Filled and Frosted Orange Cupcakes

These moist orange-flavored cupcakes with vanilla cream filling and vanilla buttercream frosting are sure to remind you of a cool orange creamsicle on a hot summer's day!

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 383 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons grated orange zest
• cooking spray
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 20 large strips orange peel, or as needed
• 0.25 cup milk
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.75 teaspoon baking soda
• 0.25 cup white sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 0.75 cup milk
• 0.5 cup heavy cream
• 1.25 cups white sugar
• 0.75 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 0.5 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 20 standard-sized muffin cups with muffin liners and spray lightly with cooking spray.

Step 2

Mix butter for cupcakes in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and beat for 2 more minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition until incorporated. Mix in orange zest.

Step 3

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the milk, beating batter briefly after each addition. Mix in orange juice. Pour batter into the prepared muffin cups until they are about 2/3 to 3/4 full.

Step 4

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.

Step 5

Meanwhile, put a mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Step 6

Cream softened butter for frosting with an electric mixer for 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in powdered sugar. Beat for 2 minutes. Mix in milk, vanilla, and salt.

Step 7

Use a serrated knife to make a 3/4-inch hole in the center of each cooled cupcake. Fill the holes with filling and frost the tops with frosting. Garnish each cupcake with an orange peel.

Step 8

Remove bowl from the freezer and add heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla for filling. Whip with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form (make sure they don't fall over), 3 to 5 minutes. Don't overmix or your whipped cream will start separating and turning into butter. Put filling in the refrigerator until ready to use.