Orange Butternut Cupcakes

Cupcakes made of squash seem a bit odd, but sooo yummy :) They taste amazing with lots of cinnamon and an icing with freshly squeezed orange juice. 

You will need:

• A butternut squash
• 2 cups of flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 3/4 of a teaspoon of salt
• 2 oranges
• 3/4 of a cup of canola oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups of sugar

For the icing: 

• 7 tablespoons of butter
• 2 cups of icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius 
2. Slice the squash in half and with a knife, slice along the inside of it after you remove the seeds and pulp
3. Melt a tablespoon of butter. Dip a cooking brush in it the butter and slide it over the squash then sprinkle it with some cinnamon and brown sugar
4. Leave the squash to bake for about 30 minutes or until it is tender
5. Once baked, scoop out the soft squash and puree it with a hand mixer
6. In a bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of the pureed squash, oil, eggs, sugar, juice and pulp from the oranges
7. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg
8. Slowly combine the ingredients mixing very well.
9. Fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way up and leave them to bake for about 16 minutes (or until they are fully cooked inside) 
10. Let them cool before icing them :)

And just a little drum and bass..