Mini Orange Cupcakes..... A Fun Fall Treat

I'm excited to be back in commission after having my baby.  I now have a baby boy that is 10 days old, and he is cuter than ever.  I really lucked out with him.  He is a very good baby, which makes having 5 kids easier for me to adjust to.  The older kids adore him and always beg to hold him, which gives me time to get things done.  Sometimes I wish I could just have him all to myself, but I take all the snuggles I can get.

Anyway, I've been aching to get back into the kitchen.  I always love Fall and Halloween time.  There are so many fun treats and goodies to make that fill my home with wonderful aromas.  I found a recipe for these Orange Cupcakes on a blog that I follow.  Laura over at http://realmomkitchen.com/ always has fun recipes to try.  I couldn't resist these cupcakes.  I changed them up a little and made them mini.  I also added a candy corn on top to add a little pizazz.

Fresh Orange Cupcakes

• 1 package of yellow cake mix
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of orange zest
• 1 cup of orange juice
• 1/2 cup of canola oil
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs

1. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, sugar, and orange zest. Whisk to combine. Add orange juice, canola oil, vanilla extract and eggs. Blend with the mixer on low speed for one minute, then speed it up to medium and beat for 2 more minutes.

2. Fill cupcake papers about 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake at 350F until golden in color and a toothpick test comes out clean, about 22-25 minutes.

3. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Orange Butter Cream Frosting

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, very soft
• 6-8 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of sugar, then the juice and the zest. Beat until smooth and creamy. (I also added orange food coloring)
2. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, until icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. Use and store at room temperature. (Don’t refrigerate and it will last in a covered container for about three days.)

I think I will make some brownie bites also, and top them with this orange butter cream frosting.  You can't go wrong with chocolate and orange!  I'll save that for another day.