Frosty Cupcakes

Frosty Cupcakes with red scarf and chocolate hat
Photo: Andy Lyons
Prep Time:
20 mins
Bake Time:
18 mins
Cool Time:
45 mins
Decorate Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
20 mins
Servings:
30

Ingredients

  • 1 package 2-layer-size white cake mix

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup sugar

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 1 ⅓ cup water

  • 1 8 ounce carton sour cream

  • 4 egg whites

  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces

  • 1 recipe Orange Buttercream Frosting

  • 30 mini powdered sugar doughnuts

  • Powdered sugar

  • Decorative small candies and orange fruit gel candy slices

Orange Buttercream Frosting

  • ¾ cup butter, softened

  • 7 ½ cup powdered sugar

  • ¾ teaspoon finely shredded orange peel

  • 6 tablespoon orange juice or milk

  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

  • Orange juice or milk

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line the cups of five or six 6-cup foil muffin pans with paper bake cups; set aside.

  2. In a large mixing bowl stir together the cake mix, flour, sugar, and salt. Add the water, sour cream, egg whites, vegetable oil, orange peel, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed just until combined. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Fold in chocolate pieces. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.

  3. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

  4. Return cooled cupcakes to pans. Frost cupcakes with Orange Buttercream Frosting. Top with mini doughnuts. Fill in the holes in the doughnuts with frosting. Sprinkle powdered sugar over frosting plug. Decorate doughnuts as faces by attaching small candies with frosting for the eyes and pieces of orange fruit gel candy slices for the noses.

Orange Buttercream Frosting

  1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 3 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the orange peel, 6 tablespoons orange juice, and the vanilla. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar. Beat in enough additional orange juice or milk (1 teaspoon at a time) to reach spreading consistency.

MAKE-AHEAD DIRECTIONS:

Place undecorated cupcakes in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw cupcakes, if frozen. Decorate as directed before giving as gifts.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

408 Calories
15g Fat
68g Carbs
3g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 30
Calories 408
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 18mg 6%
Sodium 275mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 68g 25%
Total Sugars 55g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1.8mg 9%
Calcium 50.5mg 4%
Iron 0.7mg 4%
Potassium 71mg 2%
Folate, total 32.3mcg
Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg
Vitamin B-6 0mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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