For New Years 2011, I resolved to take up food blogging again. It is now January 2, 2012. It has taken me a year to post this. Better late than never, right?
Over the past year and a half, I have made about a dozen different versions of this recipe. I have made it with different types of oranges, added lemons, played with the spices, made it in different shapes and in different pans. I've frosted it, covered it in powdered sugar, and had it plain. And you know what? It's always good. There's something about the brightness of fresh citrus juice that always saves it, even if you bake it too long or forget about the last piece sitting on top of the fridge.
I knew the original recipe was a keeper when I first saw it, but it needed some major spicing up. Omit or reduce spices to your own taste. The frosting in the picture was okay, but nothing too fabulous, so I won't include the recipe here.
Orange Spice Cupcakes
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Zest and juice from 2 fairly big oranges (at least 1/2 cup of juice)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
Preheat oven to 350. Grease some muffin tins (this recipe makes two dozen muffins, if using regular sized tins) or a 13x9 baking dish.
Zest and juice your oranges, and set aside.
Beat the eggs and sugar together, then beat in the oil. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Then add orange juice and zest along with vanilla. The batter will be fairly liquidy.
Spoon into muffin tins, filling them about 3/4 of the way, or pour into pan. If making cupcakes, bake for about 25 minutes; if a bigger cake, about 40. It's done when a toothpick comes out clean.
