Orange Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

It's been a looooong loooong while.  I needed a break; a break from taking pictures of everything I bake and then editing and then writing it all up.  It doesn't sound hard but it is, especially when combined with school work, the job hunt, and my work.  I'm still baking just not photographing as much anymore-this means I sometimes get to enjoy what I bake.  Well, here's the first recipe back.

A while ago I bought bulk vanilla beans online and this was the first recipe I tried with them.  This post comes at the strong urging of a close friend who is a bit obsessed with these cupcakes.

Cupcakes (yields 24-28)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
Zest of 2 oranges
4 large eggs
1½ cups whole milk
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp. vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt

 Candied Orange Slices

1½ cups sugar
1½ cups water
About 30 small, thin orange slices

Frosting

1½ cups plus 2 tbsp. (3 sticks plus 2 tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

zest of one orange
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp. heavy cream

1 tbsp. fresh squeezed orange juice

Directions

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  Combine the butter and sugar with an electric mizxer.  Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean pods and add to the bowl.  (Save the pods and use them to make vanilla sugar!) Add in the orange zest.  Beat the mixture on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Blend in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed.

2. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine the cream, orange juice, and vanilla.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In three additions, add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl, alternating with the cream mixture. Starting and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix each addition on low speed just until incorporated. Divide the mixture between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes.

3. To make the candied orange slices, combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves.  Add the orange slices to the mixture so that they are in a single layer (none overlapping), reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer about 20 minutes, turning the slices at least once so both sides are candied.  Remove from the heat.  Store in a container with the syrup until ready to use.  (You can repeat using the same syrup for additional batches if pan does not accommodate all the slices in a single layer.)

4. To make the frosting, add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer and whip on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.  Add the powdered sugar to the bowl and mix on medium-low speed just until incorporated.  Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean pod into the bowl and add in the salt and orange zest.  Continue to beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla extract and heavy cream on low speed just until incorporated.  Increase the mixer speed and whip on high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed, about 4 minutes.

5. Frost your cupcakes as desired and garnish with a candied orange slice.

 Adapted from Annies-Eats