Creamsicle Cupcakes with Tang Buttercream

Orange Cupcakes

Makes about 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 cup orange juice (made a bit stronger than usual)

1 tsp. orange extract

2 tsp. orange zest (chopped to a paste)

3 cups flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)

3 eggs (separated)

1/8 tsp. cream of tarter

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prep muffin tins with cupcake liners

2. Combine orange juice, extract and zest. Set aside.

3. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

4. Beat unsalted butter, and sugar until light and fluffy.

5. Add egg yolks one at a time, until fully incorporated. Scrape down bowl.

6. Add in flour mixture alternating with orange juice mixture, just until fully incorporated.

7. In separate bowl (I prefer metal) beat egg whites with cream of tarter until stiff peaks form, but before the whites turn dry...they should be shiny still, but when you lift the whisk, the peak should just bend.

8. Gently fold the whites into the cake batter.

9. Fill cups 1/2 full.

10. Bake for about 20 minutes until they rise just above the edge and look golden brown on the top. When you touch one in the center of it, it should spring back nicely.

Tang Buttercream

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Tang Powdered drink mix

1 1/2 Cups heavy cream1 lb. unsalted butter (softened)

1/2 lb. salted butter (softened)

1/2 pkg. french vanilla instant pudding mix

1 cup (or more to suit your tastes) powdered sugar

1. In easy to pour container, combine the Tang and heavy cream, set aside.

2. Beat the butter until soft.

3. Add the pudding mix and beat until light and fluffy.

4. Slowly add in Tang mixture, little bit at a time to avoid splash ups. Get it all in there though.

5. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Beat the hell out of the buttercream until it is light and fluffy and silky smooth.

These cupcakes are SO good! I got them from my friends blog fieldsofcake.blogspot.com

I do not use as much butter in the frosting as she does I use maybe 3 cubes of salted butter just because thats what I usually have on hand. I will add the 4th cube if it doesn't look like there is enough.

The cupcakes are filled with the buttercream as well. All you do is make a hole in the top of the cupcake. Pipe the frosting in. Put the cake hole back on top.