Creamsicle Cupcake

Every year I go to the Peak City Pigfest where my Stoke & Smoke friends take part in the barbecue competition. The tradition is that I bring dessert for the post competition eating fest – plenty of pulled pork, brisket, ribs and chicken. This year I wanted to make something light and fruity to both complement and contrast with the sweetness of their homemade barbecue sauce. What I came up with was creamsicle cupcakes. The fruity orange butter cream frosting melts in your mouth mixing with the smooth vanilla cream center nestled in a moist cupcake, reminiscent of a creamsicle bar.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients

1 ½ C All-Purpose Flour

1 ¼ tsp Baking Powder

¼ tsp Table Salt

1 C Granulated Sugar

1 stick (1/2 C or 4 oz.) Unsalted Butter (Room Temp)

1 Lg Egg + 2 Egg Yolks

¾ tsp Vanilla Extract

½ C + 2 TBS Whole Milk

Pudding Ingredients

1 3.4 oz box French Vanilla Instant Pudding

1 ½ C Whole Milk

Icing Ingredients

1 stick (1/2 C or 4 oz.) Unsalted European Style Butter*

1 ¾ C Confectioners’ Sugar

1 pinch Table Salt

2 tsp Orange Zest

1 TBS Orange Juice

1 TBS Light Corn Syrup

½ tsp Vanilla Extract

½ tsp Orange Extract

1-2 drops Orange Food Coloring (Yellow +Red = Orange)

Mellon Baller

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup cupcake tin with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl mix together the all-purpose flour, baking powder and ¼ teaspoon table salt.

Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1 stick of unsalted butter at room temperature until light and fluffy (~3 -4 minutes). Add the egg, vanilla and orange extracts and beat until smooth. Add 1/2 of the flour mixture and beat until combined. Add the milk (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons) & beat until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture until combined then beat for one more minute. Fill each cupcake cup 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes then place on a cooling rack until completely cool.

In a small bowl mix the instant pudding and 1 ½ C milk with a whisk until smooth. Place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.

Prepare the frosting by placing all of the frosting ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on high until light and creamy. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour prior to frosting the cupcakes.

Using the small end of a melon baller, scoop out a hole in the middle of each cupcake. Place the pudding into a quart zipper bag with the corner cut off (see photo). Pipe the pudding into the holes you have just cut out.

NOTE: You will have extra pudding, just mix it with the cake holes you just dug out and eat it quickly.

Place the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Starting on the outside, pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes mounding in the center. Refrigerate the cupcakes until served.

Pronto Substitutes

European Style Butter – European butter has a higher fat content and give better mouth feel to the icing, however you can substitute regular unsalted butter in its place.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Creamsicle Cupcakes.