Orange & Lemon Syrup Cupcakes - Recipe

for the cupcakes:
2 medium, seedless, sweet oranges - peeled and roughly chopped (save the rind for later)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup confectioners/icing sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup semolina
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup self-rising flour
2 tbsp. lemon juice (save the zest for later)

1. Preheat the oven to 325F. In a saucepan, cover the oranges with water. Simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool. Drain the oranges and puree in a food processor with the lemon juice. In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light. Slowly beat in the eggs. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, along with the orange/lemon puree, until well combined. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 30 minutes.

for the syrup:
1 peeled orange rind (from the orange used in the cupcake recipe)
1/2 cup confectioners/icing sugar
1 cup water
lemon zest (about 1 medium lemon's worth)

2. Thinly slice the orange rind, removing the pith. Cut the orange rind into thin strips. In a pan, bring the sugar and water to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the orange strips and lemon zest and boil uncovered for about 5 minutes (or until tender). Spoon the syrup onto each cupcake, allow to soak through.

Makes approximately 12 cupcakes