Gluten-Free Orange Cupcakes
With Optional White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Gluten-Free and low in carb! These delightful
cupcakes have the perfect balance of zesty and sweet!
Total time required: 2 - 2 ½ hours
Ingredients:
2 medium to large oranges
2 and 2/3 cups fine almond meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
80g butter
1 and 1/3 cups castor sugar
4 large eggs
Optional White Chocolate
Buttercream Frosting:
150g white
chocolate
110g butter
250g soft
icing sugar
Cooking Instructions:
1) Wash the oranges well and place them
(whole) in a saucepan. Fill the saucepan with water until the oranges are just
covered. Bring the water to the boil, then turn the heat down to medium and
leave the oranges to simmer for 75-80 minutes, until soft.
2) In the meantime measure out all your
ingredients. This will mean less preparation time later on and will allow the
butter and eggs to warm to room temperature.
3) When the oranges are done carefully
take them out of the hot water and leave them to cool for 15 minutes. *Cut into
quarters and blend in a food processor until smooth.
4) Preheat the oven to 140°C (fan-force) and line two muffin trays with cupcake cases.
5) In a small bowl place almond meal
and baking powder, mix thoroughly.
6) In a medium/large bowl beat the
butter with an electric beater for 2 minutes or until pale and smooth.
7) Gradually add the castor sugar to
the butter, a quarter at a time, beating for 2 minutes after each addition or
until the mix is smooth and fluffy.
8) Add the eggs one at a time, beating
until just combined each time.
9) Pour half the almond meal into the
mix and beat on low until combined.
10) Add the pureed orange and beat until
combined.
11) Add the last of the almond meal and
beat until smooth and combined.
12) Spoon the batter into the cupcake
papers. If you don’t completely fill both trays then don’t worry, just remove
the unused cases and fill the empty compartments half way full with cool water.
13) Bake for 45 minutes. The cupcakes
should be pretty much dry to touch and lightly browned. Allow to cool and
enjoy!
Optional White Chocolate
Buttercream Frosting:
1) In a large bowl place icing sure and
butter. Beat with an electric beater on medium/high speed until the icing is
smooth, light in colour and fluffy.
2) Gently melt the white chocolate in a
microwave-safe bowl and add to the buttercream. Beat until well combined. If
the frosting is too thick just add a small splash of milk and beat it in,
likewise if too liquid-y then add a pinch more icing sugar.
3) I personally found the icing a
little too difficult to pipe so I just spread it on with a knife but I’m sure
if made a little softer then it would pipe on fine.
4) Garnish with some grated orange zest
or grated chocolate. ENJOY!
Additional Information:
The frosting
isn’t really necessary for these citrus cupcakes and I personally find that if
you don’t have an even ratio of cake and icing then the sweet makes the
cupcakes somewhat bitter. So I like to have leave them un-iced for a naturally
sweet (and much healthier) snack.
*If you
find them too bitter or you’d prefer a slightly sweeter cake then simply peel
the oranges before processing. The removal of the rind should take away a most
of any bitterness.
The original recipe (before I changed bits and pieces of it) I found
here:
http://myfoodtrail.com/2011/02/recipe-gluten-free-flourless-orange-cupcakes-with-white-chocolate-frosting-%E2%80%93-the-cookbook-challenge-fortnight-2.html
