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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 am supposed to make this recipe tonight! I am very excited about it. Out of sheer curiosity, why is water added to the batter? Is it to make the orange juice less tart?
It’s to add more moisture to the cupcakes. The base of this cupcake is based on a chocolate cake of mine that uses water.
One big video ad covered The upper half the screen and a smaller banner ad ran along the bottom. I didn’t see a way to close either one and the recipe was behind it so I just moved on to another web site.
I think these should be called Orange Dream Cupcakes. They are delicious. Thank you so much for the recipe. I love your baking !!!
Wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Just finished decorating, so good! I can still taste the orange :). I love that it made 12 cupcakes, just enough. I put the frosting on the cupcake bits and ate them as I went along.
Thank you for the great recipe.
Lisa
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed them!
HI Jenny, sorry, one more question!! How come some recipes call for beating butter and sugar well until light and fluffy and others say to beat until just combined? What will the results be for overbeating? Thanks!!
It really depends on the recipe. Ones that cream the butter and sugar rely on the addition of air into the mixture for helping the cake rise. Ones that don’t include that step use other ways of leavening the batter.
HI, I can’t wait to try this recipe!! Can you use egg whites from a carton instead? Will it give you the same results, I just hate wasting a yolk?
I would think that’d be fine, but haven’t tried it myself.
These look amazing! Love the freshness……I would like to try this with lemon zest and lemon juice!!
What do you think??
That should be fine. You could also follow this recipe for the lemon cupcake. Enjoy them!
Could this be made into 2 -8 inch round cake pans & use the cream to put in between the 2 layers?
Yes, definitely. You’d want to double the recipe though.
I am the resident baker in my family, and was inspired to make these for our family’s Easter brunch as a nod to the homemade Orange Julius my mom always made for Easter growing up, They were a huge hit! People tell me all the time that I need to open my own bakery, but if I’m being honest the credit mostly goes to you and your delicious recipes.
Thanks Kara! So glad they were a hit! And you should totally take some credit – you did bake them after all! 😉
These look so yummy! I love orange flavour cake, so I’m definitely going to have to make these. The filling almost sounds like a no-bake cheesecake, so I’m all for that!
Hi. How are these stored? Or did I miss that?
So I made these for Easter. Not knowing how to store them. We left them out on the counter top.. They were just fine the second day and nobody got sick.
I’m sorry I wasn’t able to respond in time, but I’m glad to hear you enjoyed them!
Do these need to be refrigerated? They look delicious, but I’d have to travel with them to take them to Easter dinner!
Thanks in advance ????
Sorry for the delay! I hope you were able to enjoy them for Easter! For future – they should be refrigerated, but could sit out for several hours if making a drive somewhere.
How much orange gel icing color do you use? When do you add it? I didn’t see it mentioned in the instructions.
It’s hard to give measurements of the gel, but you don’t need much to achieve nice color. You’ll want to add it after the frosting has been made.
What adjustments, if any besides obvious bake time, would you suggest to turn this into a layered cake instead?
I would double the recipe. I usually bake it in three 8 inch pans for about 21-23 minutes. I hope that helps!
Yum! Usually I’m a chocolate person, but these look refreshing! I also need to make your Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream Cake!
Thanks, Christina!
Delicious! Can’t wait to try these out.
Your cupcakes are perfect. What size scoop do you use?