Pineapple Orange Cupcakes

Some friends and I recently went on a girls' weekend, where one of the evenings served as a bachelorette party for one of the gals, who is getting married in October.  Because this friend eats gluten free, I wanted to make a cupcake that she could enjoy.  I won't be able to post the FINAL cupcake, because it includes a decoration that isn't exactly safe for work. sorry!  I love the flavor of the cupcakes, and the icing is also really good.  It's a sunny cream cheese frosting, but these would do just as well with a traditional buttercream.  This wonderful recipe was created by Lisa and Tim at Gluten Free Canteen

Adapted (to omit alcohol) from Gluten Free Canteen:

Cupcakes
7 oz. (by weight) sugar
Zest of one orange
Zest of one lemon
3 oz. (by weight) superfine brown rice flour
3 oz. (by weight) superfine white rice flour
1 oz (by weight) tapioca flour/starch
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
6 oz. (by weight) unsalted butter, nearly room temperature
3 oz. buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, you can make it with 1 tbsp. lemon juice to nearly 1 c. milk)
1 tbsp. pineapple juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. orange extract
3 tbsp. crushed pineapple, drained (I reserved the juice for the juice in this recipe and the frosting)

Icing
3 oz. unsalted butter
8 oz. (one brick) cream cheese, cold and broken into chunks
16 oz. powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. orange extract
3 tbsp. pineapple juice

1.  Preheat to 350F, line muffin tins with paper or foil liners.
2.  Weigh sugar and mix lemon and orange zest into the sugar with clean hands.  Allow about 15 minutes for flavors to infuse into sugar.

3.  Weigh and whisk flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.

4.  In bowl of stand mixer, combine sugar and butter.  Mix until fluffy.

5.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.

6.  Add buttermilk, orange extract, vanilla, and pineapple juice and mix.

7.  Reduce mixer speed to low, and add flour gradually until incorporated.

8.  Fold crushed pineapple into batter.

9.  Fill liners about 3/4 of the way full and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.  Reduce to 325 and bake for an additional 14-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center is clean.

10.  Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

To Frost/Ice

1.  Mix sifted powder sugar and cubed butter until mixture resembles crumbs.

2.  Add pieces of cream cheese and mix on medium until cream cheese is incorporated.

3.  Mix orange extract, vanilla, and pineapple juice with mixer on high speed until frosting is smooth.

4.  Spread or pipe onto cupcakes and chill.  Serve at room temperature.


I was pretty happy with the way these turned out.  My non-GF husband remarked that it was a very pleasant taste, but the texture wasn't quite the same as a cupcake.  He described it as being somewhat like a cross between very moist cornbread and sponge cake.  I agree with that estimation.  It's not quite the same, but I really enjoyed it.  I would definitely make these again.  Again, I have to give credit for this recipe to Gluten Free Canteen, who have an awesome website and have been cooking and baking gluten free for many years.  People like them, who have been doing it for awhile, make it easier for those of us who are new to the lifestyle to make it!