Cranberry Orange Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add in the milk, vegetable oil, sour cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk until the batter is combined and smooth.
Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners using a large cookie scoop, about ¾ full. Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes until the tops of the cupcakes bounce back slightly when touched.
Remove the cupcake pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add in room temperature unsalted butter. Whip the butter for 5 minutes on medium-high speed, scraping down the sides occasionally. The butter will be light, fluffy, and pale in color.
Add one half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed setting until fully combined. Add remaining powdered sugar and continue to mix on low until incorporated.
Add orange juice, orange zest, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on low until combined. Slowly drizzle in the heavy cream.
Turn the speed on the mixer to medium-high and whip for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure the frosting is well mixed.

In a saucepan, combine fresh or frozen cranberries, granulated sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and water. Cook the cranberry mixture over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for about 10 to 15 minutes. The mixture will bubble, reduce, and thicken slightly.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Transfer the mixture to a blender, food processor, or heat-safe container to use an immersion blender to puree the cranberry mixture until smooth. Be careful as the mixture will be hot. (See: tips)
Add egg yolks to a bowl and whisk until broken up. Very slowly drizzle the hot cranberry mixture into the egg yolks whisking constantly to temper the egg yolks so they do not scramble. Transfer the cranberry mixture back to a saucepan and place over low heat. Cook the mixture for an additional 3 minutes whisking constantly until thickened.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add in cold, cubed unsalted butter, one cube at a time, whisking in between each addition.
Once all the butter is added, melted, and well combined into the cranberry curd, transfer the curd to a heat-safe container. Cover the cranberry curd with a lid or plastic wrap and cool to room temperature. Once cooled, chill the curd in the refrigerator for at least two hours before using.

Use an apple corer to remove the center of the cooled vanilla cupcakes.
Use a piping bag filled with the cranberry curd to fill the center of the cupcakes.
Use a piping bag fitted with an Ateco 857 tip to pipe a swirl of orange buttercream frosting to the top of the cupcakes. Start in the center, swirl outward, and pull slightly upward once you reach the edge of the cupcakes.
Garnish the cupcakes with three sugared cranberries.

Cranberry orange cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Serve at room temperature.

Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.