Orange Cupcakes With Green Pine Needles Frosting

Cupcakes: (adapted from Recipezaar)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2/3 tsp backing powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
zest of one orange
1 egg

Sift flour, salt and backing powder in a bowl. Add 7/8 cup sugar, oil, milk and beat with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add orange juice, zest, egg yolk and beat for another minute.

In another bowl beat egg white with the remaining sugar (1/8 cup), and then carefully fold it with a spoon into the dough.

Bake in a preheated oven on 180°C for about 15-20 minutes, or until cupcakes are done.

Frosting:

1 egg white
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup of green pine needles syrup

Beat the egg white with salt and set aside. Boil syrup for just a few minutes.

While syrup is still hot, pour it carefully into the egg whites while beating with an electric mixer constantly. When the mass start looking like a meringue it's done and then frost the cupcakes (do not wait frosting to dry out).

Note: This is a part of Weekend herb blogging event, this week hosted by The Houndstooth Gourmet.

More cupcakes recipes:

Hibiscus marshmallow cupcakes

Chicory cupcakes