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    Grits and Pinecones » Recipes » Desserts

    Orange Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Orange Frosting

    April 2, 2018 by Sharon Rigsby, Updated October 8, 2019 Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Orange Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Orange Icing Pinterest Pin

    Orange Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Orange Frosting are an amazing take on white cupcakes. The orange flavor is subtle in the cupcake and a bit bolder in the frosting.

    Orange cupcake with orange cream cheese icing and a orange slice on top

    You may remember, I mentioned in an earlier post that I am in the middle of a major kitchen remodel. Because I can’t cook, over the next few weeks, I will be showcasing a few of my favorite bloggers and their recipes. Today, I would like to introduce Pam and Sara Brand guest bloggers from Biscuits and Burlap. Pam and Sara are sharing one of their most popular recipes, Orange Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting with us today and I hope you will check out some of their other delicious recipes too!

    PS: This post from Biscuits and Burlap does contain affiliate links.  Click here to read their full disclosure policy

    A big hello to all of you Grits and Pinecones fans! Sharon has graciously invited us to share one of our favorite recipes with you and we’d like to briefly introduce ourselves.

    We’re Pam and Sara of Biscuits and Burlap and our blog is all about southern food, just like Grits and Pinecones. As a mother-daughter team based out of two small towns just outside of Atlanta, we love keeping alive the old classics. Many of those dishes are in danger of being forgotten and we don’t want that to happen.  Just as often, though, you can find us adding a kick of cayenne or jalapeno and sometimes a splash of bourbon to update the old favorites.

    We hope you’ll love these cupcakes as much as we do. Please pop over to Biscuits and Burlap for a visit. If you’d like to sign up for our weekly updates, you can do that right here.

    I love white cake. There is something pure, delicate and simple about it. Yet somehow, white cake means special occasions – birthdays, weddings, baby showers. These orange cupcakes are really just white cupcakes with a delicate orange twist. The big orange flavor comes from the cream cheese orange frosting. They are perfect any time of year, but especially appropriate in the winter when citrus is at its best, or in the spring when the fruity flavor just shouts that warmer weather is here to stay a while.

    White cake is a little tricky to get moist and delicate and still keep it that glorious, pure white color. I experimented with a lot of combinations and recipes and the one I finally settled on is adapted from The First Year Blog. The only change I made was to add orange extract to give my cupcakes a hint of subtle orange flavor. I then adjusted the other liquid (milk) to keep the total amount of liquids the same.

    Her recipe says it will make 12 cupcakes. I actually got 14 from mine. When piping a good bit of frosting on top you don’t want a tall, domed cupcake so I only filled my cupcake liners ⅔ full. If you don’t plan to pipe your frosting on fairly high you can fill the liners ¾ full and make only 12.

    A delicious looking orange cupcake with cream cheese icing on a wooden board

    Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

    What a fun and mouthwatering frosting! Around here we love, love, love anything with cream cheese in it. You can easily tell by the dishes we create using it. Our Mini Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes are a fine example as is our Smoked Fish Dip (Beach Bar Style).  But, frosting with cream cheese is really the crowning glory of cream cheese recipes – the icing on the cake!

    I made this frosting the night before I put it on the cupcakes. It refrigerated overnight and then I had to let it come to room temperature or it wouldn’t have piped or spread easily. The time those ingredients spent together just made for a fabulous frosting. The orange flavor really pops! If you don’t have time for that it’s still going to be a wonderful frosting, but if you do, why not give it a whirl?

    Hey, are you getting our weekly newsletters? It’s the easiest way to get our new recipes and updates. Click here to join the family!

    Several Ways to Frost Your Cupcakes

    You can certainly frost your cupcakes the simple, old-fashioned way and just spread the icing on with a knife or small spatula.

    If you want that “piped” on look, but don’t have piping bags or tips you can always add the frosting to a baggie and cut off one corner. I’ve used that method plenty of times for filling deviled eggs (like our extra special Bacon Jalapeno Deviled Eggs), frosting cupcakes or decorating anything with whipped cream.

    Several orange cupcakes with orange cream cheese icing garnished with an orange slice

    I used a Wilton 1M decorating tip/for making these cupcakes. A 12 inch decorating bag was just right for holding this amount of frosting and you can order both, as well as any number of other decorating tips by clicking these links:

    • A Selection of Decorating Tips can be ordered here
    • decorating bags can be ordered here
    • closure clips for decorating bags

    Garnish Ideas for Orange Cupcakes

    Now here’s where the fun comes in. The possibilities are of course, endless. I didn’t have orange sprinkles, but that would be really festive. What I did have was pearly non-pareils and they were so pretty. I also used small orange curls and tiny little wedges of orange (you would only want to do that right before serving – no longer than an hour before). And, you can never go wrong with a little mint leaf. Oh, and sanding sugar. It gives your orange cupcakes a little sparkle. Here’s a whole list of ideas:

    A row of orange cupcakes with orange cream cheese icing garnished with orange slices and mint leaves

        • orange curls
        • orange sprinkles
        • sanding sugar
        • orange slices (little wedges)
        • mint leaves

    Have fun making these cupcakes, and don’t forget to sign up here for our weekly updates.

    If you liked the recipe above, please consider rating it and leaving a comment below or head over to the Biscuits and Burlap Blog to do so. I know Pan and Sara would love to hear from you!

    Also, follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. And finally, to be the first to receive notifications of new posts by email, enter your email address in the Subscribe box. Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!

    Orange cupcake with orange cream cheese icing and a orange slice on top

    Orange Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

    Sharon Rigsby
    Perfect for any occasion, these cupcakes have a subtle orange flavor in the cake and a bolder orange flavor in the frosting.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Southern
    Servings 14 cupcakes
    Calories 455 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Orange Cupcakes

    • ½ cup butter room temperature
    • ¾ cup sugar + 2 Tablespoons
    • 2 egg whites
    • ¾ cup sour cream
    • ¼ cup milk - 1 teaspoon
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 teaspoon orange extract
    • 1 cup plain flour + 2 Tablespoons
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

    • ¼ cup butter room temperature
    • 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon orange extract
    • 1-2 teaspoons orange zest
    • 3 cups powdered sugar

    Instructions
     

    Orange Cupcakes

    • Beat sugar and butter together with electric mixer for 2 minutes..
    • Add egg whites one at a time, beating on low speed for about 30 seconds after each.
    • Add sour cream, milk, vanilla and extracts and beat on low speed for about 1 minute.
    • In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients.
    • Add to wet ingredients gradually, and beat lightly after each addition.
    • Fill lined muffin tins ⅔ - ¾ full.
    • Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes and then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake additional 8-10 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched in center.
    • After 5 minutes remove cupcakes from pan and allow to cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

    Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

    • Blend butter and cream cheese until fluffy.
    • Stir in extract, zest and sugar and stir until smooth.

    Notes

    Frosting is best if made about 12 hours ahead of time and refrigerated. Allow to come to room temperature before using.
    If muffin tins are filled only ⅔ full 14 cupcakes can be made.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 455kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 3gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 40mgPotassium: 42mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 61gVitamin A: 550IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 0.7mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me today! Mention @gritspinecones or tag #gritspinecones!

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    Sharon Rigsby, blogger at GritsandPinecones.com

    Hello, I'm Sharon Rigsby, blogger, recipe developer, videographer, and photographer for Grits and Pinecones®. I have well over 50 years of experience in the kitchen, and there is nothing I like better than developing and reimagining recipes for my family, friends, and you!

    More about me →

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