Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes (cake mix)
These moist and tender Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes are filled with Orange Cream Filling and Topped with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting. Nobody would guess that they start with a box of cake mix.
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
Orange Cupcakes
- 1 box, white cake mix, sifted 15.25 oz. (We used Duncan Hines)
- 1 cup all purpose flour (plain in the UK) (114g)
- 1 cup sugar (200g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (5g)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ⅓ cups orange juice (322g)
- 1 cup sour cream (we use full fat sour cream) (242g)
- 1 Tablespoon orange extract (*See note below for alternative) (10g)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (2g)
- zest of one orange (optional)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (we used canola oil) (54g)
- *A little orange coloring gel for additional color is optional
Orange Cream Filling
- 1 small box instant Vanilla pudding (3.4oz/96g) We used Jello- Brand
- 2 cups Heavy cream or whipping cream. (464g)
- 1 tsp. Orange Extract (we used McCormick) (4g)
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (226 g)
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened (total weight 452g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)
- 1 teaspoon orange extract (4g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (2g)
- 6 cups powdered sugar (690g)
- Orange Coloring Gel optional We used a very small amount for tinting.
Instructions
For the Orange Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners.
- In the bowl of your mixer, add the dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix with an electric mixer for about 15 seconds on slow speed, then increase to medium speed and mix for two minutes.
- Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners- about ¼ cup batter per cupcake. Bake at 350 F for 15-18 minutes.
- Once finished, remove the cupcakes from the oven, and also from their pans soon after. We like to line them up on a cooling rack. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before adding filling and frosting.
- Makes 7 ½ cups batter. Works well for cupcakes
Orange Cream Filling
- Combine the pudding mix and heavy cream and orange extract in a mixing bowl. I prefer to mix with a hand held mixer, but a whisk is just fine too. If using a mixer, start on low speed until well combined. Then, switch to high speed and whip the pudding until thick and fluffy. If mousse is too thick, mix in small amounts of heavy cream to reach desired consistency.
- If mixing by hand, simply whisk rapidly for a couple of minutes or until mixture is nice and thick.
- Refrigerate until ready to use. Cupcakes with this filling should be chilled until close to serving time.
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cut the butter into slices and add to the bowl of your mixer. Mix on low to medium speed until the butter is softened and smooth.
- Slice the cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, mixing at low to medium speed until incorporated.
- Add the vanilla and orange flavorings. Gradually add the powdered sugar mixing on low speed until blended.
- This frosting will pipe best if used while still chilled. You can make it in advance, refrigerate and when ready to use let it soften slightly (do not microwave) and remix.
- As an optional step, we tinted half of the frosting in a separate bowl with orange coloring gel. You may like to do this for a two toned effect.
Assembling the Cupcakes
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, scoop Orange Cream Filling into a disposable piping bag with the tip snipped away. Push the bag about halfway down into the top of a cupcake and squeeze for a few seconds to fill. Do this for each cupcake. (To get an idea of how much filling you are adding, you can do a practice run on a plate, counting the seconds it takes to get the desired amount. You could also do a practice run if you have an extra cupcake, and slice in half after filling).
- Pipe on the frosting however you'd like! I used a 2D large star piping tip. I tinted half of my frosting with orange coloring gel. Using a spatula, I smeared one side of the piping bag with orange tinted frosting, and the other side with plain frosting. This gives the two toned effect. I started the swirl on the outside of the cupcake near the edge, and then spiraled inward.
- Because of the filling and frosting, these should be stored in an airtight container (or in a bakery box), in the refrigerator. However, for the very best flavor and texture, remove about an hour or two before serving so that they have time to warm and soften.
- © Melissa DiamondCATEGORY: Recipes
Notes
If you don't have Orange Extract, you can substitute 4 tablespoons (48g) Orange Jello powder in the cake batter.
If using orange jello powder as an orange extract substitute for the filling or frosting, dissolve a few tablespoons of jello powder with a tablespoon or two of very hot water and add to the filling or frosting in small amounts until you reach the desired amount of orange flavor.