Okay, so story time. A while ago, I had a copy of 1001 Cupcakes, Cookies & Other Tempting Treats. I loved that cookbook. With a terrible passion. I tested recipes. I scribbled notes in margins, attached post-its of changes I made (Like the all caps note of ALWAYS DOUBLE BATCH across the banner of Midnight Cookies). I loved that cookbook.
And then it was lost to the filthy batshit house when I hastily moved out.
Luckily, I had already scrawled the best cookie recipe ever across this blog. Also, it's actually possible to find copies of that recipe flung across the internet. Guess what recipe you can't find, anywhere across this entire hellhole?? MY FAVORITE CUPCAKE RECIPE.
Buttermilk and Orange Cupcakes are a form of ambrosia. Seriously. They're only a little bit sweet, with a mellow buttermilk flavor that is just fucking perfect with the light--practically sunny-- flavor of orange juice.
This recipe may change, as I have just acquired a new copy of 1001 CC&OTT. I haven't had time for notes, but I need this recipe on the internet ASAP.
Here's what you need for these beauties:
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c soft butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 baking soda
1/2 buttermilk
also some orange rind?? (totes optional)
The frosting just needs 2 (ish) cups of powdered sugar, 1/2 cup of butter (also soft), some more orange rind (if you want) and about 1 tablespoon of orange juice.
Okay, set your oven to 350 F and let's get mixing. You know the drill--cream your brown sugar and butter. Then mix your eggs in one by one, then slowly add dry ingredients, ect. ect. Add your buttermilk and orange rind at the very end, folding them in gently.
Bam! Batter! Okay, I hope you prepared your muffin tin--twelve cakes' worth. It'll seem like not enough batter, but these guys don't rise much at all. They need to bake for about twenty, twenty-five minutes. My current oven is super unreliable, so it's hard to say.
MEANWHILE BACK AT THE RANCH. Frosting is frosting, folks. Cream some butter, then slowly add one of your cups of powdered sugar. Add your orange juice. The books says one tablespoon, but I usually just wing it. Then it's time for your other cup of sugar. Now, I used to have a hell of a sweet tooth, but my damned maturing tastebuds aren't really into that nowadays. I usually cut as much sugar as I can, and add some cornstarch. About 1/4 cup.
Okay, that's it. I assume you all know the toothpick trick, where you poke it with a toothpick and if it comes out clean it's done. And I ASSUME you all know about waiting for cake to cool completely before frosting it, otherwise the butter in the frosting will get all runny and gross. I mean, obviously you know all that. Duh.
Anyway friends, this is seriously my favorite cupcake recipe, and even though I'm posting this for me, I'm also posting it for you.
