There’s something about winter that makes me crave color and brightness — the way sunlight hits a window, or how a bowl of fresh cranberries looks against a wooden table. These cupcakes kind of capture that feeling. They’re soft and sweet, but the orange and cranberry together just wake you up. It’s like sunshine in the middle of December.
The first time I made them, it wasn’t for a big occasion. Just a gray Sunday when I wanted to bake something that felt like the holidays without going full gingerbread-house mode. The smell that filled the kitchen — butter, vanilla, and that bright orange zest — honestly made the whole house feel alive again.
And I’ll say this: these cupcakes aren’t fancy. They don’t need to be. They’re the kind of treat you hand to someone with a mug of coffee or cocoa, still slightly warm, frosting just barely holding its shape. The cranberries bring this little burst of tartness that cuts through the creamy frosting perfectly — like a balance between cozy and crisp.
If you decorate them with a bit of sparkling sugar or a tiny white chocolate snowflake, they look like something you’d find at a Christmas market. But even plain, they taste like a snowy morning and orange light through the curtains.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 orange
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped
For the frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1–2 tbsp orange juice (for texture)
Optional garnish:
- Sparkling sugar, edible glitter, or sugared cranberries
- White chocolate snowflake decorations
Directions
- Preheat the oven.
Set it to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. - Mix the dry stuff.
In one bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. - Cream the butter and sugar.
In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy — that’s where the air and softness start. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla and orange zest. It should smell like a dream at this point. - Combine it all.
Mix in half of the dry ingredients, then pour in the orange juice and sour cream. Stir, then add the rest of the flour mixture. Fold in the chopped cranberries gently — little ruby specks in golden batter. - Bake.
Divide evenly into cupcake liners and bake for about 18–20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are lightly golden. Let them cool — patience is key before frosting. - Make the frosting.
Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, then vanilla and orange juice until it’s silky but thick enough to hold a swirl. - Frost and decorate.
Spread or pipe frosting over cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with sugar or top with little decorations if you want them to sparkle.
Recipe FAQs
1. Can I use dried cranberries instead of fresh?
You can! Just soak them in warm orange juice or water for about 10 minutes first it softens them and brings back some juiciness.
2. My frosting is too soft — what can I do?
Pop it in the fridge for 10–15 minutes, then re-whip it. Cream cheese frosting softens fast, especially in a warm kitchen.
3. Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes. The cupcakes can be baked a day ahead and stored covered at room temperature. Frost them the day you serve — they’ll look and taste fresher.
4. What if I don’t have sour cream or yogurt?
You can use buttermilk or even a mix of milk with a spoonful of lemon juice. The tangy flavor helps balance the sweetness.
5. How long do they keep?
They stay soft and lovely for about 3 days in the fridge, but honestly, they rarely last that long.
When you bite into one of these cupcakes, you get that mix of citrus brightness and soft, buttery sweetness — like cranberry sauce and orange marmalade had a perfect little winter baby. They’re cheerful, they’re comforting, and they just feel right. Not too sweet, not too fancy, just something that makes a cold day warmer.
Cranberry Orange Snowflake Cupcakes
4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalIngredients
*For the cupcakes:*
* 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
* 1 ½ tsp baking powder
* ¼ tsp salt
* ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
* ¾ cup granulated sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* Zest of 1 orange
* ½ cup fresh orange juice
* ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
* ½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped
*For the frosting:*
* 8 oz cream cheese, softened
* ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
* 3 cups powdered sugar
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1–2 tbsp orange juice (for texture)
*Optional garnish:*
* Sparkling sugar, edible glitter, or sugared cranberries
* White chocolate snowflake decorations
Directions
- *Preheat the oven.*
- Set it to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- *Mix the dry stuff.*
- In one bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- *Cream the butter and sugar.*
- In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy — that’s where the air and softness start. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla and orange zest. It should smell like a dream at this point.
- *Combine it all.*
- Mix in half of the dry ingredients, then pour in the orange juice and sour cream. Stir, then add the rest of the flour mixture. Fold in the chopped cranberries gently — little ruby specks in golden batter.
- *Bake.*
- Divide evenly into cupcake liners and bake for about 18–20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are lightly golden. Let them cool — patience is key before frosting.
- *Make the frosting.*
- Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, then vanilla and orange juice until it’s silky but thick enough to hold a swirl.
- *Frost and decorate.*
- Spread or pipe frosting over cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with sugar or top with little decorations if you want them to sparkle.
