Apricot Dream Cupcakes Recipes

COCONUT DREAM CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and coconut extract until smooth., In a large bowl, cream butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Spoon 1 rounded tablespoon of batter into each prepared cup. Drop cream cheese mixture by scant tablespoonfuls into center of each cupcake. Cover with remaining batter, about 1 scant tablespoon each., Bake 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake portion comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, water and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cupcakes; sprinkle with coconut. Refrigerate leftovers.

DREAM CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Prepare cake mix according to package directions for cupcakes. Fill 30 paper-lined muffin cups half full. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and salt until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips and, if desired, coconut. , Drop about 2 teaspoons cream cheese mixture into the center of each cupcake. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Store in the refrigerator.

DREAMY ORANGE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Beat together the orange cake mix, creamy salad dressing, whipped topping mix, 3/4 cup orange juice, eggs, and 2 tablespoons orange zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until mixture is moist, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then increase speed to medium and continue beating until well blended, about 2 minutes more. Fill the prepared cupcake cups about 2/3 full of batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
• To make cream topping: Beat the marshmallow creme, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, and 1/2 cup shortening in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Top each cooled cupcake with a 1/2-inch thick layer of the cream topping, using a knife to spread the the topping flat. Allow about 1/2 inch of the orange cupcake to show below the white layer.
• To make orange butter cream: Beat 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup shortening together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in 1/4 cup orange juice, zest of 1 orange, vanilla extract, and food coloring until well combined. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until smooth.
• Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip, and pipe a decorative layer of orange butter cream, ending in a peak, over the cream topping on the cupcakes.