While growing up, we belonged to a quaint pool club across town. Nearly every afternoon when Mom arrived home from work, we’d pull on our swim suits and slather on sun screen before driving over to splash around in the refreshing water.
Although the L-shaped pool was rather small and lacked the water slide and diving boards of the huge pool center around the corner, Mom preferred it because fewer members belonged. We could always stake out a spot in the shade, and she could count on an empty pool for laps during every adult swim.
While she swam uninterrupted, Mom made sure my younger brother and I had a snack to keep us occupied. She normally packed a jar of peanut butter and crackers, or pretzels and fruit snacks, but if we had behaved all week long, she let us buy something from the snack stand on Fridays.
We waited as patiently as possible in the line of kids with a dollar bill clutched in our partially wet hands, ready to trade for an ice cream sandwich, firecrackers, strawberry shortcake bars, or orange creamsicles. The latter two were true treats—we never had those at home!
With warmer weather starting to peek around the corner (it’s supposed to be over 70° this weekend!), I started thinking about those pool club days and frozen popsicle treats. Since my toes still believe it’s winter and want to stay bundled up in thick woolen socks, I ended up baking these Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes as a compromise!
These tender cupcakes get their flavor from two sources: orange juice and orange zest. Fresh or bottled both work fine for the former, but do not skip the latter! The tiny bits of peel contain a much more concentrated flavor. If you accidentally grate a little more, add that in too.
Tip: Use brightly colored oranges without any green! Those green spots will taste slightly bitter and throw off the flavor of your cupcakes.
The acidity in the orange juice reacts really well with the baking soda to make these cupcakes extra light and tall. To ensure they stay as tender as possible, use alternating additions when mixing up the batter. Alternating additions are mandatory. They prevent over-developing the gluten strands, which would make the cupcakes tough. Nobody likes gummy cupcakes!
And now… This is my favorite vanilla frosting. It’s thick, creamy, and perfectly sweet. Even better? It doesn’t have any powdered sugar! (I really don’t like the taste.) Instead, its body comes from…
Greek yogurt! Yes, a protein-packed frosting that’s healthy enough for breakfast! Mix your Greek yogurt with a little instant pudding powder to make it thick and pipe-able, just like regular buttercream, and swirl it on top of your finished cupcakes for an elegant, professional bakery look.
And now I can’t wait for summer!
| Skinny Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes | | Print |
- for the cupcakes
- 2 c (240g) all-purpose or gluten-free* flour (measured correctly)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp (8g) orange zest
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅔ c (128g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ c (80g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ½ c (120mL) orange juice
- for the frosting
- 2 c (480g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 servings (14g) fat-free, sugar-free vanilla instant pudding mix
- 4 tbsp (6g) sucralose (or other sweetener, to taste)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line 12 muffin cups with cupcake liners. Generously coat with nonstick cooking spray.
- To prepare the cupcakes, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and zest in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the sugar. Add in the Greek yogurt, mixing until no large lumps remain. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and orange juice, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated.
- Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups, and bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To prepare the frosting, beat the Greek yogurt, pudding mix, and sucralose in a large bowl on low speed for 2 minutes, or until thick. Chill for at least 2 hours before piping on top of the cooled cupcakes. (If chilling longer, cover the top of the bowl with foil.)
Do not skip the orange zest! It provides the majority of the flavor. Either freshly squeezed or juice from a carton will work.
Unfrosted cupcakes will keep for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container on the countertop. Unused frosting will keep for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
{gluten-free, low fat, low calorie}
More orange cupcake recipes from other food bloggers…
♥ Chocolate Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes by Snixy Kitchen
♥ Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes with Orange Salted Caramel Buttercream by Cupcake Project
♥ Orange Almond Easter Cupcakes by Lauren’s Latest
♥ Cranberry Orange Cupcakes by Taste and Tell
Hi Amy! I was wondering if maple syrup/honey/date syrup would be a good substitute for sugar? Love your site <3
Also, besides this..would almond flour work as a gluten free alternative?
I’d be hesitant about both of those substitutions. If substituting a liquid sweetener for the sugar, you’d need to reduce the orange juice to about 2-3 tablespoons to compensate for the added liquid, and that means the cupcakes would have a very, very faint orange flavor instead. If using almond flour, the cupcakes will turn out denser and not as light and airy. You can somewhat compromise by added the suggested xanthan gum (it imitates gluten’s structure and helps the cupcakes hold their shape while cooling, rather than collapsing), but the cupcakes still won’t be as light or airy. I’d love to hear what you try and how the cupcakes turn out Aneesha!
Hi Amy,
If I wanted to make this into an 8×8 cake, what temp and time would you suggest baking it for?
Thanks.
Leave the temperature the same! Since I haven’t baked it as a cake myself, I can’t guarantee the baking time, but the cake will be done when the center feels firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Start checking it around 20 minutes to be safe, although it will probably require more time. I can’t wait to hear what you think of the recipe Ashley!
Hi Amy,
I just made these and they’re extremely tasty! They seem to be sticking significantly to the cupcake tin liners though. They’re not coming off cleanly. Any suggestions?
I’m so glad you enjoyed these cupcakes’ flavor Laura! That means a lot to me. 🙂 Did you coat your cupcake liners with cooking spray as instructed in Step 1?