Now that it's getting to be summertime (even if DC101 won't play Sublime's summertime version yet), I've been wanting lighter and fruitier desserts. One of my favorite treats in the world is the orange creamsicle - an orange popsicle with delicious vanilla ice cream in the middle. So I tried to recreate it in a cupcake! I stole various recipes from around the web, and combined them in my own version. The original cupcake recipe said it made about 18 cupcakes, so I doubled it for 36 - and wound up with 48.
 |
| So many cupcakes... |
- 1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
- 1 c sugar
- 2 c all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 c orange juice concentrate
- 3/4 c buttermilk
- 3 eggs
- zest of 3 oranges
- 1 tbsp orange oil (optional)
Ingredients (Orange Frosting):
- 1 c butter, room temperature
- 6-8 c powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp orange extract
- 1/4 orange juice (fresh)
Ingredients (Vanilla Frosting):
- 1 c unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 c powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- up to 4 tbsp milk or heavy cream
Ingredients (Filling):
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 c milk
- 1/2 c butter
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1/2 scraped vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract (I used extract)
 |
| Yum, frosting! |
Process:
- Make the cupcakes: preheat the oven to 350F and line cupcake pans with liners.
- Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl until it turns pale and fluffy.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another medium bowl, mix the orange juice concentrate, buttermilk, eggs, zest, and orange oil.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter/sugar mixture. Mix well after each.
- Add half the flour mixture, then falf the orange mixture, mixing well between each addition. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the middle springs back and a toothpick comes back clean. Cool completely before filling or frosting.
- Make the orange frosting: beat the butter at medium-high speed until creamy. Add half of the sugar, vanilla, orange extract, and orange juice. Beat until combined. Gradually add remaining sugar until the frosting reaches the desired sweetness/consistency.
- Make the vanilla frosting: beat the butter at medium-high speed until creamy. Add 3 c of sugar and incorporate into butter. Add vanilla, salt, and 2 tbsp of milk. Beat for 3 minutes, then add sugar or milk as needed for desired consistency.
- Make the filling: whisk together flour and milk in a saucepan over medium heat until thick. Stir constantly to prevent clumps, and do not boil. Once thickened, strain into a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let cool completely to room temperature. You can speed this along by putting it in the refrigerator, but make sure to stir occasionally to maintain a constant temperature.
- Once cool, cream the butter and sugar together in a medium bowl. Add the cooled milk/flour mixture and the vanilla. Beat at high speed for 5-7 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Combine all of the elements: using a sharp paring knife, cut out a cone from the center of each cupcake. Fill the middle with the cream filling, then recover with the top of the cone.
- To frost with two colors, you need to put them both in a pastry bag at the same, one color in each half. This failed miserably for me, and I wish you better luck.
- Frost, and enjoy!
My favorite part of these was the filling, by far. The cupcake was very moist and orangey, but it was missing the orange-popsicle flavor. The double frosting, as I mentioned, failed miserably, and I felt that the orange frosting was too sweet. The filling, however, was delicious. I could probably eat it by the spoonful, and I have plans to incorporate that same filling into many future flavors and variations of cupcakes!
 |
| Cupcake! |
