Instructions

CAKE

1. Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together with a
2. wire whisk.
3. Add the remaining cake ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2
4. minutes.
5. Pour into cupcake liners in cupcake pans, filling each pan a little over
6. half full.
7. Lightly tap cake pans on counter to bring air bubbles to top.
8. Bake in preheated 325° F oven until cake tests done.
9. Baking time is about 30 minutes. Check at 20 minutes just to be on the
10. safe side.
11. Cool completely.

FILLING

1. Mix all filling ingredients in mixer.

GRAND MARINER BUTTERCREAM

1. Pour 1/2 inch water into a large skillet and bring the water to a
2. simmer; reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar, egg whites, and
4. water. Place the bowl in the skillet of water and whisk gently until the
5. mixture reaches 160 F on an instant read candy thermometer. Transfer the
6. bowl to the mixer stand and, using the whisk attachment, beat at medium-high
7. speed until the meringue is cool and forms stiff, shiny peaks, about 5
8. minutes.
9. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in the butter 1 tablespoon at a
10. time. Beat in the vanilla extract, orange oil and orange liqueur and beat at
11. high speed until the buttercream is smooth, about 1 minute.

CANDIED ORANGE PEEL

1. Using a sharp paring knife, remove the peel of each orange in vertical
2. strips, trying not to include any of the bitter white pith. If any of the
3. pith remains, place each strip, pith side up, on a cutting board and use the
4. paring knife, with the blade parallel to the board, to carefully slide it
5. off. Cut the zest into fine julienne strips.
6. Half fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Add the
7. strips of zest, reduce the heat to a simmer, and simmer for about 15
8. minutes. Drain and rinse the zest.
9. In the same saucepan, combine the sugar, water and cream of tartar and
10. bring to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar. Add the zest,
11. cover the pan, and reduce the heat to low. Let the zest simmer for another
12. minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cool completely.
13. The zest can be stored in its syrup in an airtight container for up to a
14. month. When you are ready to use it, drain well and toss it in the
15. granulated sugar, breaking up any lumps of sugar with you hands. Spread the
16. zest out on a baking sheet and let dry at room temperature for at least 2
17. hours before using.

ASSEMBLY

1. Fit a pastry bag with tip #12, fill the bag with the filling. Press tip
2. into the middle of each cupcake and pipe desired amount of filling into
3. each.
4. Frost cooled cupcake tops with Grand Marnier Buttercream and garnish
5. with Candied Orange Peel.
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