Orange-Rosemary Cupcakes

As we get closer to our vacation, the goal is to empty our fridge as much as possible. That last lonely orange sacrificed its zest for this recipe, and my husband now has a naked orange in his lunch. (Yes, I know he peels the orange anyways.) I snipped the rosemary from our garden, and that's the story of these cupcakes from Betty Crocker Big Book of Cupcakes.

My husband said he didn't really taste the rosemary, but I definitely picked out the flavor. Perhaps that's because I ate the bottom of my cupcake first, so it wasn't covered up by the delicious orange frosting. This is an orange cupcake with just a hint of rosemary.

Orange-Rosemary Cupcakes
Cupcakes
2 1/3 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. rosemary, finely minced
2 tsp. orange zest
2/3 cup milk
Orange Buttercream Frosting
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tsp. orange zest
4 cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 Tbsp. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line pans with 24 cupcake liners. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, beat butter 30 seconds on medium speed. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating until well blended. Beat an additional 2 minutes after all sugar is added. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla, orange zest and rosemary.

Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk on low, starting and ending with the flour mixture.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full, and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes in the pans and then completely on wire racks.

To make frosting, beat butter until creamy. Then beat in orange juice and zest. Gradually stir in powdered sugar. Beat in cream, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Spread frosting on cupcakes. Makes 24 cupcakes.