Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

Oranges and cream is such a blissfully fresh and excitingly delicious flavor combination. It’s one of my favorite combinations. Let me rephrase that, basically any fresh fruit with cream is my favorite combination. Which may explain my weakness for orange creamsicle flavored anything. I saw the orange cupcakes at Martha Stewart and decided it would be perfect for these.

[post_ads]I made a few small changes such as removing the vanilla beans (simply because I wanted the orange flavor to shine through), then I increased the orange flavor by adding orange extract and increasing the orange zest. I also replaced the frosting with my own Vanilla Buttercream because it’s my favorite buttercream recipe, it even reminds me of ice cream so I figured it would make an excellent fit. These cupcakes are simply fantastic. I love how the cupcake recipe contains heavy cream. It’s not too often you come across a cupcake recipe that contains cream in the batter. It gives these cupcakes such a delightful texture, with a dense and perfectly moist crumb. This is a charming cupcake that may just become one of your favorites. Enjoy!

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Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 minutes

 
Cook Time: 25 minutes

 
Yield: 14 cupcakes

 
Ingredients
 

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp finely grated orange zest (from about 1 1/2 oranges)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream (if you want a lighter texture use half and half)
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 tsp orange extract
1 tsp vanilla extract

 

Directions
 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer set on medium-high speed, blend together butter, granulated sugar and orange zest until pale and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes. Mix in eggs one at time, blending until combine after each addition. Measure out cream into a liquid measuring cup, stir in orange juice, orange extract and vanilla extract. With hand mixer set on low speed and working in 3 separate batches, blend in flour mixture alternating with cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing just until combine after each addition. Divide batter among 14 paper lined muffin cups, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven 23 - 25, rotating muffin tins once halfway through baking, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely then frost with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting and garnish with an small orange slice if desired (just before serving). Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

*If you want the pilled high amount of frosting then you will likely want to make about 3/4 of the Vanilla Buttercream recipe. If you don't want a ton of frosting then 1/2 of the recipe should be enough.

Recipe source: cupcake recipe - adapted from Martha Stewart, buttercream frosting - Cooking Classy