Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes, or Zombie Apocalypse Twinkie Cupcakes

• Orange Creamsicle Cupcake Ingredients:
  3/4 cup self-rising flour
  2 large eggs
  1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  7 tbsp sugar
  2 tsp orange flavoring
  1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract instead of the suggested vanilla)
  2-3 tbsp milk

  Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (I bake at 375 degrees.)
  2. Line 2 12 cup muffin tins with baking paper cups (yield 18-24 cupcakes)
  3. Put all the ingredients except for the milk into a food processor and blend until smooth.
  4. Pulse while adding the milk down the funnel to make for a soft consistency. It doesn't seem like enough batter, but it will all work out, scrape every bit from the bowl and try to fill each cup about 2/3
  5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they are golden on top. It's best to start checking them at 12 minutes.

  These are sooooooo very moist and subtly orange-flavored, perfect for October!

  This recipe called for Orange Cream Cheese Icing, but as I am not a fan of cream cheese frostings I didn't use it.....I'm including it for you, though :-)

  Orange Cream Cheese Icing:
  1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter softened
  8 oz softened Cream cheese
  1 cup powdered sugar
  2 tsp orange flavoring

  Directions:
  1. Combine the room temperature butter and cream cheese together in a mixer with a paddle attachment.
  2. Slowly add the sugar 1/4 cup at a time and add the orange flavoring at the end.
  3. For the easiest results put the icing in piping bag with the tip of your choice and pipe onto cupcakes.

  This was the frosting I used, simple easy basic frosting. I may have made it up, I have no idea where it came from but it's delicious and easy-peasy!

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups powdered sugar, divided
• 4 tablespoons milk, divided
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• Now. Here is where all hell broke loose in my kitchen. Pay attention. 
• I attempted to decorate after being sent a picture. It was a picture of Twinkie-decorations on top of yummy perfectly frosted cupcakes. Irresistible, right? What could be cuter? 
• This was foolishness on my part as 
• 1. I am a baker, not a decorator. 
• 2. I forgot to consult the afore-mentioned picture.
• 3. I did not obtain the appropriate implements for decorating.
• This is what the cupcakes should have looked like:
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Nerdy, cute-as-a-button minions.

This is what my Twinkie creations looked like:

ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE TWINKIE CUPCAKES!!!!

(hiding in shame under the bed, the TWINKIES secured, 

my cupcake rep in tatters)