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Six cranberry orange cupcakes with swirled white frosting and sugared cranberries on top are arranged on a round wooden platter, which sits on a gray cloth. The background is white and bright.

Cranberry Orange Cupcakes Recipe

Learn how to make cranberry orange cupcakes from scratch! This easy recipe is packed with flavor and perfect for your next gathering.

Course desserts
Cuisine American
Keyword cranberry cupcakes, cranberry orange cupcakes, Orange cranberry cupcakes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings 18
Author momma lew

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

  • 1 ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 cup White Sugar
  • ½ cup Vegetable Oil
  • 2 Eggs room temperature
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 cup Whole Milk
  • Zest of One Orange about 1 ½ Tablespoons
  • 1 cup Cranberries

For the Frosting:

  • 1 cup Butter
  • 5-6 cups Powdered Icing Sugar
  • 3 tbsp Orange Juice as desired
  • Orange Zest as desired

For the Sugared Cranberries:

  • 18 Cranberries
  • ½ cup Water
  • ½ cup White Sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Line two muffin trays with 18 muffin liners. Set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and oil until light and fully combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, vanilla extract and milk.
  5. Add the flour in gradually until well-combined and no lumps remain. Add orange zest and cranberries and stir to distribute.
  6. Portion the cupcake batter into the prepared liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way full.
  7. Bake cupcakes for 18-22 minutes, until lightly golden and an inserted toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
  8. While the cupcakes cool, prepare your frosting.
  9. Beat together the butter, powdered sugar and orange juice for 2 minutes until light and forming stiff peaks. Adjust flavor with additional orange juice or zest. Adjust consistency with more powdered sugar for a stiffer frosting, or more juice for a softer frosting.
  10. Scoop the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, starting in the center, working your way out to the edges and then back towards the center and up.
  11. Dip each cranberry in the water then roll in the white sugar. Garnish each cupcake with a cranberry.

Recipe Notes

Store cranberry cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring to room temp before serving for the best flavor.