Spezi Cupcakes with Orange Curd Filling

Here in Germany a favorite beverage for kids, adults and designated drivers is an orange soda and cola mix called Spezi.

I wondered what this soda would taste like in cupcake form. After playing around with a few different combinations, the result is a Spezi flavored cupcake filled with orange curd topped with a dual buttercream swirl in orange and Spezi flavors.

Light, moist and delicious, the sweetness of these Spezi cupcakes is set off perfectly by the tangy orange curd. 

The buttercream frosting flavors complement the cupcake nicely but if I had to do it over again, I would make a much smaller swirl on the cupcakes. I love buttercream for realz but the cake was sweet enough alone. Too much frosting sets this cupcake close to sugar overkill category so swirl away at your own risk.

• 1+1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
• 2/3 cup Spezi (or any orange cola carbonated soda)
• 1 tablespoon cocoa

• Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.
• Place paper liners in a cupcake tin.
• In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugars, baking soda and salt.
• In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, egg and extracts.
• Warm the butter, Spezi and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Pour the hot liquid into the flour mixture stirring until everything is combined.
• Add buttermilk egg mixture and stir until well incorporated.
• The mixture will be quite thin. You can pour the batter into the tin but using a piping bag gave me more control in filling the paper liners.

• Bake for 15-20 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes in the tin until removing them to cool completely on a wire rack.

• 1 cup strained fresh squeezed orange juice
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup brown granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• In a medium sized saucepan heat the orange juice until boiling then remove from burner.
• Beat yolks and sugar together until foamy.
• Add the cornstarch and flour.
• Pour a bit of the warm orange juice into the egg mixture while whisking to temper it.
• Pour egg mixture into saucepan with the rest of the orange juice and heat until thickened while stirring frequently.

For the Orange buttercream: