and bake until the tops are just dry to the touch (some may be slightly golden on the sides before this happens) and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 17 to 19 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting with orange frosting.
• To bake as a cake:
• Butter two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper cut to fit, and butter the parchment. Flour the pans, coating the bottom and sides of each pan, then tap out the excess flour. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake until the tops are dry to the touch, the sides of the cake start to pull away from the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (for generally the same amount of time as in the cupcake recipe). Let cool on a wire rack, then remove each cake from its pan, discard the parchment paper, and set one cake layer on a cake round, frosting turntable, or the final serving platter. Frost the top of that cake layer with the frosting, stack the second layer on top, and frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
• To make the orange frosting:
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, and beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium, add the milk, orange zest and juice, and vanilla and beat until fully blended, 1 to 2 minutes, making sure not to incorporate too much air into the frosting.

CRANBERRY BARS WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, 3/4 cup butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla and the eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl frequently, until well mixed. Beat in flour, baking soda and salt on low speed. Continue beating on low speed, scraping bowl frequently, until well mixed. Stir in cranberry-orange sauce. Spread in pan.
• Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 30 minutes.
• In small bowl, beat 1/3 cup butter, the cream cheese and 1 teaspoon vanilla on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes, scraping bowl frequently, until well mixed. Continue beating on low speed, gradually adding powdered sugar and enough milk until spreadable. Spread frosting over bars; sprinkle with walnuts. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-holed muffin pans with baking cups; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until pale, light, and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. With the mixer running, add eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract; beat until combined.
• With mixer on low speed, add 1 cup reserved flour mixture; mix until combined. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk; combine. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, ending with flour, until all has been incorporated.
• Fill each baking cup with 1/4 cup batter; batter should almost reach tops of cups. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer tins to a wire rack to cool.
• Remove cupcakes from tins, and frost with cream-cheese frosting. If desired, use a pastry bag fitted with a plain writing tip to pipe letters or designs onto cupcakes. Decorate with berries, sprinkles, and nonpareils.

STRAWBERRY-CREAM CHEESE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, mix cake mix, water, sour cream, oil and eggs with spoon until well blended (batter will be thick). Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
• In small bowl, stir preserves until smooth. Place 1 piece of cream cheese on top of each cupcake; press into batter slightly. Spoon 1/4 measuring teaspoon preserves on top of cream cheese in each cupcake.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly in center (some preserves may show in tops of cupcakes). Cool 10 minutes in pans; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Spread frosting over cupcakes. Just before serving, garnish each cupcake with strawberry slices. Store covered in refrigerator.