Orange Cream Pop Cupcakes

By AzWench

Orange cream pop cupcakes are just as good a a orange cream popsicle! They taste so good they will have you coming back for seconds!

Ingredients

• 1 (3 ounce) package orange-flavor gelatin
• 1 (2 layer size) package white cake mix
• 1 (4 serving size) package cheesecake instant pudding and pie filling mix
• 1 1/4 cups orange juice
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 recipe Cream Pop Frostings
• Wooden craft sticks, optional
• CREAM POP FROSTING
• 1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
• Few drops orange food coloring, optional
• CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 6 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line twenty-seven 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with foil bake cups. Set aside 2 teaspoons of the gelatin for the Cream Pop Frostings. In a mixing bowl beat the remaining gelatin, the cake mix, pudding mix, orange juice, eggs, oil, and vanilla.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.

Spoon orange-flavor Cream Pop Frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Spoon the vanilla-flavor Cream Pop Frosting into another pastry bag fitted with a small star tip. Pipe orange frosting onto each cupcake to cover the top. Pipe a medium-size star of white frosting onto each cupcake. If desired, insert a crafts stick into top of each cupcake.

Makes 27 (2-1/2-inch) cupcakes.

CREAM POP FROSTING

Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting. Transfer one-fourth of the frosting to a small bowl; beat in vanilla. To the remaining bowl of Cream Cheese Frosting add the reserved orange gelatin from the cupcakes and the orange peel. If desired, add a few drops orange food coloring. Beat to combine.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Yield: 2-1/2 cups frosting (enough to frost tops and sides of two 8- or 9-inch layers)

In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar to reach spreading consistency. (This frosts tops and sides of two 8- or 9-inch layers. Halve the recipe to frost a 13x9x2-inch cake.) Cover and store the frosted cake in the refrigerator.