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Orange Creamsicle Muffins

These Orange Creamsicle Muffins pack in delicious fresh orange and creamy vanilla flavor for a moist and tender muffin. They are so reminiscent of those oranges and cream popsicles we all had as kids.

  • Yield: 18 muffins 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the muffin batter:

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 2 eggs, room temp
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp fresh orange juice
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, room temp

For the orange cream center:

  • 4 oz cream cheese, room temp
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tsp orange zest
  • 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a cupcake/muffin tin with liners.
  2. Make the orange cream. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk softened cream cheese, egg, orange zest, orange juice, and powdered sugar. This takes some elbow grease. You can also use the stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Set aside once combined and homogeneous.
  3. Make the muffin batter. Cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high with the paddle attachment for 3-5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy. Add orange zest and continue to beat a minute. Add eggs one at a time, beating an additional 3 minutes until the mixture is shiny and fluffy. Add vanilla and orange juice and mix until combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With the stand mixer on low speed, slowly add dry ingredients to the batter until it just comes together and flour streaks disappear. Using a spatula, fold in sour cream until just combined.
  5. Scoop batter into the cupcake tin, filling the cups 2/3 of the way full. Make a small well in the middle of the batter in each cup. Spoon 1 tbsp of orange cream on top (in the well) of the batter in each cup. Swirl the orange cream around into the batter a bit with a toothpick (nothing crazy).
  6. Bake muffins at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes, until muffins are cooked through and the top shows almost begins to brown.
  7. Allow muffins to cool on a wire rack. Store in fridge once cooled in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Notes

  • Use fresh orange zest and juice! One large orange, or two small oranges, should provide all the zest and juice you need for this recipe.
  • I’ve made this recipe with both Cara Cara oranges and regular naval oranges with good results. It would be delicious with blood oranges too!
  • Author: Caroline Crockett