Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

The orange blossoms are blooming here in Florida.

There are several orange groves near my house, so I get to enjoy their heavenly scent.

Mmm...the smell of Spring!

It got me thinking about these yummy orange creamsicle cupcakes.

This recipe is one of my absolute favorites...

Easy and scrumptious!

Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

by Bird On A Cake
recipe adapted from Lady Behind the Curtain

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Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

• 1 package white cake mix
• 1 (4 serving size) package cheesecake instant pudding mix
• 1 (3 oz.) package orange flavored Jell-O powder
• 1 1/4 cups orange juice
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour batter into liners, filling each 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool on a rack.

Orange Creamsicle Frosting

• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• orange food coloring

Allow cream cheese and butter to stand at room temperature and soften. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, orange extract and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar. Divide frosting into two bowls, add orange food coloring to one bowl.

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Now I'm going to show you a simple way to get beautiful, swirled frosting.
Put the white frosting in one decorating bag, and the orange frosting in another.

 
Then snip the tips off the ends, and place both bags inside another decorating bag
with a coupler and large star tip (Wilton 1M) attached.

Twist the top of your decorating bag to close it, and hold the twisted part between your thumb and first finger. Squeeze the bag until you see both colors coming out.
Starting at the outside edge of your cupcake, make a spiral toward the center.

 
Done! 

What do you think of my new recipe format?

You can print right from the post!

I also added a Recipes page and a Tutorials page at the top of the blog...

Check 'em out!

 You really should go make these cupcakes right now...

they are that good!!

Enjoy!

I share my recipes and tutorials at these fun link parties.

This post was featured!

Cupcake Apron Giveaway

It's time for a giveaway!

 

Don't you love this apron?

Pink with sweet cupcakes and polka dot trim!

(And pockets too!)

 SO Cute!

I was so excited when I found this apron,
that I got another one to share with one of you.

The perfect thing to wear while you bake up some cake! :0)

Here is how you ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY...

You may do any of the following items.
Please LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS POST
for each item you complete!

•  Follow Bird On A Cake on Facebook

•  Follow Bird On A Cake on Google Friend Connect

•  Follow Bird On A Cake on Pinterest

•  Pin one of my cakes or cupcakes and leave a link to the pin in your comment. (You can pin as many sweets as you want...each different pin gets an entry!)

• Share this giveaway, my blog or one of my creations on facebook or your blog and leave a link in your comment.

Entry deadline is March 30, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. EST / US.
Winner will be announced March 31, 2012 here on my blog and on facebook.

Winner to be drawn at random from all entries. Entrants must reside in the United States and be over 18 years of age. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. Odds of winning are based on the total number of valid entries. Winner will be notified and have 72 hours to respond. If they don't respond in that time frame another winner will be chosen.

The winner is Jenny (comment #16)!!! 

Thanks, everyone!

Easter Chick Cupcakes

 

What TV commercials do you remember from your childhood?

Mikey for LIFE cereal?

Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" lady?

"I'd like to teach the world to sing" for Coke?

I wanna be a Toys R Us kid?

There is a commercial that I think about every Easter.

It is for M&M's, and features little kids thanking the Easter Bunny.

The part that sticks in my head is the kid wearing a chicken suit at the end...

 "Thanks, Easter Bunny...bawk, bawk!"

Want to make some super adorable chick cupcakes?

What You Need:
A batch of cupcakes
Frosting: yellow, orange and white
Yellow sanding sugar
Decorating bags
Decorating tips: Wilton #102 (petal) and #2 (small round)
Mini chocolate chips

Put some sanding sugar in a small bowl or plate.
Spread a layer of thick frosting on your cupcake and smooth the top.

Turn the cupcake upside down and press into the sugar until it is covered.

Press two chocolate chips into the cupcake for eyes.

Using tip #102, pipe some ruffly wings on each side.

Spoon some sugar over the wings, then shake off the excess.

Using orange frosting and tip #2, pipe a triangle beak and little feet at the bottom.

Using white frosting, pipe a tiny dot on each eye.

He's almost too cute to eat! :0)

Bawk, bawk!

 

I linked up at these weekly parties. And these holiday parties...

This post was featured!

Polka Dot Easter Egg Cake

I don't have my Easter decorations up yet,

but I am sharing my first Easter cake tutorial with you.

Cake should always come first, don't you think?

At least I have my priorities straight. :0)

Since I love polka dots, I thought polka dot Easter eggs would be really cute.

You will love how easy it is to make them...

The polka dots are white chocolate chips!

You can print this egg template,

or trace an egg shaped cookie cutter on a piece of paper.

Tape your template to a piece of cardboard or a cookie sheet.

Tape a piece of wax paper on top of it.

Put some melted candy melts in a decorating bag with a small round tip,

or in a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off.

Pipe the outline of each egg.

Arrange white chocolate chips inside your outlines.

To keep them in place, pipe around the base of each chocolate chip first.

 Then, fill in all the empty spaces.

Let the eggs set up, and carefully peel them off the wax paper.

Put a dollop of frosting on the back of each egg, and arrange around your cake.

Pipe some grass (Wilton tip #233 ) around the bottom of your eggs.

These eggs would also make fabulous cupcake toppers!

Enjoy!

I linked up at these weekly parties. And these holiday parties...

This post was featured!

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cake

This decadent recipe was inspired by two things:

1. My need for chocolate! It has been a while since I made anything rich and chocolatey...
far too long. Must feed my addiction!

2. A recent visit to The Cheesecake Factory. I spent a large portion of our ridiculously long wait time gazing at their amazing dessert case. OH MY, I wanted a slice of every single thing!
I noticed that many of the desserts were a combination of layers of cake and cheesecake.
And I started thinking, "Hmm...I could make that!"

So, I invented this.

 
Layers of chocolate cake and chocolate chip cheesecake,
covered in chocolate buttercream
and mini chocolate chips,
topped with ganache.

The creamy cheesecake and rich chocolate are delicious together!

 

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

• 3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese (room temperature)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with wax paper. Grease the sides.

Use an electric mixer to beat cream cheese and sugar together. Mixing by hand, add eggs one at time. Blend in vanilla. Fold in chocolate chips and pour in to pan.

Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 250 degrees and continue baking for 35 more minutes. Remove from oven and run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to release the cheesecake. Cool completely in the pan, then chill in the refrigerator.

 

Chocolate Cake

• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk (OR add 1 T. vinegar to 1 c. milk, let sit for 5 minutes)
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of two 9 inch round pans with wax paper. Grease the sides. Bring some water to a boil and keep it simmering while you mix the other ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat with mixer until combined.

Add 1 cup of the boiling water and carefully stir until it is mixed in. Beat for 1 1/2 minutes with mixer. Pour the batter into pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes (until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean).

  Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. milk (may use less)

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar on low speed. Add chocolate and vanilla, mix well. Gradually add milk until you reach the desired consistency. Keep covered.

Chocolate Ganache

• 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1 t. vanilla extract

Place the chocolate chips in a metal bowl. Heat cream over medium heat. Watch it closely and immediately remove from heat when it starts to boil. Pour over chocolate chips. Let sit for 1 or 2 minutes. Then slowly stir the mixture. Continue to stir until all the chips have completely melted. Stir in the vanilla.

Assembling Your Cake:
Level the tops of your chocolate cake layers. Place one of the cake layers on top of the cheesecake in the springform pan. Invert the pan onto a cake stand, release the spring and remove the pan and wax paper. Top with the second layer of cake and spread buttercream frosting over the entire cake.

Press mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (approx. 2 cups) onto the sides of the cake. Put the cake in the fridge for an hour, then pour ganache on the top and smooth with a spatula. I used melted white chocolate in a piping bag to make the design on the top of my cake.

This takes a little time to put together, but it's so worth it!

Enjoy!

I link up at these parties.

This post was featured!