Page 98 - Cupcakes

24 paper liners for cupcake pans (2½-inch size)

CUPCAKES:

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix
1 cup orange juice, purchased or fresh

⅔ cup ricotta cheese or unflavored yogurt (see “the Cupcake Doctor says”)
⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoons orange marmalade (see “the Cupcake Doctor says”)

⅓ cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs

MARMALADE BUTTERCREAM:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 heaping tablespoon orange marmalade

2½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice, purchased or fresh

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24
cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.

2. Prepare the cupcake batter: Place the cake mix, orange juice, ricotta, ⅓ cup of
the orange marmalade, oil, and the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an
electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down
the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium
and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter
should look thick and well combined. Spoon or scoop ⅓ cup batter into each
lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. (You will get between
22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.

the CupcakeDoctor says...

I used a good supermarket orange marmalade in this recipe, but you can use
whatever citrus marmalades you have on your shelf. A bit of almond extract
(½ teaspoon) turns this into an orange-almond cupcake. And what, you may