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These Orange Cream Cupcakes are made with orange cupcakes and frosting and a light vanilla cream filling! Such a delicious cupcake and fun flavor!
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Orange Cream Cupcakes Recipe
Orange is totally one of those flavors that gets overlooked, even by me, yet it’s a flavor I love. I made an orange cream cake for my cookbook a couple years ago and was reminded of how awesome it is in cake form. Even during pregnancy, my number one craving was orange juice. I’m pretty sure I went through two or three cartons of it a week.
And yet, with the exception of this creamsicle poke cake and creamsicle ice cream cake, there aren’t any orange flavored recipes on the site. Such a shame! Orange is the member of the citrus family that is often overlooked, but not anymore!
To get started, make the cupcakes. You’ll want to cream the butter and sugar together and be sure to cream them fully. You’ll notice an actual change in the color and texture of the mixture – light and fluffy – when it’s done. Sour cream is added for flavor and moisture along with a little vanilla and orange zest.
Egg whites are used to give the cupcakes rise and structure (whole eggs will not work here) and then the dry ingredients are added, alternating with the wet ingredients which include freshly squeezed orange juice. I use actual oranges here rather than orange juice from a carton/bottle with added sugars and such.
Bake up the cupcakes and then it’s time to make the filling and frosting!
The filling is a whipped cream cheese filling flavored with vanilla. It’s light and easy to make and pairs perfectly with the cupcake. The frosting uses fresh orange juice and orange zest for flavor, plus a bit of gel coloring for color.
The final cupcake is light and delicious! I love a good filling in a cupcake and this one definitely has it! These are a great lightly citrus cupcake that would be great for any occasion – including Easter!
Watch How To Make Them
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Orange Cream Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 Cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Orange Cream Cupcakes are made with orange cupcakes and frosting and a light vanilla cream cheese filling! Such a delicious cupcake with fun flavors!
Ingredients
Orange Cupcakes
- 6 tbsp (84g), unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (155g) sugar
- 1/4 cup (57g) sour cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tbsp finely grated orange zest
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (163g) all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
- 1 tbsp (15ml) water
- 3 tbsp (45ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
Cream Filling
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/4 cup (29g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 oz cream cheese, room temperature
Orange Frosting and Topping
- 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
- 3–4 tbsp (45-60ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 tbsp finely grated orange zest
- Orange gel icing color
- Orange slices, optional
Instructions
Make the Orange Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Do not skimp on the amount of creaming time.
- Add sour cream, vanilla extract and orange zest and mix until well combined.
- Add egg whites in two batches, mixing until well combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then combine the milk, water and orange juice in a small measuring cup.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well combined. Add the milk mixture and mix until well combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Fill the cupcake liners a little more than halfway. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
- Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes in the pan, then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling.
Make the Cream Filling
- When the cupcakes are cooled, make the cream filling. Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until soft peaks begin to form.
- Add the softened cream cheese and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
- Remove the centers of the cupcakes using a cupcake corer or sharp knife, then fill each cupcake with the cream filling.
Make the Orange Frosting
- Beat the butter in a large mixer bowl until smooth.
- Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Add the orange zest and 1 tablespoon of orange juice and mix until smooth.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Add the remaining orange juice as needed for the right consistency of frosting and mix until smooth.
- Color the frosting as desired, then fill a piping bag fitted with a piping tip. I used a closed star Ateco tip 844.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
- Decorate the cupcakes with orange slices, or your preferred decorations.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Best if eaten within 2-3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cupcake
- Calories: 422
- Sugar: 41.7 g
- Sodium: 86.8 mg
- Fat: 23.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 52.1 g
- Protein: 3.6 g
- Cholesterol: 62.9 mg
Categories
Enjoy!
I have not received a response to my comment. Even though that is disappointing I made them and only made 6. They are very very good , and I praise myself.
Do these freeze well?
They would probably freeze ok.
Baked these over the weekend. Other than the cupcakes having flat tops the crumb was fantastic. I did add a little bit of orange extract to the batter and used blood orange juice and zest. They taste like my blood orange scones. I didn’t use the frosting. I instead made a sm batch of SMBC and flavored that orange by adding some zest, less than a tbsp of blood orange juice and again. A little bit of orange extract. The filling? Omgee. This was the first time I’ve made it. At 1st it looked like I over whipped it but instead of stopping I continued and it came together. I would love to make this into a cake. If I were to double the recipe do you think it’ll fit into 9in pans. If not, what size would you recommend? Thanks!
I’m glad you enjoyed them! You can certainly double it for a cake. I typically use 8 inch pans but you could use 9 inch. The cake just wouldn’t be quite as tall.
Thanks for replying. Besides 6in pans I only have 9in ones so I’m happy to know it’ll work with those. I don’t mind the fact that they’ll be a bit thinner as I like my filling to cake ratio to be equal 😋 I’ll come back to let you and others know how it turned out. Thanks again…
You can actually use your 6 inch pans too. You wouldn’t need to double the recipe and it should work in the 6 inch pans as two or three layers.
This recipe was spot on! I make my own frosting, but the cupcakes were light and fluffy, the filling was perfect! I added 1/4 tsp of orange extract and 3/4 tsp of vanilla for the cupcake portion to give it a bit more of the orange flavor, but the original recipe would be great! Definitely recommend.
Love it just made it today the cupcake tastete soo good, only reduce a bit od sugar in frosting.
So glad you enjoyed them!
Looking for something different, I tried this recipe. It is SO good! A light and refreshing change from the standard flavors. They were loved by everyone and will be my “go to” cupcake whenever I need something a little extra special!