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Cupcakes with Candied Fennel

Funfetti Fennel Cupcakes

Shri Repp
Funfetti fennel cupcakes with whipped honey orange buttercream! This recipe  uses saunf mitai or candied fennel seeds for a flavor packed twist to the traditional funfetti cake.
5 from 1 vote
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Cook Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
 

Frosting Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar 250g
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • ¼ cup full fat sour cream

Cupcakes Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups (200 g) all-purpose flour 200g
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • ½ cup (134 g) whole milk 134g
  • ¼ cup (56 g) freshly squeezed orange juice 56g
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 whole (125 g) egg
  • 2 egg whites
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar 150g
  • ⅓ cup sugar-coated fennel seeds plus more to sprinkle on top

Instructions
 

Ingredient prep

  1. Take out 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature) for the frosting and ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature) for the cake and keep out at room temperature

Make Frosting

  1. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature) and 2 cups powdered sugar together. First start the mixer on slow until the sugar is incorporated with butter and then increase speed to high for 3 minutes until the butter is light and fluffy.
  2. Add in ¼ cup honey, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon orange zest, ¼ cup full fat sour cream and mix until combined.

Make Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Line the cupcake pan with liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon sea salt together. In another bowl, mix the ½ cup whole milk, ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice, and 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
  3. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fastened, add ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)and ¾ cup granulated sugar and beat at medium speed for 3 minutes until the butter is light and fluffy. You may need to stop to scrape down the bowl frequently to keep the butter close in contact with the mixer. 
  4. Reduce the stand mixer speed to low, slowly add 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites, and beat for another 2-3 minutes until the egg and butter mixture are emulsified (mixed together as one). Scrape down the bowl once more.
  5. While the stand mixer is still running on low, add half the dry ingredients followed by the wet ingredients, and then the remaining dry ingredients. Mix just until the batter comes together and there are no more remaining dry pockets.
  6. Scrape down the bowl once more and fold in the ⅓ cup sugar-coated fennel seeds using a spatula.
  7. Fill each cupcake tin ¾ of the way to the top with batter. This should be roughly ¼ cup (75g) of batter per cupcake. 
  8. Bake cupcakes for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
  10. Spread frosting on cake as desired and sprinkle with additional sugar coated fennel seeds.
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Notes and Tips

  • Beating the butter and sugar is a method called creaming. Many bakers tend to not cream the butter enough but it really helps result in an ultra fluffy cake. It is very very important that your butter is at room temperature before creaming otherwise it will be very difficult to whip.
  • Make sure to fold the fennel seeds into the batter rather than using the stand mixer so you gently distribute the seeds.
  • You use a ¼ of measuring cup or a cookie scooper to evenly distribute batter to your cupcake tins! Make sure to either grease your cupcake tins or use cupcake liners.
Did you make this recipe?Tag @moonriceshri so I can see your amazing creation!