Cranberry Orange Cupcakes

5 from 1 vote

These cupcakes are made with fresh cranberries and get their lovely citrus flavor from orange zest and orange soda. Then topped with a lowfat cream cheese frosting and sugared cranberries. Plus, they’re gluten free!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Inactive Time 20

Total Time 50

Servings cupcakes

Calories 409kcal

Author Lise Sullivan Ode

Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter softened
¼ cup +2 tablespoons granulated stevia
¼ cup +2 tablespoons organic cane juice
4 large eggs
2 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend recipe follows
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup orange soda use diet if preferred
1 cup cranberries
1 orange zested

FOR THE GLUTEN FREE FLOUR BLEND*

2 cups brown rice flour 244g
½ cup arrowroot 60g
⅓ cup tapioca starch 38g
1 teaspoon xanthan gum

FOR THE FROSTING

12 ounces lowfat cream cheese
¼ cup +2 tablespoons organic cane sugar

FOR THE SUGARED CRANBERRIES

½ cup granulated sugar plus more to coat the cranberries
½ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh cranberries
Garnish with mint leaves if desired

Instructions

For the muffins

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, add all of the dry ingredients. Stir to combine. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and stevia by hand with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs and orange zest. Stir until combined. It will be a bit lumpy. Add the dry ingredients & orange soda. Stir just until smooth. Fold in 1 cup cranberries.
Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Let cool.
Meanwhile make the sugared cranberries.
In a large saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a simmer stirring until dissolved. Turn off the heat and add the cranberries tossing with a wooden spoon to coat. Allow the cranberries to sit in the simple syrup for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
Allow the cranberries to dry for 20-30 minutes. Pour some sugar in a shallow dish and roll the cranberries in the sugar to coat completely. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment and allow to dry completely, approximately 1 hour.

For the frosting

With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until completely smooth. Place in a pastry bag with a ½" round tip and pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
Garnish with sugared cranberries and mint leaves, if desired.

Notes

Whisk together gluten free flour blend and use 2 ¼ cup of the mixture for this recipe

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