Blood Orange Cupcakes Recipe

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Blood orange cupcakes with blood orange frosting are the perfect naturally pink treat for Valentine's day.  Blood oranges are in season right now, and that ruby color creates the most beautiful, delicate, natural pink color in baked goods like these blood orange cupcakes.

Blood orange cupcakes with naturally pink blood orange frosting, topped with slices of blood orange on a white background.

Blood orange cupcakes are my contribution to the Taste Creations Blog Hop this month.  Inspired by Valentine's day, rather than having one ingredient as our theme, we've worked together to create a romantic and delicious five course dinner.  

Blood orange cupcakes topped with blood orange frosting and slices of blood orange in a V formation

The blood orange cupcakes are, obviously, the dessert in this five course dinner.  Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the links to the other amazing recipes in our virtual dinner party.

Ingredients for blood orange cupcakes on a wooden cutting board on a white marble surface.

Blood Orange Cupcakes Ingredients:

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • zest of one orange
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup blood orange juice
  • 3/4 cup oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Blood orange cupcake batter in lined cupcake tins, next to a blood orange sliced in half.

This is a variation on my favorite crazy cake recipe (typically chocolate cake).  In the blood orange cake version of the recipe, there's no need to add vinegar, since plenty of acid is in the orange juice.

As far as instructions go, this cake is incredibly easy.  Dump the ingredients together and mix them.  You don't even need a mixer for this cake recipe.  A bowl and spoon will suffice.

Baked blood orange cupcakes in a cupcake tin, next to a sliced blood orange.

Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 22 minutes.  Test with a toothpick or skewer to check if the cupcakes are done.

Blood orange simple syrup ingredients on a white marble background.

This next step is optional, but really punches up the blood orange flavor of the cupcakes.  If I were making this recipe into a layer cake, I'd use a blood orange simple syrup soak on each layer.  With cupcakes, the technique is a little different, but I can still make a delicious blood orange simple syrup to infuse even more flavor in the cupcakes. (Ignore the salt cellar in the photo above of the ingredients.  I have no idea why I included that in the picture, because I didn't use it in the syrup.)

Blood Orange Simple Syrup:

  • 3 Tablespoons Blood Orange Juice
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 4 Tablespoons sugar

Blood orange simple syrup in a small saucepan on a white marble surface, next to sliced blood oranges and lemon.

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan, and heat until the sugar dissolves.

Blood orange simple syrup being injected into blood orange cupcakes.

Use a plastic syringe to inject some of the blood orange simple syrup into the middle of the cupcake.  I used one of the free plastic syringes they give you at the pharmacy for giving your kids liquid medicine.  we always end up with extras for some reason, but they come in handy for this baking task.  But you can buy them on Amazon as well.

Light pink blood orange icing on a metal beater, surrounded by cut blood oranges.

Frost with your favorite icing.  I made blood orange buttercream frosting for mine.  

Light pink Blood orange frosting being piped on blood orange cupcakes.

Just look at that gorgeous, all-natural, delicate pink color.

Four blood orange cupcakes topped with naturally pink blood orange frosting and slices of blood orange on a white background.

I love the natural variation in color in the blood oranges, too.  A thin slice of the citrus made the perfect delicious, elegant cupcake topper.

Four blood orange cupcakes topped with naturally pink blood orange frosting and slices of blood orange on a white background.

Free Printable, One Page PDF Version of the Blood Orange Cupcakes Recipe:

Navigational image leading reader to printable, one page, PDF version of the Blood Orange Cupcakes recipe

Be sure to check out the other fabulously delicious courses in our romantic Valentine's day feast from my friends in the Taste Creations Blog Hop.

Mom Home Guide: Appetizer, Caprese salad with Mozzarella Hearts

Our Good Life:  Side dish, Green Beans Almondine

An Italian in my Kitchen:  Entree, Easy Italian Baked Shrimp

Tikkido: Dessert, Blood Orange Cupcakes (That's this post!  You're already here!)

Collage of 5 course Valentine's day dinner recipes for the Taste Creations Blog Hop

Navigational image leading reader to recipe for lemon buttercream icing.

Navigational image leading reader to recipe for amazing orange bundt cake.

Navigational image leading reader to recipe for lemon tea bread.

Navigational image leading reader to recipe for all natural pink prickly pear cupcakes and prickly pear icing.

 
Nicole Wills, creator of Tikkido

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