Orange Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

Line muffin tins with 18 cupcake liners. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Combine the milk and orange juice in a measuring cup and set aside. Cream the unsalted butter, sugar, and zest in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, combining well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Next, add the milk/orange juice mixture and the flour mixture, alternately, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Evenly scoop the batter into the pre-lined muffin tins. Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the cupcakes. Cool completely. Makes 18 cupcakes.

For the frosting, combine the sifted powdered sugar, salted butter, vanilla, and half of the half-and-half in a large bowl. Mix until almost combined. Add the rest of the half-and-half and combine well. Frosts 18–24 cupcakes. If you feel the frosting is too sweet, just add a pinch of salt to balance out the sweetness.

Decorate with orange sprinkles and/or white pearl nonpareils after frosting your cupcakes.

Enjoy!