ORANGE SLEEPY POPPY CUPCAKE WITH SPIKED ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Orange Sleepy Poppy Cupcake with Spiked Orange Cream Cheese Frosting image

Provided by Food Network

Categories dessert

Time 1h10m

Yield 26 cupcakes

Number Of Ingredients 17

21 tablespoons (2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons poppy seed filling
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
5 drops pure orange oil
Zest of 3 oranges
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon orange liqueur, such as Cointreau
2 drops pure orange oil
Zest of 2 large oranges

Steps:

For the orange poppy cake batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners (for a total of 26 cupcakes).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and poppy seed filling. Stir in the buttermilk. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk thoroughly. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and incorporate without over-mixing. Stir in the vanilla, orange oil and orange zest.
Fill the cupcake liners two-thirds full; bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
For the orange cream cheese frosting: In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium high until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the cream cheese and beat an additional 4 minutes. Turn off the mixer, add the confectioners' sugar one cup at a time and mix until fully incorporated. While on a low speed, mix in the orange juice, orange liqueur, orange oil and orange zest. Beat on high for an additional 2 minutes.
Using a piping bag, pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.