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Popsicle cupcake topper on an orange creamsicle cupcake.

Vanilla Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

Heather Smoke
Orange creamsicle cupcakes made with fluffy vanilla cupcakes, orange buttercream, and the cutest candy melt ice cream cone toppers.

All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.

5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 3 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings15

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
  • Silicone Candy Melt Ice Cream Cone Mold
  • 12-inch Piping Bags
  • 2 Standard Muffin Pans with 12 Cups Each

Ingredients
 

Candy Melt Toppers & Decorations

  • candy melts, in a variety of pinks, yellows, oranges and white
  • sparkling sugar, sprinkles or sugar pearls

Cupcakes

  • 1 ½ cups + 2 tbsp cake flour, fluffed, spooned and leveled
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • ½ cup melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Buttercream

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ tbsp meringue powder, optional
  • 1 tsp orange extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
  • gel food coloring, optional (1 drop orange + 1 drop lemon yellow)

Instructions
 

Candy Melt Toppers

  • Place the candy melts in piping bags, each color in a separate bag. Place the bags in the microwave, and microwave on 50% power for 2 minutes. Check the candy melts, and continue to microwave on 50% power for additional 30 second increments until the candy melts are soft and melted. Massage the bags to smooth out the candy melts, then snip off a small portion from the tip of the bags.
    Note that some colors may melt faster than others, so check each individual bag and take them out of the microwave when each color is melted.
  • Place the silicone mold on something flat, like a cutting board. Working quickly before the candy melts harden again, pipe the melted candy into the silicone mold, then gently tap the cutting board against the counter to make sure the candy settles into the mold.
  • Refrigerate the silicone mold for about 10 minutes until the candy is hard, then pop the candy out of the mold.
  • Make more toppers as needed, and if the candy in the bags has hardened again, you can put them back in the microwave again to soften them.
  • Store the candy melt cupcake toppers in a container in the refrigerator until needed.

Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line your muffin/cupcake pans with 15 paper liners.
  • In a bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder, then whisk until well combined.
  • Separately, whisk together the eggs, milk, melted butter/oil and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and whisk just until combined.
  • Divide the batter between the paper liners, filling them no more than 2/3 full.
  • Bake the cupcakes for about 18 minutes, until the tops are domed and baked through. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then gently transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream

  • In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute until smooth. With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar and meringue powder, then add the orange extract, vanilla extract, salt and food coloring.
  • Increase the speed to medium (#4/6 on a Kitchen Aid mixer), and whip for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl down several times. Turn the speed down to "stir" and mix for 1 more minute to pop any large air bubbles.
  • Fit a 16-inch piping bag with tip 1M, and pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes.
  • Decorate with sparkling sugar, sprinkles, sugar pearls, and the candy melt toppers.

Notes

Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 2 days.  Keep refrigerated in warm weather.
Keyword Creamsicle, Cupcakes, High Altitude, Orange, Vanilla
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