Orange Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

Another cupcake recipe from the amazing Annies Eats.  I loved the flavour combination of these, and the frosting was amazing, although I was a tiny bit dissapointed with the cupcakes because they ended up being a little more dense and muffin like in texture than I wanted them to be. 

4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp grated orange zest
2 plumped vanilla beans
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Vanilla bean frosting

3 sticks plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3 cups icing sugar
2 plumped vanilla beans
2 tbsp heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 and line cupcake pans with liners.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking powder and salt.

In a measuring jug combine the orange juice, cream and vanilla.

In the bowl of an electric mixer add the butter and sugar and scrape the seeds from the plumped vanilla beans and add those to the bowl, with the orange zest.  Beat for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Add in the eggs one at a time.

In 3 additions add the dry ingredients, alternating with the wet ingredients, mix until combined.  Fill each liner 3/4 full and bake for 22 minutes.

To make the frosting beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth. Add the icing sugar and beat until combined.  Mix in the scraped vanilla seeds and the salt, and the heavy cream, beat on medium high for 4 minutes.