Great British Baking ShowAlum Giuseppe Dell'Anno's Orange Cupcakes Are 'the Easiest Treats' He's Ever Made

Mar. 15, 2025

Giuseppe Dell’Anno’s Orange Cupcakes.Photo:JENNIFER CAUSEYGiuseppe Dell’Anno’s orange cupcakes are worthy of aPaul Hollywoodhandshake.“Despite being super-simple to make, these cupcakes are extraordinarily flavorsome,” says theGreat British Baking Show2021 winner, who shares the Sicilian-inspired dessert in his cookbookGiuseppe’s Easy Bakes.Dell’Annosays the treats are one of “the easiest and quickest treats I have ever learned to bake. It takes just a few minutes to prepare the batter, which is made entirely in a food processor. There is nothing to whip or pipe so you will be left with very little washing-up to do.“The steps may be simple but the end result is anything but. “The high orange juice content gives the crumb unparalleled softness and the peel gives it a sophisticated kick,” says the Italian-born chef.Giuseppe Dell’Anno.Mark Bourdillon/NetflixBonus: “Your kitchen will smell amazing!” he adds.Use blood oranges for extra sweetness. “Their raspberry-like flavor will add extra depth and a nice reddish tint,” Dell’Anno says.Giuseppe Dell’Anno’s Orange Cupcakes2 large unwaxed seedless oranges, divided1¼ cups (about 8¾ oz.) superfine sugar2 extra-large eggs6 Tbsp. vegetable oil⅓ cup whole milk1 tsp. vanilla paste2 cups (about 8½ oz.) all-purpose flour2 tsp. baking powder⅛ tsp. table salt½ cup (2 oz.) powdered sugar1.Preheat oven to 350° with a rack in the center position. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners; set aside.2.Wash and dry oranges, and set one orange aside for later. Slice top and bottom ends off 1 orange, then roughly chop it. Place chopped orange in the bowl of a food processor; process to a pulp, about 1 minute. Add sugar, eggs, oil, milk and vanilla; process until mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Add flour, baking powder and salt; pulse to incorporate the dry ingredients, about 3 pulses. Scrape down sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, if necessary.3.Spoon or pour the batter into muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake in oven until tops are golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.4.Remove from oven, and let cool slightly in pan, about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, zest the reserved orange with a vegetable peeler, and slice zest into very thin strips. Squeeze zested orange; whisk together powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon juice in a small bowl until smooth, adding another teaspoon of juice if needed. Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over cupcakes; scatter thin strips of zest over cupcakes before the glaze sets.Makes:12Active time:20 minutesTotal time:1 hour, 45 minutes

Giuseppe Dell’Anno’s Orange Cupcakes.Photo:JENNIFER CAUSEY

JENNIFER CAUSEY

Giuseppe Dell’Anno’s orange cupcakes are worthy of aPaul Hollywoodhandshake.“Despite being super-simple to make, these cupcakes are extraordinarily flavorsome,” says theGreat British Baking Show2021 winner, who shares the Sicilian-inspired dessert in his cookbookGiuseppe’s Easy Bakes.Dell’Annosays the treats are one of “the easiest and quickest treats I have ever learned to bake. It takes just a few minutes to prepare the batter, which is made entirely in a food processor. There is nothing to whip or pipe so you will be left with very little washing-up to do.“The steps may be simple but the end result is anything but. “The high orange juice content gives the crumb unparalleled softness and the peel gives it a sophisticated kick,” says the Italian-born chef.Giuseppe Dell’Anno.Mark Bourdillon/NetflixBonus: “Your kitchen will smell amazing!” he adds.Use blood oranges for extra sweetness. “Their raspberry-like flavor will add extra depth and a nice reddish tint,” Dell’Anno says.Giuseppe Dell’Anno’s Orange Cupcakes2 large unwaxed seedless oranges, divided1¼ cups (about 8¾ oz.) superfine sugar2 extra-large eggs6 Tbsp. vegetable oil⅓ cup whole milk1 tsp. vanilla paste2 cups (about 8½ oz.) all-purpose flour2 tsp. baking powder⅛ tsp. table salt½ cup (2 oz.) powdered sugar1.Preheat oven to 350° with a rack in the center position. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners; set aside.2.Wash and dry oranges, and set one orange aside for later. Slice top and bottom ends off 1 orange, then roughly chop it. Place chopped orange in the bowl of a food processor; process to a pulp, about 1 minute. Add sugar, eggs, oil, milk and vanilla; process until mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Add flour, baking powder and salt; pulse to incorporate the dry ingredients, about 3 pulses. Scrape down sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, if necessary.3.Spoon or pour the batter into muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake in oven until tops are golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.4.Remove from oven, and let cool slightly in pan, about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, zest the reserved orange with a vegetable peeler, and slice zest into very thin strips. Squeeze zested orange; whisk together powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon juice in a small bowl until smooth, adding another teaspoon of juice if needed. Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over cupcakes; scatter thin strips of zest over cupcakes before the glaze sets.Makes:12Active time:20 minutesTotal time:1 hour, 45 minutes

Giuseppe Dell’Anno’s orange cupcakes are worthy of aPaul Hollywoodhandshake.

“Despite being super-simple to make, these cupcakes are extraordinarily flavorsome,” says theGreat British Baking Show2021 winner, who shares the Sicilian-inspired dessert in his cookbookGiuseppe’s Easy Bakes.

Dell’Annosays the treats are one of “the easiest and quickest treats I have ever learned to bake. It takes just a few minutes to prepare the batter, which is made entirely in a food processor. There is nothing to whip or pipe so you will be left with very little washing-up to do.”

The steps may be simple but the end result is anything but. “The high orange juice content gives the crumb unparalleled softness and the peel gives it a sophisticated kick," says the Italian-born chef.

Giuseppe Dell’Anno.Mark Bourdillon/Netflix

Bonus: “Your kitchen will smell amazing!" he adds.

Use blood oranges for extra sweetness. “Their raspberry-like flavor will add extra depth and a nice reddish tint,” Dell’Anno says.

Giuseppe Dell’Anno’s Orange Cupcakes

2 large unwaxed seedless oranges, divided

1¼ cups (about 8¾ oz.) superfine sugar

2 extra-large eggs

6 Tbsp. vegetable oil

⅓ cup whole milk

1 tsp. vanilla paste

2 cups (about 8½ oz.) all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

⅛ tsp. table salt

½ cup (2 oz.) powdered sugar

1.Preheat oven to 350° with a rack in the center position. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners; set aside.

2.Wash and dry oranges, and set one orange aside for later. Slice top and bottom ends off 1 orange, then roughly chop it. Place chopped orange in the bowl of a food processor; process to a pulp, about 1 minute. Add sugar, eggs, oil, milk and vanilla; process until mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Add flour, baking powder and salt; pulse to incorporate the dry ingredients, about 3 pulses. Scrape down sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, if necessary.

3.Spoon or pour the batter into muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake in oven until tops are golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.

4.Remove from oven, and let cool slightly in pan, about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, zest the reserved orange with a vegetable peeler, and slice zest into very thin strips. Squeeze zested orange; whisk together powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon juice in a small bowl until smooth, adding another teaspoon of juice if needed. Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over cupcakes; scatter thin strips of zest over cupcakes before the glaze sets.

Makes:12Active time:20 minutesTotal time:1 hour, 45 minutes

source: people.com