I’m a bit obsessed with cupcakes lately!
There’s just something about a cupcake that seems to make everything all better – a long day at school, a tough day at work, kid drama… For a few small moments, the world slows down and everything seems good and right.
The real secret to an incredible cupcake is the flour – it makes a HUGE difference what type and brand of flour you use.
For the best quality, you should always choose flour that is unbleached and unbromated.
Bleaching is the process of adding chemicals to freshly milled flour to make it appear whiter. Really!? I’d rather have flour that’s not pure white and free of unnecessary chemicals thank you.
Potassium bromate is often added to flours to help “improve” the dough. Unfortunately lab tests have repeatedly shown that bromate causes cancer in lab animals which has prompted countries like the United Kingdom and Canada to ban the sale of bromated flours. Even California is on board. Why the hell the rest of the U.S. hasn’t followed suit is completely beyond me!
So do yourself a favor, spend the little bit of extra money to buy flour you know is safe for your family. It’s a very small price to pay!
King Arthur Flour has a huge line of exceptional flours, all of which are unbleached and unbromated. Their Cake Flour is the only unbleached cake flour on the market.
Even better, it produces the lightest and fluffiest cupcakes.
Who doesn’t love that!?
King Arthur flours are readily available in markets across the country and can also be ordered directly from their website, along with about 1,000 other cool things. Or maybe you’ll even win some! Details are below so keep reading.
In the meantime, have a cupcake! Or two… I won’t judge!
Ingredients
6 oz. butter, melted
1 c. + 2 tbs. King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour
½ c. + 2 tbs. sugar
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tbs. orange zest
¼ c. vanilla Greek yogurt*
1 tbs. orange juice
2 large eggs
4 tbs. unsalted butter
2 c. confectioners’ sugar
1 ½ tsp. orange juice
1-2 tbs. milk
3-4 drops Orange Soft Gel Paste Food Color
Directions
Melt the butter and set aside until it starts to solidify again. You want it still pourable but not still totally melted.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cake flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest. With the mixer on low, gradually add the butter and yogurt.
Add orange juice and eggs, one at a time. Mix only until combined to make sure that the cupcakes stay light and fluffy.
Fill prepared muffin cups two-thirds full of batter. Bake 18-21 minutes until light and fluffy or a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool in pan 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Cream together the butter and confectioners’ sugar. Add orange juice and then the milk 1 tablespoon at a time until smooth and creamy, should be around 1 ½ tablespoons.
Once cupcakes are cooled, spread cupcakes with frosting or frost using a #30 piping tip.
*Notes
You can certainly substitute sour cream or even heavy cream or buttermilk in this recipe. I just prefer the yogurt because the slight acidity and tartness balance out the sweetness really well.
Want to try some King Arthur Flour for yourself?
Giveaway Details
King Arthur Flour is giving a lucky friend of The Three Little Piglets a gift pack including Unbleached Cake Flour Blend, Petal Cupcake Wrappers, and a Dough Whisk.
How to Enter
Head on over to King Arthur Flour and check out their amazing recipe collection. Then come back here and leave a comment telling me which recipe you’d most like to try. (Simply muffins won’t work! Be specific.)
You have until Friday, May 11th, 12 midnight EST to enter this giveaway. One winner will be chosen via random.org and will have 3 days to respond or a new winner will be selected. Open to residents of the USA.
To earn extra entries, leave a separate comment for each of the steps listed below. You can leave one comment (entry) or many comments (entries). The choice is yours. If you don’t leave separate comments for each step, we will not be able to include them.
1. Follow The Three Little Piglets via Email or RSS
2. Like King Arthur on Facebook
3. Like The Three Little Piglets on Facebook
4. Tweet this giveaway, being sure to include my Twitter handle (@Threelilpiglets). Here’s a sample tweet you could use or make up your own: I’d love to a gift basket from @KingArthurFlour and @Threelilpiglets http://bit.ly/K9CYk2 #giveaway
5. Share this giveaway in any other creative way you can think up & let me know.
*This giveaway is sponsored by King Arthur Flour. I was in no way compensated for this post; I am just a fan of their products and was more than happy to share to the love!
Im going to try the lemon chiffon cake! I’m a great big fan of their recipe collection anyways!
Great post, and I have the same cupcake wrappers as you! 
Lovely! I love creamsicle anything!
These look so yummy!
I’m following TLP via email!
I totally agree with you… cupcakes are just happy little gems!
I am loving this orange creamsicle version… really fun and yummy. 
Yum, I love creamsicles! I also love your adorable cupcake liners….so cute!
followed on Google Reader
Liked you on FB
Liked King Arthur on FB
Finally, I want to try the Lemon Chiffon cake, but for sure with the Lemon whipped cream … I’m a bit obsessive about all things lemon, so I always want to try new stuff where it is the star! Also, these creamsicle cupcakes are getting made this weekend!
I love KAF for all my weird baking purchases (like citric acid)! In the past year I’ve really gotten on board with buying more organic baking ingredients. Though I’m less concerned with all the lab studies about cancer, I’ve read the papers, they need more time & research. I just think they make for better quality pastries!
I use the KAF recipe index all the time (along with a few of their cookbooks), next on my list is their old-fashioned apple cake w/ brown sugar frosting.
oh man, orange creamsicle cupcakes?? sounds AMAZING!
Jen, you always make the prettiest cupcakes! That orange buttercream frosting is to die for.
Your cupcakes sound amazing, such a fun flavor!
I would love the try their whole grain brownie recipe. I am a sucker for brownies, and getting whole grain while eating them? Yes please!
I like you on Facebook
I receive your emails
I’d most like to try the butterflake herb loaf
Woww.. looks super tempting and perfect.. lovely step by step pictures..
Orange creamsicles take me right back to my childhood. These cupcakes would be welcome by cupcake lovers of all ages in my house.
awesome post…. I’m featuring your awesomeness on my Featured Five today
I would like to try the 100% whole wheat cinnamon swirl bread!
I receive emails!
I liked King Arthur on FB!
I liked The Three Little Piglets on FB
I tweeted the message!
I’m in the mood for the Melting Mint Brownies!
I liked King Arthur on Facebook.
I subscribe to RSS.
I’ve been eying the seeded braid bread from King Arthur Flour website for quite a while now! Tell me is not beautiful http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/crunchy-seed-braid-recipe
Yummy! I think I want to stash those in the icebox & get that frosting a bit chilled! Looks yummy!
A very beautiful cupcake! Love those cupcake liners too.
wow I had no idea they had such a vast recipe collection…especially with such good reviews! I’m eyeing the velvet pound cake recipe!
I tried to branch out but the Cheddar Cheese and Scallion Scones and the Triple Cinnamon Scones are calling my name. I have to go with the favorites.
I like The Three Little Piglets on FB
I like King Arthur Flour on FB
Sorry I missed the contest.
King Arthur Flour always gets my vote. That is all I use when baking. BTW, their hot buttered pretzels look pretty tasty on the website.
I’m a fan of King Arthur products too, and they have great recipes that I’ve made like an easy whole wheat bread.
Following The Three Little Pigletts
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