Sprinkles Cupcakes and Intero Restaurant in Austin, TX team up to test a new recipe for Italian Orange Cupcakes with Caramel.

Mandarin Olive Oil Cake Recipe

Sprinkles Cupcakes and Intero Restaurant in Austin, TX team up to test a new recipe for Italian Orange Cupcakes with Caramel.

Mandarin Olive Oil Cake Recipe

Ingredients

  • 12 oz EVOO
  • 1 ¼ lb SUGAR
  • 1 cup 2 Tbsp EGG WHITES
  • ¾ oz MANDARIN ORANGE ZEST
  • PREP IN SEPARATE CONTAINER
  • ¾ tsp BAKING SODA
  • ½ tsp SALT
  • 1 lb 5 oz FLOUR
  • 1 Tbsp BAKING POWDER
  • ¾ tsp BAKING SODA
  • ½ tsp SALT
  • PREP IN SEPARATE CONTAINER
  • 1 cup BUTTERMILK
  • 2 ¼ tsp VANILLA
  • 6 oz CONCENTRATED OJ -or- 24 oz of mandarin orange juice reduced to 6 oz, then chilled

Directions

  • Place olive oil, sugar, vanilla and zest in the bowl.
  • Start mixer on speed #1 for 1:00.
  • Stop mixer and scrape off paddle.
  • Start mixer on speed #2 for 2:00.
  • Stop mixer.
  • Add egg whites.
  • Start mixer on speed #1 for 0:20.
  • Increase speed to #2 for 0:40.
  • Stop mixer and lower bowl.
  • Scrape the bowl and paddle.
  • Start mixer on speed #2 for 1:00.
  • Stop mixer.
  • Add the flour/leavening mixture.
  • Start mixer on speed #1 (or stir if available) for 0:40.
  • Increase speed to #2 for 0:20.
  • Stop mixer and add buttermilk mixture.
  • Start mixer on stir for 0:40.
  • Increase speed to #1 for 0:40.
  • Stop mixer and lower bowl.
  • Scrape the bowl and paddle.
  • Start mixer on speed #2 for 0:20.
  • Stop mixer and lower bowl.
  • Remove paddle.
  • Pre-heat your oven to the appropriate temperature for your style oven (Oven set to 325F (standard), or 300F (convection)
  • Place your paper liners into the cupcake pan.
  • Fill the cupcake liners about ¾ full of batter
  • Lightly spray top of cupcake pan with olive oil
  • Place on center rack of oven, and set timer for 15 minutes
  • At 15 minutes, gently turn cupcake pan and return to center rack, and set timer for 8 minutes
  • At 8 minutes check cupcakes by touching the centers gently. If done the cupcake will spring back nicely, if it doesn’t, return to oven and check at 1 minute intervals.
  • When done bring the cupcakes to stove top and let cool until you can handle them, then pull the cupcakes from pan to work surface and let the cupcakes continue to cool to room temperature.

White Chocolate Cream Cheese

Ingredients

  • 7 ¼ oz CREAM CHEESE (room temperature)
  • 5 oz UNSALTED BUTTER (room temperature)
  • ½ tsp VANILLA EXTRACT
  • 1 pinch SEA SALT
  • 1 ¼ lb POWDERED SUGAR
  • 5 oz MELTED WHITE CHOCOLATE –
  • VERY WARM
  • 1 ¼ tsp MILK (room temperature)

Directions

  • Place butter, cream cheese and salt into the bowl.
  • Start mixer on speed #1 for 0:30 (use the paddle attachment).
  • Increase speed to #2 for 1:30.
  • Stop mixer, scrape paddle, and add vanilla.
  • Start mixer on speed #1 for 0:40.
  • Stop mixer and lower bowl.
  • Add 1/2 of powdered sugar.
  • Start mixer on stir for 1:00.
  • Increase speed to #1 for 0:25.
  • Stop mixer and lower bowl.
  • Add the second 1/2 of powdered sugar.
  • Start mixer on stir for 1:00.
  • Increase speed to #1 for 0:25.
  • Stop mixer and lower bowl.
  • Stop mixer and scrape off any powdered sugar from the paddle.
  • Start mixer on speed #1 for 0:20.
  • Stop mixer and lower bowl.
  • Add melted white chocolate.
  • Start mixer on speed #1 for 0:35.
  • Stop mixer and lower bowl.
  • Scrape the paddle and the bottom of the bowl as fast as possible.
  • Start mixer on speed #2 for 0:25.
  • Stop mixer and add whole milk.
  • Start mixer on stir for 0:10.
  • Increase speed to #1 for 0:20.
  • Stop mixer and lower the bowl.
  • Scrape the paddle and bowl very well.
  • Start mixer on speed #1 for 0:20.
  • Stop mixer and place frosting into a piping bag or into a smaller bowl for frosting.

If you want to go the extra mile and core your cupcakes and add caramel, check out this caramel recipe to create the perfect consistency.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Prep & Ingredients

Made-In 8qt Stock Pot
• Heat Resistant Silicone Spatula
• Measuring Cups & Spoons
• Large Mixing Bowl or Container *for an Ice Bath Set Up
• Glass or Heat Safe Plastic Container *to Hold Finished Caramel
• 6 C Granulated Sugar
• 3 TBSP Salt
• 2 TBSP Lemon Juice (Or amount of juice from one small lemon)
• 1⁄2 Lb Unsalted Butter (Cut into quarters)
• 1 Pint Heavy Cream
• *Water to Cover

Directions

  • Place sugar in large cooking pot and gently add just enough water just to cover (if sugar splashes up on the sides, brush it down with a pastry brush or wet cloth) Add lemon Juice and turn to Medium-High Heat on stove- Cook until Dark Amber in color to around 350 degrees. (lightly swirl the sugar around to even out the color & cooking if it seems to be building more on one side…color will lighten up after ingredients are added.)
  • Once sugar is at desired color, turn off heat and slowly add in the butter – Stir gently until fully melted
  • Add Salt, stir until dissolved.
  • Cream: Carefully & Slowly, add in 3 parts- Sugar will bubble up- stir in until well incorporated.
  • Turn heat back on to Medium and cook to simmer for 3-5min.
  • To Cool- Place pot on “ice bath” using a large mixing bowl with ice in it.
  • Store in fridge, and to use: warm desired amount on stove, or let it sit ut a couple hours before.
  • When you’re ready to incorporate into your cupcake, core the cooled cupcake with an apple core and fill a piping bag with the cooled caramel.
  • Fill the cupcake hole to the top of the cupcake with caramel and lightly tap the cupcake on the counter to help settle the caramel. Once it settles, fill to the top once more.

Finishing Step

  • Frost the cupcake with the White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, and finish with the pistachio dust; we gently hand apply it to the rim, but you can sprinkle over the top if you like as well.