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!
I think I would make everything on their stie! But, one recipe that stuck out is the rocky road bars!
I like KAF on FB!
I like TLP on FB too!
The chocolate blackout cakes phenomenal
I would love to try the Stuffed Focaccia!
I like King Arthur on Facebook!
I already like you on Facebook!
Tweeted here: https://twitter.com/#!/DistractedDebra/status/200454011269296128
Shared on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/easily.debra/posts/273119006118546
I like making cupcakes but I never really paid particular attention to the flour that I use. I use whatever it is in the recipe, otherwise, plain AP flour suits me just fine. Not till, I saw how full these cupcakes are. I will definitely be reading labels from now on =)
I have been wanting to try The Easiest Pizza You’ll Ever Make, just haven’t gotten around to it yet. I’ve also heard good things about the dough whisk. Would love to win this fantastic giveaway!
I am now following you on Facebook
I follow the Three Little Pigs via email.
I like King Arthur on Facebook
I already was following KAF on Facebook. Love their products!
I like The Three Little Piglets on Facebook
I tweeted! https://twitter.com/#!/1MommaMary/status/200541480845197312
I think I will try the cinnamon-streusel coffeecake for our Mother’s Day brunch! Sounds amazing.
Not much creativity, but I shared this on fb https://www.facebook.com/1MommaMary/posts/431092483569347
Yummy looking cupcakes – I would make their mini lemon tarts!
I follow The Three Little Piglets via e-mail.
What a great giveaway! And your cupcakes are GORGEOUS!!! I follow you via RSS feed
I subscribed via e-mail.
I’m a FB fan of KA~
I’m a FB fan of you, too!
I tweeted the giveaway @ icywit
I tweeted your giveaway~
I am a facebook fan of King Arthur Flour – and a good customer!
I shared your giveaway on FB, too~
I “liked” The Three Little Piglets on Facebook.
Jen,
These cupcakes look so inviting at 6:45 Am. I want one now! gorgeous frosting, and I love Creamsicles, especially Creamsicle cupcakes:)
I “like” you on FB.
Great post, very informative…thanks for sharing the info. I would love to try King Arthur’s fudge brownies recipe, it looks and sounds very tasty!
Creamsicles were my favorite!! I’ll bet these cupcakes will taste just like how I remember them, too. They’re gorgeous!
p.s. I already “like” you on Facebook
I also like King Arthur flour on FB.
I would like to make the Grand Prize Coconut-Caramel bars
Oh, I am very familiar with the KA website!
Mrs. Humphries scones are next on my list.
I love King Arthur Flour and their website! The recipe I have saved on their site to try is Hi Hat Cupcakes. They look so fun but I just haven’t gotten up the nerve to dip frosting in melted chocolate yet!
I am a new groupie to your Facebook Page – so glad that I found it!
I have “liked” King Arthur’s Facebook page for some time now! They do such a great job showing off recipes!
I have printed out their recipe for Gruyere Stuffed Crusty loaves and hope to make them soon. I’m a believer in King Arthur flours and yeast. Thanks for the chance to win!
I follow Three Little Piglets by email! Thanks!
I like you on Facebook. Thanks!
I like King Arthur Flour on Facebook. Thanks to all for the chance to win!
I have always wanted to make their hot dog buns….but then I’d have to buy their hot dog pan, too
I need a bigger kitchen.
This was an easy one. I would make pizza. I would also eat a couple of those tasty cupcakes, yumm.
I already follow you via e-mail.
Liked King Arthur on facebook.
I am following KAF on FB
I am following Three little pigs on FB