Dreamy Orange Cupcakes Recipe

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.