Orange Chiffon Cupcakes With Meringue Buttercream Recipes

ORANGE MERINGUE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Put the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Add the sugar and orange zest and pulse a few times to combine evenly. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand, with some pea-size bits of butter.
• Whisk together the milk, vanilla and eggs in a small bowl or measuring cup with a spout. With the food processor running, pour in the milk mixture and process until smooth.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling them two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean and the tops spring back when pressed gently, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely.
• Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Whisk together the egg whites, sugar, orange juice and zest, cream of tartar and salt in a medium heat-safe bowl. Set the bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Continue whisking until the mixture is hot to the touch and the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and beat, using an electric mixer at medium-high speed, until the meringue is cool and holds a stiff peak, about 7 minutes.
• Generously pipe or spoon the frosting onto the cupcakes. Sprinkle with orange zest.

ORANGE CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, orange juice, oil and orange zest; add to dry ingredients. Beat until well blended. , In another large bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into orange mixture. , Gently spoon batter into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through the batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on the lowest rack at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely. Run a knife around sides and center tube of pan. Invert cake onto a serving plate. , For glaze, melt butter in a small saucepan; add remaining glaze ingredients. Stir until smooth. Pour over top of cake, allowing it to drizzle down sides.

ORANGE-ALMOND CAKE WITH BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of 8-inch round cakes to make level. Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy Susan. Place first layer on cake plate. Spread frosting over first layer with a small offset spatula so it extends just beyond edges.
• Place remaining layer on top, bottom side up. Gently sweep away any loose crumbs with a pastry brush. Using an offset spatula, cover top and sides with a thin layer of frosting (also use any of the excess frosting visible between the layers). Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
• Using an offset spatula, cover cake again with remaining frosting. Repeat process with 6-inch round cakes. Serve.

MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Combine egg whites and sugar in a heat-safe bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whip mixture until the temperature reaches 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) on a digital or instant thermometer and sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
• Remove egg white mixture from heat. Continue to whip until soft peaks form and the meringue temperature has come down to 99 degrees F (37 degrees C) or lower, 4 to 7 minutes.
• Add butter to the meringue, 2 tablespoons at a time, whipping until incorporated and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and keep mixing until smooth, 5 to 8 minutes. Add vanilla extract and whip until incorporated.

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE CUPCAKES WITH PISTACHIO BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups with shortening using a paper towel and dust with about 1 teaspoon flour or line with paper liners.
• Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, white sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat 1 cup cold water, olive oil, orange juice, and vanilla extract into flour mixture on medium-low speed until batter is just combined, about 2 minutes. Fold orange zest into batter. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups, 2/3-full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Beat butter in a bowl using an electric mixer in medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Slowly pour confectioners' sugar into creamed butter and beat until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Beat pudding mix into butter mixture until just combined. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency of icing is reached. Ice the cooled cupcakes; garnish with grated chocolate.