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Spice cupcakes with orange cream cheese frosting on a platter.
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Spice Cupcakes

These moist spice cupcakes from scratch have wonderful flavor from brown sugar, warm spices, orange zest, and orange cream cheese frosting.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 30
Author: Melissa and Bebe

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ sticks (170g) unsalted butter softened (holds it shape but dents when pressed)
  • 1½ cups white sugar (300g)
  • ½ cup brown sugar (100g)
  • 4 eggs, room temperature (If in a hurry, place eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.)
  • 3 cups cake flour (342g) (We used Swan's Down)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder (8g)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda (3g)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (3g)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (4g)
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg (2g)
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger (1g)
  • 1½ cups buttermilk (360g)
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil (54g) We use Canola Oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (8g)
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest (or the zest of one orange) (optional)

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 sticks, softened (226g)
  • 16 oz Cream Cheese, softened (This is two 8 oz packages) Use full fat cream cheese.
  • 6 to 6 ½ cups 747g powdered sugar (690g-747g) Start with 6 cups, and adjust to your liking
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon orange extract (adjust amount to your liking) (4g) (We used McCormick Brand. If you prefer vanilla cream cheese frosting, just replace the orange extract with vanilla.)

Instructions

For the Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, add paper cupcake liners to cupcake pan(s) See Notes section.
  • Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Whisk for 30 seconds. Set aside.
  • In another bowl, add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, orange zest, and orange extract. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of your mixer, add the softened butter and mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the white sugar and brown sugar and continue to mix on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until the yellow of the yolk has blended.
  • With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of liquid).
  • Mix just until incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix.
  • Scoop about ¼ cup bake batter into each cupcake liner (in the cupcake pans)
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just few crumbs attached. We like to remove cupcakes immediately from the pans to prevent over-baking. Baking times can vary depending on pan & oven- check at 15 minutes to be on the safe side, but it may take a few minutes more.
  • Makes 30-32 cupcakes (approximately ¼ cup of batter per cupcake)

For the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Add the softened butter to the bowl of your mixer, mix until smooth.
  • Cut the softened cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, mixing until blended.
  • Add the orange extract.
  • Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until well blended.
  • This orange cream cheese frosting will pipe best if used while still chilled. You can make it in advance, refrigerate and when ready to use let it soften slightly and remix if needed. Do not microwave to soften. If the frosting becomes too soft while using, just refrigerate the piping bag or bowl for a short while to firm it up.

Assembly

  • Decorate the cupcakes however you like! Ours are decorated using a disposable piping bag fitted with a 104 petal tip.

Refrigeration

  • These cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container, sealed bakery box, or under a cake dome in the refrigerator. However, for the very best flavor and texture, remove them from the refrigerator a couple of hours before serving. This will allow the cupcakes time to warm and soften (as cakes and cupcakes containing butter become more firm when chilled).

Notes

*Baking temperature: We bake these at 350F and the cupcakes have little to no dome.
If you prefer to have cupcakes that dome a bit more, preheat the oven to 400 rather than 350F. Bake for 5 minutes at 400F before turning the heat down to 350 for the reminder of the time (approximately 10 minutes longer or until toothpick comes out clean). Repeat steps for the next batch.
Refrigeration & Serving: Because of the cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes need refrigeration. Remove two hours before serving to allow for the frosting and cupcakes to warm and soften.
Recipe makes approximately 7 ½ cups batter--about 30 cupcakes.