Orange Cream Pop Cupcakes!

Yummy! Maybe my cupcake pincushion tutorial last week (?I've lost track of time!) inspired me or maybe it's just that
I am helping host a baby shower soon, but I have been making cupcakes all week. I'm freezing them and plan on decorating them when I have more time. I happened to pick up the Better Homes and Gardens "magazine" (it costs $10 so I should call it a book!) called "Cupcakes, 150 Sweet Recipes". It is full of great recipes for cupcakes of every kind.

 This particular cupcake takes me back to my childhood when I would stand by the curb and hold out my dime for the ice cream man. He would hand me my Dreamcicle, a vanilla ice cream with an orange outer shell. It was wonderful. These cupcakes remind me of that taste. You can get the recipe here:  

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cupcakes/orange-cheesecake-cupcakes/
or below (because they won't keep that recipe up forever!).
 What does this have to do with quilting? Absolutely nothing, except that quilters are sometimes asked to help with things like baby showers and they need good ideas like this one. Cupcakes are fast and easy - perfect for someone who is busy quilting!!!!

Orange Cream Pop Cupcakes


1   3-oz. pkg. orange-flavor gelatin
1   2-layer size pkg white cake mix
1   4-serving size package cheesecake instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 1/4 cups orange juice
4 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line twenty-seven 2 1/2" muffin cups with paper bake cups and set aside. (I used only 24.) 
Set aside 2 teaspoons of the gelatin for the frosting. In a mixing bowl beat the remaining gelatin, the cake mix, pudding mix, orange juice, eggs, oil, and vanilla. 
Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups for about 5 minutes, then remove from pan.
Spoon orange-flavor frosting into a pastry bag with a large round tip. Spoon the vanilla flavored frosting into another pastry bag fitted with a small star tip. Pepe orange frosting onto each cupcake to cover the top. Pipe a medium size star of white frosting onto each cupcake. If desired, insert a craft stick into top of each cupcake. 
Frostings: Prepare 1 recipe Cream Cheese frosting. Place 1/4 of the frosting in a separate bowl and beat in an additional 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. To the remaining bowl of cream cheese frosting, add the reserved 2 teaspoons gelatin from the cupcakes and 1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel. If desired, add a few drops orange food coloring. Beat to combine. 
Note: Cream Cheese Frosting: 1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 5 to 6 cups powdered sugar. All cream cheese and butter to soften. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Makes about 3 1/2 cups.