Cranberry-Orange Cupcakes

A lovely combination of cranberry and orange. Thank you Lady Behind the Curtain

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh cranberries or 1-1/2 cups dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.
• Combine rind, juice, oil, and egg in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk.  Add to flour mixture, stirring  just until moist.  
• Fold in cranberries and walnuts.  
• Spoon batter into 16 cupcake cups lined with paper liners.  
• Bake for 15 minutes or until the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched in the center.  
• Cool 10 minutes in cupcake tin and transfer to a cooling rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting 

1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
5-1/2 to 6 cups powdered sugar

• Allow cream cheese and butter to stand a t room temperature for 30 minutes. 
•  In a large mixing bowl beat butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until light and fluffy.  
• Gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency.  
• Makes about 3 1/2 cups

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 of the cream cheese frosting
2 teaspoons orange gelatin
1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
few drops of orange food colouring or gel food colouring, optional

• Take half of  the cream cheese frosting and mix in the orange gelatin, orange peel and food colouring.  
• Put in a large piping bag on one side.  Leave room on the other side for the cranberry cream cheese frosting.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 of the cream cheese frosting
2 Tablespoons cranberry juice
additional confectioners’ sugar
few drops of red food colouring or gel food colouring, optional

• Take the other half of the cream cheese frosting and mix in the cranberry juice and food colouring.  
• Add additional confectioners’ sugar until the frosting reaches a piping consistency.  
• Put in a large piping bag on the opposite side of the orange cream cheese frosting. 
•  Pipe on the swirl frosting.