Zucchini Orange Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

If you have a garden, chances are you have a bunch of zucchini and you’re looking for great recipes to put it to good use. Shredded Zucchini and orange juice are the stars of these cupcakes. The zucchini almost dissolves into the batter while it bakes. You will love this recipe!

What you need to make Zucchini Cupcakes:

eggs
sugar
vegetable oil
orange juice
almond extract
flour
cinnamon
baking powder
baking soda
salt
cloves
shredded zucchini

For the Frosting:

brown sugar
butter or margarine
milk
vanilla
confectioners sugar

How to make Zucchini Cupcakes:

Combine wet ingredients: In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, oil orange juice and extract.
Combine dry ingredients and mix with wet: Combine dry ingredients and add to the egg mixture and mix well. Add zucchini and mix well.
Line pan: Fill paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full of the cake batter.
Bake: Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cupcakes test done.
Cool: Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

For the Frosting:

Mix ingredients: Combine brown sugar, butter and milk.
Heat: Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook and stir for 2 full minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
Cool and add sugar: Cool to lukewarm and gradually beat in the powdered sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency.
Frost and serve: Frost cupcakes. Makes about 1 ½ dozen.

How to store Zucchini Orange Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting:

Keep these cupcakes stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They also taste great cooled in the fridge. They will last around five days!

The best way to shred zucchini:

We find that the best and most simple way to shred zucchini is just with a box grater. It shreds it into the perfect size and is so quick and easy. Plus you most likely have a grater on hand!

Healthier cupcake recipe:

While this recipe isn’t completely healthy, it is a better option than most cupcakes. This is a semi-healthy recipe with zucchini and orange juice. If it wasn’t for all the regular cupcake ingredients…dang it!

5 from 1 vote

Zucchini Orange Cupcakes with caramel frosting

Delicious Zucchini Orange cupcakes packed with lots of grated zucchini and topped with a sweet Caramel Frosting.

Author Kami | NoBiggie.net

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

3 eggs
1 1/3 cups sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup orange juice
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cloves
1 ½ cups shredded zucchini

For the Frosting

1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ to 2 cups confectioners sugar

Instructions

For the Cupcakes

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, oil orange juice and extract.
Combine dry ingredients; add to the egg mixture and mix well. Add zucchini and mix well.
Fill paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cupcakes test done.
Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

For the Frosting

Combine brown sugar, butter and milk.
Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook and stir for 2 full minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
Cool to lukewarm and gradually beat in the powdered sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency.
Frost cupcakes. Makes about 1 ½ dozen.

Making This Recipe? Tag us on Instagram: @NoBiggie using the hashtag #NoBiggieRecipes, so we can see what you are making in the kitchen!

More delicious cupcake recipes that we LOVE:

I need to talk about my sweet mom for a minute. She loves to cook, and all of us have greatly benefited from her love of cooking. Whenever she knows we are coming up for dinner, she invites me to bring my camera along so that I can blog a recipe she’s making. She’s so nice like that. I’m so thankful for her. Most of the great recipes I’ve shared here are family favorites that she’s shared with me. I have to laugh at this cartoon she had at her house while we made these cupcakes together. It’s exactly how I feel…my poor husband. (funny)