Honey-Cornmeal Cupcakes with Honey Buttercream Frosting
Makes 18
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup sugar
1 cup honey, plus more for drizzling
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup plain yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅔ cup whole buttermilk
Honey Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer at medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Gradually add honey, beating until combined. Beat in orange zest and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Spoon batter into prepared muffins cups, filling each two-thirds full.
4. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.
Spread Honey Buttercream Frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
