Orange Chiffon Cupcakes

Today is a big day for me! It has been exactly 1 year since my first blog post. I feel like I have already come a long way. Some of my earlier posts and photos make me cringe, but I have had so much fun sharing all these recipes and look forward to many more posts in the future. Thanks for taking the time to read and try out my recipes. It means so much to me.

I made these Orange Chiffon Cupcakes for Chad’s birthday last weekend and thought they would be perfect for my 1st Blogiversary. The cupcakes are light, airy, and bursting with orange flavor from the orange juice and zest. Chad and I both preferred the cupcakes with the orange glaze. If you want to omit the glaze, just sprinkle the tops of the cooled cupcakes with powdered sugar. Evan didn’t like the cake at all, but he hasn’t liked any cake so far.

Chiffon Cake was created in the United States by Californian Harry Baker in 1927. His light cake, prepared by beating the egg whites separately from the yolks, was a huge hit and he eventually sold the recipe to General Mills in 1947. While the cake was first made in the United States, it is especially popular in Asia, especially Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore.

More information on the Chiffon Cake.

This particular recipe substituted butter for the traditional vegetable oil to add a deeper flavor. Vegetable oil can be used if you want to avoid butter. Make sure to not use non-stick pans or liners. The chiffon cake relies on the edge of the pan to rise. If you convert this to a full cake, use a tube pan. To help with the texture of the cake, invert the cupcakes onto the wire racks to cool.

Orange Chiffon Cupcakes

Adapted from U Try. It

Print Pin

Orange Chiffon Cupcakes

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake, chiffon, cupcake, dessert, orange

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 12 -14 Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 large eggs separated
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar divided
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• zest of 2 oranges
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon orange liqueur or extract
• 1/2 cup orange juice

Orange Glaze:

• zest of 1 orange
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners (not waxed). Do not grease and do not use non-stick.
• In a medium bowl, combine cake flour and baking powder.
• In another medium bowl, add the 4 egg whites. Place the egg yolks in a large bowl. Add the salt and cream of tartar to the egg whites. Beat until soft peaks form. Continue beating and slowly add 1/2 of the sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.
• Add the remaining sugar to the egg yolks. Beat until light and pale yellow. Mix in the butter, orange zest, vanilla, and orange extract.
• Alternate adding the flour mixture in thirds and the orange juice in halves to the yolks, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir until just incorporated.
• Gently fold in the egg whites, in thirds, until just combined. Gently transfer into the prepared muffin tins, about 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven until golden on top and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack.
• While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare glaze by whisking together orange zest, powdered sugar, and orange juice until smooth. If too thick, add a little more orange juice. If too thin, add more powdered sugar. Drizzle the glaze over completely cooled cupcakes.