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Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes are a delicious and refreshing. They taste just like a creamsicle ice cream treat!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- It’s easy! You are using a cake mix and pudding mix for easy assembly!
- Full of orange flavor! Thanks to the use of fresh orange juice, zest and the orange gelatin you have lots of great flavor.
- Tastes like summer! What screams summer better than creamsicle!
What is Creamsicle?
These cupcakes remind of my favorite childhood treat, a creamsicle (also known as a dreamsicle) It’s a frozen treat combination of orange sherbet and vanilla ice cream. Put these cupcakes at the top of your to make list if you are a creamsicle fan.
Ingredients Needed
- Orange flavored gelatin
- White cake mix. My favorite brand is Duncan Hines
- Cheesecake instant pudding and pie filling mix. If you can’t find cheesecake pudding use vanilla.
- Fresh Orange juice and zest. Squeeze an orange for best results.
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Vanilla extract
- Cream cheese, room temperature
- Butter, room temperature. I use salted butter, if using unsalted butter add in a pinch of salt.
- Powdered sugar
- Orange food coloring, optional
- White sprinkles, optional
How to Make Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes
- Combine the dry ingredients including cake mix, gelatin (minus 2 tsp which is reserved for the frosting), pudding mix.
- Add in orange juice, eggs and oil and vanilla.
- Stir to combine.
- Line muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Fill muffin tins 2/3 full and bake at 350 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Orange Frosting Recipe
- Allow butter and cream cheese to sit at room temperature and soften for at least an hour.
- Cream together butter and cream cheese until soft and creamy in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer.
- Mix in orange zest, reserved orange gelatin, vanilla and enough powdered sugar until desired consistency is achieved.
- Frost cooled cupcakes. Use a piping bag if desired.
- Garnish with sprinkles if desired
Tips from leigh Anne
- Use a scoop to put the batter into the muffin tin for evenly sized cupcakes. This is my favorite one.
- Be sure your orange creamsicle cupcakes are totally cooled before frosting.
Do I Need To Refrigerate Cream Cheese Frosting?
You should always refrigerate any cake or cupcake made with cream cheese frosting. It can set at room temperature for several hours though to warm up and does not need to be served cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
After frosting them, keep them stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will last for 3-4 days.
I recommend freezing them before you frost them for the best results. Stored in an airtight container they will last for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Frost after thawing.
For more delicious recipes try these:
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Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 3 oz. package orange flavored gelatin
- 15 oz. white cake mix
- 3 oz. cheesecake instant pudding and pie filling mix
- 1 1/4 cups orange juice fresh squeezed and zest from one orange for frosting
- 4 eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
Frosting:
- 8 oz package cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 5-6 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 2 tsp orange gelatin reserved
- orange food coloring if desired
- white sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Line cupcake pan with liners (makes about 24-27 cupcakes)
- Set aside 2 tsp of the orange gelatin for frosting
- In a bowl mix together the remaining gelatin, cake mix, pudding mix, orange juice, eggs, oil and vanilla
- Fill muffin cups with batter – about 2/3 full
- Bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean
- Cool cupcakes before frosting
Frosting:
- Soften cream cheese and butter at room temperature for at least 30 minutes
- In a large bowl beat butter, cream cheese, reserved gelatin, orange zest and vanilla until light and fluffy
- Add in powdered sugar until desired consistency is achieved
- Add in orange food coloring if desired for additional color
- Frost cupcakes and top with white sprinkles
Tips & Notes:
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Nutrition Facts:
Originally published June 17, 2011
Tamara says
I live in Canada and we don’t have cheesecake pudding mix! Do you think I could just use plain vanilla pudding mix ?
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
Yes you can, may give a slightly different flavor but should still be delicious
Tamara says
Made this with Duinkerken Lemon Gluten Free Cake mix and vanilla instant pudding and they turned out great!! Used chocolate icing instead for my husbands birthday and he said you couldn’t even tell they were gluten free! Thank you!
Jennifer Hobart says
I made these cupcakes in 2012 for my daughters 12th birthday. We were reminiscing about some of the favorite cakes and cupcakes that I used to make. This recipe was a hit with family and friends back then. My daughter is now a senior and wants to have them at her graduation party next spring. I was so excited to see your blog still up and running. I lost track of it with multiple moves since then. Just for old times sake, I am going to make these as part of the Christmas deserts. 🙂
Leigh Anne says
So glad this is a favorite for you!