Peachy Orange Marmalade Cupcakes

I don’t know how to feel about September. It’s here too soon. The past two weeks have been especially full of sound and fury in my kitchen (the best kind of both) and many baked goods that you have yet to see. Most of those treats were for a book trailer (more on that in a future post), and others were for special projects that I’m just dying to share. Definitely stay tuned – this fall season promises to be quite full!

September is prime time for apple-picking, but before I dive head-first into all things pomme, I wanted to have one last peachy hoorah. These orange-zested cupcakes are filled with the most delicious fragrant cooked peaches. They’re topped with peach schnapps-infused buttercream, which is all kinds of awesome, if you ask me. They taste like a peachy-orange creamsicle.

I topped these cupcakes with some unique candies called Satellite Wafers. They’re considered a nostalgic candy from the 1950’s, but they are new to me. Some people are downright obsessed with them, while others find them just… too odd! They are certainly different, but I like them. I’d categorize their weirdness with the likes of paraffin wax bottled Nip’n Nips or even the acquired taste of Necco Wafers. The outer portion is like a communion wafer – edible, though mostly tasteless and melts on the tongue. The inside is filled with crunchy, fruity nonpareils (which drew me in, of course).

These are a must for peach fanatics! If you’re not keen on using peach schnapps in this recipe, then consider using a small amount of peach flavoring. You can find that here, and I’ve also seen it in the candy-making section at craft stores. It really punches up the peach flavor, which helps it stand toe-to-toe with the bright-tasting orange zest in the cake batter and frosting.

Peachy Orange Marmalade Cupcakes

Heather Baird

Orange marmalade cupcakes hold pockets of peach filling and are topped with a peach schnapps-spiked buttercream.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Orange marmalade cupcakes

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream or whole milk
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon orange food coloring gel
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Peach filling

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 2 medium peaches ripe, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon peach schnapps liqueur I like Peachtree
• Or 1/4 teaspoon peach flavoring oil I like LorAnn

Peachy-orange frosting

• 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/4 cup peach schnapps
• Or 1 teaspoon peach flavoring oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Milk or cream

Instructions

 

• Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°. Line two 12 capacity cupcake tins with paper liners (if you only have one tin, bake in 2 separate batches).
• Beat butter, marmalade and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer in a large bowl; beat in eggs one at a time.
• Combine cream and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt in a large bowl; add to butter mixture, alternating with cream, beginning and ending with flour. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pans, filling cups 2/3 full.
• Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center to wire racks; cool completely.
• Make the filling: Combine the cornstarch and cold water in a small condiment cup. Mix well until blended and no lumps remain.
• Place the peaches in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cornstarch mixture. Cook until the mixture bubbles and thickens slightly. Remove from the heat. Stir in the peach liqueur or flavoring oil. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish and refrigerate until completely cool, about 30 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is cool fill the cupcakes. Use a small serrated knife to cut out a divot in the tops of the cupcakes (discard the cake cut-outs or save them for a snack). Fill the cupcakes with the peach filling.
• Make the frosting: Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until creamy on high speed. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on low speed until just combined (mixture may be crumbly). Add the orange zest, peach schnapps (or flavoring oil) and vanilla extract. Beat on high speed until fluffy. If the mixture is stiff or crumbly, add milk or cream 1 tablespoon at a time with the mixer running, until the frosting is whip-able and of piping consistency. Beat until the frosting is light (almost white) in color, about 5 minutes more.
• Garnish the cupcakes with orange zest or candy. I used Satellite Wafers candies which can be found in bulk candy stores and online (see blog post for links).

Keyword fresh peaches, orange marmalade, peach schnapps, sattelite wafers

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!