A Southern Grace: i scream, you scream

February 17, 2012

i scream, you scream

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Did you have a favorite ice cream novelty as a kid? I did. We didn't have anything like an ice cream truck in the backwoods of southern VA, but if we had, I would've chased it for as many miles as my little legs would take me for an orange dreamsicle*.


*(Question: Are they called creamsicles in your neck of the woods? I've heard it both ways.)

These cupcakes stem from my fond memories of that treat made of vanilla ice cream covered in orange sherbet. I filled a lightly orange-flavored cupcake with a fluffy sweetened vanilla whipped cream and topped it with a luscious buttercream frosting beschpeckled with orange zest.


I'll be the first to admit that, while amazingly tasty, these still aren't as good as I remember those dreamsicles to be. (I suppose there's a teeny chance that my memories are skewed.) Regardless, it's just a different kind of satisfaction. The flavor is similar, the cupcakes are soft, the frosting is rich, and those things, my friends, are enough for this gal.

Dreamsicle Cupcakes
(makes 16)

Cupcakes
:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
zest of one orange

Filling
:
1/2 cup heavy cream (or more, if you're greedy)
3 tablespoons granulated or powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

orange buttercream frosting


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. To make the cupcakes, cream butter, sugar, and orange zest until pale and fluffy. With mixer running, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until combined after each.

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until testers inserted in the centers come out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks.
To fill the cupcakes, first whip the cream and sugar until slightly stiff. Fold in the vanilla. Then carve out a cone-shaped hole in each cupcake and carefully spoon or squirt the whipped cream inside. Apply frosting generously to cupcakes and, after giving the components a few minutes to get friendly, feed your face.

42 comments:

Jacqueline Meldrum said...

Even if they weren't quite like the flvour in your memory, they do look amazingly good. Oh and we called those ice lollies an orange mivvy.

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Lovely cupcakes nonetheless!

Cheers,

Rosa

Angie's Recipes said...

Lovely cupcakes with wonderful flavours! You are the cupcake queen!

Beth said...

These cupcakes look awesome! I'm using a lot of orange in my baking right now, and I think these cupcakes would be amazing. And, no matter how hard we try, I don't think anything competes with our childhood memories!

Lisa-Marie said...

Y to the UM.

Know what I love? I'm not a huge cupcake fan, I think they are often more faff than they are worth to make,and more about looks than flavour. Yours, they are simple and beautiful and all about the flavour. Love.

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I remember dreamsicles from my childhood. I

Sue/the view from great island said...

My fave was Good Humor Toasted Almond, but I might change my mind after tasting these cupcakes...

Mimi said...

These look pretty dreamy to me.
Mimi

Mel said...

I knew (know) them as creamsicles, but either way, the flavor combo is magical and the cupcake version looks amazing!

Alicia Foodycat said...

I've never tried a dreamsicle, but I've always thought those flavours sounded fabulous. By the way, double thumbs up for the butterscotch goombah - very successful!

MegSmith @ Cooking.In.College said...

Oh wow...these look great!

I always wanted the Bugs Bunny ice cream with gum ball eyes. They were gross but i got the every time haha!

Anonymous said...

You do make the BEST cupcakes :-)

Barbara said...

We called them Creamsicles....and I loved them. Brilliant in cupcake form, Grace!

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

I'm a biiig fan of fruity and creamy together so I suspect I would run alongside you to catch that imginary truck!

A Plum By Any Other Name said...

As luck would have it, I'm attempting some blood orange frozen yogurt tonight. Not technically a creamsicle. But there will be orange ... and cream involved. So we (yes, me and the frozen yogurt) will be sure to give your cupcakes a shout out!

~~louise~~ said...

Dreamsicle, Creamsicle I remember both names. When I was a kid, it wasn't one of my favorite combinations. However, after coming to my senses, I'm afraid I'd be running right behind you.

Thanks for sharing, Grace...your cupcakes look "dreamy."

Elizabeth said...

These look so moist and delicious! My favorite ice cream is vanilla. Yum!!

lisa is cooking said...

I would like to visit a smorgasbord of all the cupcakes you've been making lately. Is that possible? This looks like another delicious one!

The Blonde Duck said...

They don't eat those in Texas! :)

Becki's Whole Life said...

I think Dreamsicle is a brand and Creamsicle is the orange and cream flavor - or maybe both? Just a guess...I have no clue - whatever the answer that flavor combo is dreamy! I love citrus flavors in a cupcake so this wins in my book!

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

Love your cupcakes, they are really nice.

Lyndas recipe box said...

I"d take these in a minute! You'll been posting some incredible cupcake creations lately Grace. I need to get busy and try some of them.
Orange creamsicles and orange sherbert are 2 of my childhood favorites.

The Teacher Cooks said...

Childhood memories of the creamsicles are floating in my head. Lovely cupcakes. Wish I had one right now!

Erica said...

Beautiful cupcakes!Love the filling!

Carolyn Jung said...

That creamy, orangy-vanilla flavor never ceases to bring out the kid in all of us. And even more so, when it's in a cute little cupcake. ;)

Faith said...

Lol, they are called creamsicles in my neck of the woods! Either way, I love them. :)

Kathy Walker said...

It is a win win! I get to eat the little cones that are carved out and then I get to enjoy the ooey gooey cupcakes! Total deliciousness!

shaz said...

I think I read somewhere you can't really trust a taste memory more than ten years old (or something like that, I'm sure I've made the number up).

But who cares when you managed to make cupcakes that look absolutely dream(sicle)y!

Anonymous said...

Very neat cupcakes inspired by Dreamsicles, yummy!

Vianney Rodriguez said...

my hubby loves orange dreamsicles, a little ice cream truck passes every now and then and he runs right out the door. I bet he would love these!

Beverly@Beverly's Back Porch said...

Dreamsicles are still my favorite ice cream treat! I will have to make these.

Robin said...

One of my favorite flavors of all time. We called it both names! Depended on which ice cream man company.

Marjie said...

They are dreamsicles. But I've also heard them called creamsicles. I made ice cream that tasted like them once. I can't make it again for fear of gaining 50 pounds every time.

Joanne said...

We called them creamsicles and they were hands down one of my favorite bars ever. I love a good cupcake though and while ice cream trucks are currently out of season, I'll be satisfying myself with these!

Cookie baker Lynn said...

I LOVED creamsicles as a kid. But, alas, I think they taste much better in memory than in fact. Put them into a cupcake, though, and I think you're on to something!

Half Baked said...

We called them dreamsicles. They were my fav too. Great looking cupcake!

Juliana said...

Orange and vanilla is such a nice combination of flavor...love this cupcakes.
Hope you are having a wonderful week Grace :)

Pam said...

Mmmm. I love the combination of orange & vanilla. YUM. My favorite ice cream as a kid was called Tin Roof Sundae.

Carolyn Jung said...

As a kid, I loved those rainbow sherbet missiles. First, who could resist all those colors in one? Second, it was far larger than most popsicles. It was a meal! ;)

scrambledhenfruit said...

That would be enough for this gal too! These sound delicious. I loved (still do) dreamsicles too. No ice cream truck in my southern va backwater (ha ha) either, but a dreamsicle could be had if I had the fortune to be allowed to walk to the little general store on the corner of our road. My favorite ice cream though, was my dad's pineapple ice cream, hand churned on our back steps. :)

Deborah said...

Yeah, I've always called them creamsicles, but regardless of what they are called, these look amazing!!

Leslie said...

Yep..I bet these are amazing!!!!