Vanilla Orange Cupcakes in a Jar - a guest post from Glorious Treats!

I am so excited for today's guest post!  

Glory from Glorious Treats is sharing some pure sweetness with you!

I met Glory at the Wilton Workshop we attended a few weeks back.

It was great fun to meet her and I was slightly in awe because she went to an Oprah final season show...so I felt like I was THIS close to Oprah...you know, scrap that I might as well tell people I met Oprah.

Right?  Isn't there like a 6 degrees of separation thing?

Ok, forget it...I didn't meet Oprah, but I did meet Glory and she is way talented and has a really pretty blog and is super tall too...

and I'm not sure that Oprah could make cupcakes as pretty as Glory does, so forget I mentioned Oprah...today it's all about Glory :)

Hi Cookies and Cups readers!  It's Glory of Glorious Treats here with a sweet post to keep your sugar levels up while Shelly is away for a few days.  I was lucky enough to spend a couple days with Shelly at a recent blogger's workshop, and I can assure you that she is every bit as cute and sweet as the things she bakes!

Now for the treat I've prepared for you.... 

I've been a bit obsessed with cupcakes in a jar recently (as you can see here and here), and I thought it would be a delicious summer treat to take Vanilla-Orange cupcakes, layer them with orange cream cheese frosting and marshmallow fluff and... Voila!  Orange Dreamsicle cupcakes in a jar!  

Ready to make some?

You'll need...

Vanilla-Orange Cupcakes

1 box of vanilla cake mix

Prepare as directed, but substitute 1/4 cup of the water for 1/4 cup orange juice

also add, 1 teaspoon orange extract

and 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest

1 drop orange food coloring (optional).

Bake as directed in paper cupcake liners.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter (either unsalted or salted)

1 block (8 oz.) cream cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)

4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon orange extract

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fresh orange zest

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice or heavy cream

Beat butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth.  Add cream cheese and beat until smooth.  Add salt (as needed), powdered sugar (one cup at a time), extracts, orange zest and juice or cream.  Continue to beat 1-2 additional minutes until fully combined, and nice and fluffy.  In warm weather, place frosting in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up before piping.

You'll also need 1 jar (8oz) Marshmallow Cream (or Fluff)

Jars to put the cupcakes in (I use 1/2 pint canning jars I bought in a case from Walmart)

Assembly...

Cut cooled cupcakes in half (horizontally)

Fill large 2 large piping bags (or even large ziplock bags), one with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting, one with Marshmallow Fluff.

Put one cupcake half in the bottom of a jar.

Pipe a layer of Orange Cream Cheese Frosting.

Add another cupcake half.

Pipe on a layer of Marshmallow Fluff.

Add another cupcake half.

Top with a swirl of Orange Cream Cheese Frosting and sprinkles (if desired).

Enjoy immediately, or cover jars and keep in the refrigerator up to 2 days.

Recipe Source-  Glorious Treats

This recipe could certainly be used to make regular cupcakes (not in a jar) as well.  Simply cut out a hole in the center of a baked and cooled cupcake, add a spoonful of Marshmallow Fluff, and top with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting.

Thanks so much Shelly for trusting me with your sweet readers! 

For more sweet recipes, pretty desserts, parties and crafts, please visit me on my blog, Glorious Treats.
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Thanks Glory!  Hope you guys had a great holiday weekend!