Orange Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

Orange Muffins and Cream Cheese Frosting

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients: 

Muffins: 

250g plain flour
2.5 tsp baking powder
150g caster sugar
zest from 1-2 oranges
75ml extra virgin olive oil
1 large egg (approx 70g)
65g Greek Yoghurt
60ml milk
120ml fresh orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract 

Frosting: 

75g butter, room temperature
125g cream cheese, room temperature
175g icing sugar
1 tbsp poppy seeds

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease a 12-hole muffin pan with butter. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar and orange zest. 

In another bowl, whisk together the yoghurt,  orange juice, milk, egg, olive oil and vanilla extract. 

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in. Whisk everything together until the dry ingredients are just combined. Don’t overbeat the mixture, otherwise you’ll end up with tough muffins. 

Divide the batter between the muffin pan holes – it will fill almost to the top. 

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes but start checking at 15 minutes and depending on your oven, you may have to rotate half way to ensure even browning. The muffins are ready when the center springs back when touched or when a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. 

Allow the muffins to cool completely on a baking rack. 

To prepare the frosting, place the butter in a stand mixer bowl and with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for a few minutes on medium speed till it’s light and airy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add in the cream cheese. Beat the cream cheese in, till it’s just incorporated. Sift the icing sugar into the bowl and beat again till it’s just incorporated. Fold through the poppy seeds. 

To decorate the muffins, pipe the frosting on top of the cooled muffins. Top with small thin wedges of orange. 

Note: These muffins will need to be kept in the fridge if you’re not eating them within a few hours. If you’re serving them from the fridge, allow it to sit on the bench for 15 minutes before serving.