These incredibly moist, flavored orange semolina cupcakes have a somewhat grainy, chewy, and soft texture thanks to the use of semolina flour. The filling is a bright and cheery orange marmalade that is sweet, citrusy, and somewhat tangy. The acidic and light Yogurt Frosting then binds everything together. We topped these cupcakes with fabulously sticky candied oranges, which are really easy to prepare and a tremendous success.
Yield: 14 Cupcakes
ingredients
Semolina Cupcakes
- 1¼ cups (200 g) fine semolina flour
- ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon (8 g) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (156 mL) milk, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice
- 1 tablespoon (5 g) orange zest
Marmalade Orange
- 2 cups (280 g) peeled and chopped oranges
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
Yogurt Frosting
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup (120 g) Greek yogurt
- 4¾ cups (593 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Candied Oranges
- 1 orange
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and prepare 14 muffin tins with cupcake liners to make the Semolina Cupcakes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the semolina flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Place aside.
In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil and granulated sugar for about 1 minute, or until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking each one until mixed before adding the next. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then the milk, orange juice, and zest. Stir the dry ingredients into the bowl with a spatula to incorporate.
Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them approximately two-thirds full. Bake for about 18 minutes. Begin checking the cupcakes at the 15-minute mark and continue baking and monitoring as needed. To check if the cupcakes are done, lightly press your finger on the top of the cupcakes; if they spring back, they are finished baking. Allow the cupcakes to cool fully before filling and frosting them.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the chopped oranges, water, granulated sugar, and orange zest to make the Orange Marmalade. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat. Cook the oranges for about 40 minutes, stirring often.
If the marmalade becomes dry, reduce the heat to low and stir in a teaspoon of water or a splash of citrus juice (lemon or orange), continuing to cook until the mixture is thick and glossy. Allow it to cool after removing it from the heat. You may smooth it up with a little mixer or use it with the orange chunks.
Put the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer to make the yogurt frosting. Cream for roughly 4 minutes on medium-high speed, or until extremely fluffy and light in color. Mix in the yogurt until incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed.
Sift the powdered sugar and combine it with the yogurt and butter while running the mixer on low. Mix on low speed until everything is combined.Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute, or until everything is incorporated. Mix in the vanilla extract until well mixed. If the buttercream is too runny, add another tablespoon (8 g) of sifted powdered sugar and combine well. If the buttercream is too stiff, add a teaspoon of yogurt, milk, or water at a time, mixing in between, until the buttercream is creamy, firm, and smooth.
To make the candied oranges, line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Cut the orange into ¼-inch (6-mm) thick pieces, then quarter each one. In a large saucepan, combine the water and granulated sugar. We prefer to make this in a big sauté pan. Bring the water and sugar to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and add the oranges to the pan. Try to maintain them in an even layer, which is why a large sauté pan comes in handy.
Allow the orange slices to simmer in the syrup for about 20 minutes, or until the syrup is extremely thick and the rind is practically transparent. Remove one slice at a time with a fork, allowing any leftover syrup to fall back into the pan. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and set them aside to dry for several hours, ideally overnight.
To assemble the cupcakes, remove the centers of each cupcake with a spoon. Fill the center of each cupcake with orange marmalade. Pipe the yogurt frosting on top of the cupcakes using a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choosing. Then, using the candied oranges, decorate the cupcakes.
The cupcakes can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 4 days.
For more recipes checkout Fantastic Filled Cupcakes by Camila Hurst
