Orange Crumble Cupcake
These Orange Crumble Cupcakes are light, fluffy, and bursting with fresh orange flavor. Topped with a buttery brown sugar crumble, they bake into soft cupcakes with a tender crumb and a delicious crisp topping. They’re easy to make using simple pantry ingredients and are perfect for afternoon tea, brunch, or whenever you’re craving a citrusy homemade treat.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or serving with tea and coffee.
- Soft, moist cupcakes with fresh orange flavor.
- A buttery crumble topping adds a delicate crunch.
- Made with simple pantry ingredients.
- Ready in about 30 minutes.
Things I Learned While Testing This Recipe
- Use fresh orange zest for the best citrus flavor.
- Mix the batter just until combined to keep the cupcakes light and tender.
- Make sure the butter for the crumble is well incorporated so the topping bakes evenly.
- These cupcakes taste even better after they’ve cooled for about 20 minutes.
How to Keep these Cupcakes Tasting Good
Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They can also be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use bottled orange juice?
Fresh orange juice is recommended for the brightest flavor, but bottled juice will work if that’s what you have.
Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?
Yes. Bake them a day in advance and store them in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Can I freeze Orange Crumble Cupcakes?
Yes. Freeze the cooled cupcakes in a freezer-safe container for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Orange Crumble Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ of salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
For the Crumble
- 4 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg and sugar until light and creamy. Add the vanilla, orange zest, melted butter, vegetable oil, and orange juice. Mix until well combined.
- Pour in the milk and stir until incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold until just combined. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are perfectly fine.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over each cupcake.
- Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If you have tried this recipe, please share it and comment below.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
- Fresh orange zest gives these cupcakes their bright citrus aroma, while orange juice adds even more fresh flavor.
- Using both butter and oil creates cupcakes that are flavorful and stay moist.
Nutrition
☕ Perfect with Tea or Coffee
Serve these orange crumble cupcakes with these warm drinks and sweet treats for a cozy afternoon break.
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I love the colour and flavours of these crumble muffins. I would love one too.
Wow, nica seet tooth…
lovely citrusy cake can made my taste buds dance for sue
btw, my mom used to add some orange drink wowder too for her orange cupecake
I hate when I can’t sleep well. It makes the whole day so difficult. But a cupcake like this would definitely help! The orange flavor sounds so good!
These would definitely make me happy, they look fabulous. And you make them look so easy!
And I can’t wait to bake your perfect vanilla cupcake, I’m dreaming about it 🙂
We all have those nights, I do too often! It might be carbs and orange together that make us happy and for a moment everything goes back to normal. Looks amazing, Muna! Yummy pictures and that would go so well with my morning coffee.
Thanks dear 🙂
Orange cupcake with a cup of cold milk? yes please! 😀
Oh yes, a glass of cold milk will sure be refreshing too 😉
Ugh, I hate that kind of sleep! I always wake up feeling like my food didn’t digest after a really short nap! I spend the day feeling bloated, tired and basically very angry…
Then there is the opposite: falling asleep with your eyes open in the middle of the day (it’s a thing!) and then you shake yourself awake a bit and realize that you would do anything for your bed and some pj’s right now.
I read a really inspirational post the other day on another blog about the importance of sleep! Really woke me up…These crumble cupcakes look delicious however! Yummy 🙂
Sleeping is really important and if you don’t get enough of it, everything and anything turns annoying!
Hi Muna, the receipe sounds great…i was just searching for cupcakes with orange zest after having one from my kids kindergarten. It was sooo goood. Can you lease tell whether you have used store brought packed orange juice or home made and also where to buy orange zest? Thanks
Sindhu, the orange juice as homemade and I used fresh orange zest.