Orange Olive Oil Cupcakes

These came out so pretty the first time, I keep making them whenever I'm going to a party!  I even made 500 of them for a SPEF event a few years ago.  They were devoured!

I modified a chiffon cake recipe to get lots of air and fluff - something you don't equate to an olive oil cake, which tend to be dense... not these!

• 1 3/4 cups organic all purpose flour (or gluten free flour)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 3/4 cup Beyond The Olive Mandarin Orange Olive Oil
  
• 3/4/ cup orange juice
• Zest from 1 orange (I love zest - you can reduce it to 1 teaspoon if you prefer)
• 1 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoons vanilla (or almond) extract
• 3 large eggs separated 
  
• optional if you want a more savory flavor:  1 Tbsp fresh rosemary finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with paper cupcake holders.
2. Sift the flour in a bowl (don’t skip this step, it helps to add fluff to the density of the oil)
3. Combine all dry ingredients.  Then stir in everything else - except the egg whites. Make sure there are no lumps.
4. Whip the egg whites until peeks form with a mixer.  We want to get air in them. Fold gently into batter with a spatula just until blended. 
5. Pour into cupcake holders.
6. Bake for 45 minutes.  Insert a toothpick to check doneness.  if toothpick comes out clean, it is done.

Icing:

• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice
• 4 oz cream cheese (or butter if you can't refrigerate)
• For decoration - candied orange peel

1. While the cake is baking make the glaze by whipping together orange juice, cream cheese and the sugar. Set aside.
2. Cool cupcakes for 20 to 45 minutes.
3. When cool to touch, frost.