GIUSEPPE DELL’ANNO
‘Despite being super-simple to make, these cupcakes are extraordinarily flavorsome, and the high orange juice content gives the crumb unparalleled softness,’ says the Great British Baking Show alum, who includes the Sicilian-inspired dessert in his new cookbook Giuseppe’s Easy Bakes. ‘Your kitchen will smell amazing as you’re baking these little treats!’
2 large unwaxed seedless oranges, divided 1 1⁄4 cups (about 8 ¾ oz.) superfine sugar 2 extra-large eggs 6 Tbsp. vegetable oil ⅓ cup whole milk 1 tsp. vanilla paste 2 cups (about 8 ½ oz.) all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder ⅛ tsp. table salt ½ cup (2 oz.) powdered sugar
1. Preheat oven to 350° with a rack in the center position. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners; set aside.
2. Wash and dry oranges, and set one orange aside for later. Slice top and bottom ends off 1 orange, then roughly chop it. Place chopped orange in the bowl of a food processor; process to a pulp, about 1 minute. Add sugar, eggs, oil, milk and vanilla; process until mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Add flour, baking powder and salt; pulse to incorporate the dry ingredients, about 3 pulses. Scrape down sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, if necessary.
3. Spoon or pour the batter into muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake in oven until tops are golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.
4. Remove from oven, and let cool slightly in pan, about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, zest the reserved orange with a vegetable peeler, and slice zest into very thin strips. Squeeze zested orange; whisk together powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon juice in a small bowl until smooth, adding another teaspoon of juice if needed. Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over cupcakes; scatter thin strips of zest over cupcakes before the glaze sets.
Makes: 12
Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
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Photographs by JENNIFER CAUSEY
FOOD STYLIST: JULIAN HENSARLING; PROP STYLIST: CHRISTINA DALEY; INSET: DAVID M. BENETT-ALAN CHAPMAN/GETTY IMAGES