These are so good!
Be prepared! These amazingly moist Dreamsicle Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting will make you a hit at the family get-together! These things are so yummy! The first time I tried these out, I was shocked at how much they taste like a dreamsicle! It literally took me back to my childhood memory of the ice-cream truck coming through our neighborhood, and getting one of the infamous dreamsicle’s! They were SO good then, and these, I have to say…are SO GOOD now!
It’s really amazing in life how a taste, or a smell or even a sound…like a certain song can literally take you back to a certain moment in your life. I think more than the bad, for me it’s the good memories that tend to be tied to those senses. It’s really neat when it happens.
Childhood Memories
My mom and dad used to take us to a pizza place when my two sisters and I were growing up. It was in Dallas, Texas and it was called Shakey’s Pizza. They had a live band that we would listen to as we ate our pizza. So now, there are so many 60’s and 70’s songs that when I hear them, I’m taken right back to Shakey’s eating that pizza and listening to the band.
Ok, sorry, I got off on a rabbit trail! Lol! Back to the amazing cupcakes. These cupcakes and the frosting are LOADED with orange flavor, so if you are looking for a dessert with a subtle orange flavor, these might not be what you are looking for.
The Cupcakes
In the cupcakes, I have added in mandarin orange segments. This gives them the real deal orange flavor and also adds wonderful moisture. They also have Orange Baking Emulsion. If you haven’t ever tried a baking emulsion, let me tell you… It adds more flavor than an extract and to me, the flavor tastes much more “real”. Hmmm, not sure that’s how to describe it, but it’s really what I mean. It seems to taste more like an orange than the extract to me. If you only have extract, no problem!
The Frosting
For the frosting, I have “dreamsicled” my recipe for cream cheese frosting. The orange emulsion and the orange jello in this is what truly sends it over the top with orange flavor. I went ahead in my cupcakes, and made a two-flavor frosting.
Half is orange and half is cream cheese. You don’t have to do this, but if you have the time, it makes them So CUTE, and SO Creamsicle like! To do this, you don’t have to make 2 frostings.
I just make the recipe to a point, then half it and put that in a piping bag, then I add in the orange emulsion and the orange jello. Then add that to a piping bag, and then combine them into one bag and pipe that onto the cupcakes.
I also couldn’t make up my mind what I wanted the frosting to look like, so I show two options. Of course, pipe them however you want. I went ahead and finished these off with some cute little Royal Icing Transfers.
Royal Icing Transfers
I made little orange slices and then finished the orange rind off with a sugared edge. It adds a little something special. Reminds me of the orange sugared candies which are so pretty! If you have never made Royal Icing Transfers, I will have a post up soon, and a download for the orange slice transfers so you can make them.
One other thing! I totally forgot in my video to get a last shot of the inside of the finished cupcake. Ugggg! I’m sorry…I was too busy eating them! My Bad! I hope to remake them soon and get that last shot! For me, that’s always the one I long to see! It’s closure! Lol! I NEED THAT!
I hope you enjoy! Thanks so much!
Teesa
Teesa’s Dreamsicle Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 240 grams AP Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 290 grams Granulated Sugar
- 3 large Eggs
- 135 grams oil I use vegetable
- 2 tsp Orange Baking Emulsion Can substitute Extract
- 1 11 oz Can of Mandarin Oranges Drain well & loosely chop the segments
- 180 grams Buttermilk or Homemade Buttermilklk
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 8 oz Cream Cheese softened
- 1 stick Unsalted Butter softened
- 1 3 oz Box Orange Gelatin Dessert
- 4 to 5 cups Powdered Sugar Sift if it has lumps
- 1 tsp Orange Baking Emulsion Optional
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Instructions
Cupcakes
- In a medium bowl, combine flour & baking powder. Whisk together and set aside.
- In your stand mixer or a large bowl with hand mixer, blend sugar & eggs on med/high speed until smooth and frothy. Color will lighten. Turn down speed to low and add in oil and orange emulsion/extract.
- Continuing on low, add in the Mandarin orange segments. Mix on med/low until incorporated.
- Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beginning with flour mixture, and ending with flour mixture. (You will add flour mixture 3 times, and buttermilk twice) If you are adding food coloring, add it with the last mandarin orange mixture, so that you don't overmix the batter. Mix until just combined. Over mixing can result in dense and chewy cupcakes.
- Bake cupcakes at 335 for approx 19 to 22 minutes. In my oven, 21 minutes is perfect, but mine runs a bit hot. Cook until inner temp is 205 to 210, or until the cupcake bounces back when pressed lightly. Don't overcook. These cupcakes are so moist and wonderful, it would be a shame to overcook! 😉
- Cool your cupcakes while you make the frosting.
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
- NOTE: I make the twirl frosting with the same ingredients, just halving what I do to each half. If you do not want to do that, you can just make the orange flavored one.
- With hand or stand mixer, cream the cream cheese until smooth.
- Add in butter 2 tbsp at a time, until smooth.
- Add salt
- Add sifted powdered sugar in about 3 or 4 batches until the frosting reaches your desired thickness for piping.
- Add in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until you reach your desired thickness. (or go down to smaller amounts if you think you are close and don't need a whole cup more). Don't over-mix or it can get too soft. If it does, just put it in the fridge until it firms up.
- You will now stop and take out approx half of the frosting and put in a piping bag. Now continue on with the half that is remaining.
- Add ½ of the box of dry orange gelatin powder, and the orange emulsion/extract, and mix until incorporated. Pipe the remaining orange frosting into a piping bag. You will now have 2 bags. A cream cheese frosting and an orange frosting.
- Put both of the bags into one single piping bag with the tip of your choice. Once you pipe this onto your cupcakes you will get a swirl effect.
- Pipe unto your cooled cupcakes and enjoy! Makes enough frosting to to top off all 20 – 24 of your cupcakes.
- I make Royal Icing Transfers to add to the top. Little orange slices. They are so cute!! I have added a free downloadable to my site that you can printout and use if you like!
Notes
- I know it may be tempting, but it's best not to soften cream cheese in the microwave. Your butter/cream cheese should be soft to the touch, but not melted. It's totally worth the time it takes to bring them to room temp.
- Be sure your cream cheese and buttermilk aren't cold. This can also cause your ingredients not to mix together correctly.
- If you refrigerate your cream cheese frosting, it will set firm. You can beat for approx 2 minutes on medium speed to bring it back to room temperature.
- Sifting your powdered sugar will ensure you get a smooth, lump free pip-able frosting.
Troubleshooting
- My ingredients are not mixing together correctly. What do I do?Your fats may have been too warm. It may be curdled. If so, put your mixing bowl in the fridge for about 20 to 30 minutes, and try remixing.
- Can I leave my Cream Cheese Cupcakes out on the counter? Yes, but they will only last about 2 days this way. Refrigerated, they will last twice as long, maybe even a bit longer. You may just need to lay them out a bit before serving to soften the Cream Cheese Frosting.
