Cupcakes

As I said in an earlier post, I love cupcakes. I am going to give you a couple recipes that I am about to try. I have not made them before, but they are from the Better Homes and Gardens company and I usually really like the stuff they put out. So here are the next 2 I would like to try:

Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

1 -3oz orange flavour jello powder

1 -2 layer size white cake mix

1 -4 serving size package cheesecake instant pudding and pie filling mix

1 1/4 c orange juice

4 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 recipe cream pop frosting recipe

Preheat oven to 350. Set aside 2 tsp jello powder for frosting. In bowl mix remaining jello powder, cake mix, pudding mix, orange juice, eggs,oil, and vanilla.

Spoon into cupcake cups 2/3 full. Bake 18-20 minutes. Cool on rack completely.

Cream pop frosting:

1 - 8 oz pkg cream cheese

1/2 c butter

2 tsp vanilla

5 1/2 cups icing sugar

Left over orange jello powder

1 tsp finely shredded orange peel( optional)

Allow cream cheese and butter to sit at room temp for 30 min. Mix first 3 ingredients on medium and then slowly add the icing sugar until a spreading consistency. Add jello powder and orange peel. If you want it more orange add orange food coloring. Mix until fully combined.

** as a side note. I made these yesterday and used regular pudding instead of the cheesecake stuff and it turned out perfectly. Also for the frosting I used whipping cream with the jello left over as icing.

**here is the icing I used on the Cupcakes:

2 tbsp cold water( do add more for this amount of cream)

1 tsp jello powder-left over from above

2 cups whipping cream

1/4 c sugar

In a saucepan bring 1" of water to boil. Put water and jello in glass measuring cup and place cup in boiling water. Cook and stir for 1 minute, until jello dissolved. Cool for 5 minutes.

Beat whipping cream and sugar on medium while slowly adding the cooled jello mixture. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.

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Cherry-Almond Vanilla Cupcakes

1/2 cup butter ( room temp)

4 egg whites ( room temp)

2 cups flour

1 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 c butter milk or sour milk

1/3 c maraschino cherry juice

1 1/2 c sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

In a bowl combine flour,b. powder,salt, b. soda. In a 2c measuring cup combine buttermilk and cherry juice. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl beat butter for 30 seconds. Add sugar, vanilla, and almond extract;beat until combined. Add egg whites slowly, mixing well. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture;beating on low speed. Spoon into muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 15-18 minutes. Cool completely. Spread with Cherry-Almond frosting.

Cherry Almond frosting

Beat 1/2 c butter (room temp.) , slowly add 1 cup icing sugar. Beat well. Beat in 3 tbsp maraschino cherry juice or milk and 1/2 tsp almond extract. Gradually beat in 3 more cups of icing sugar. If needed add more milk to make the frosting spreadable.

Let me know how these turn out!