The end of summer is a just a few days away. Then it will be time to welcome fall and pumpkin and spice recipes.

However, do you want a fun baking way to say goodbye to summer 2020? Let’s make these Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes together.

Cute cupcakes are always a great family project, especially for something fun to do after school.

How does a rich and flavorful vanilla cake base stuffed with orange meringue sound? Then top this sweet package with orange frosting and garnish each cupcake with an orange candy slice.

This cupcake will take you back a few years to your childhood when all you had to do with your hot summer afternoon was to swim and enjoy a frozen orange creamsicle treat.

Cupcake Batter

2 cups of all-purpose flour

1½ cups of cake flour

2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature

2½ cups of sugar

3 large eggs at room temperature

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup of whole milk

½ cup of sour cream

2½ teaspoons of baking powder

½ teaspoon of salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, sift together all of your dry ingredients. Set aside until ready to use. In a large measuring cup, mix together your milk, sour cream and vanilla. Also set this cup aside.

In your stand-up mixing bowl, add your butter and beat with a paddle attachment on medium until the butter is smooth. Add your sugar and beat on medium high for 2-3 minutes, light and fluffy. On medium speed, add one egg at a time, blending with each addition. Alternate dry ingredients with your wet ingredients, starting with your dry and ending with your dry. Do this on low speed. Scrape the mixing bowl well.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the cupcake batter evenly into cupcake paper-lined pans. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the tester comes out clean in the center.

Cool the cupcakes in the pan, on your cooling rack before removing them from the pan. Then remove and cool completely. Store covered until ready to decorate.

Orange Meringue Stuffing

3 egg whites, room temperature

¾ cup of sugar

¼ of a teaspoon of cream of tartar

½ teaspoon of orange extract

½ of an orange zest

Zest your orange and set aside covered.

Fill a medium-sized heavy bottom sauce pan halfway with water. Heat the water over medium high heat until simmering. Place the bowl over the pot with the simmering water and whisk mixture for about 3-5 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch. When the mix is ready, place the bowl onto mixer base with the whisk attachment on for around 5-7 minutes on medium high speed.

The mixture should look like marshmallow fluff when it is ready. Add the orange extract and zest and gently fold once or twice just to combine but not take the air out of the meringue.

If you are using a piping bag to decorate your cupcakes, place the meringue into a piping bag. Use this mixture right away.

Light Orange Buttercream

½ cup of orange or mandarin puree

3 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

In a stand-up mixing bowl, beat the room temperature butter, with the paddle attachment, until smooth. On low speed, gradually add in your powdered sugar. Add salt and vanilla. Beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.

Assembling cupcakes

Scoop or slice out with a small fruit knife the center of the cupcake, not going down too far. Save the cake. Fill in the center with your orange meringue, amount to your liking. Cut the top of the cupcake that you cut out to fit the top. Note: The top will not fit perfectly.

Garnish cupcakes with orange buttercream, a jelly orange slice and an old-fashioned orange-striped paper straw.

Sarah Schweitzer is dual-certified in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. Sarah is currently working as a Sous-Chef at Ateira’s on First and has her own blog simplysarah.online. She can be reached at sarah.schweitzer18@gmail.com.