Dreamy Orange Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 package orange cake mix , 18.25 ounce
• 0.75 cups creamy salad dressing , such as Miracle Whip®
• 1 envelope dry whipped topping mix , 1.3 ounce
• 0.75 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest
• 1 jar marshmallow creme , 13 ounce
• 0.5 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
• 0.5 cups vegetable shortening
• 0.5 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
• 0.5 cups vegetable shortening
• 0.25 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 0.25 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 dropss orange paste food coloring , or as desired
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

2. 2

   Beat together the orange cake mix, creamy salad dressing, whipped topping mix, 3/4 cup orange juice, eggs, and 2 tablespoons orange zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until mixture is moist, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then increase speed to medium and continue beating until well blended, about 2 minutes more. Fill the prepared cupcake cups about 2/3 full of batter.

3. 3

   Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

4. 4

   To make cream topping: Beat the marshmallow creme, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, and 1/2 cup shortening in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Top each cooled cupcake with a 1/2-inch thick layer of the cream topping, using a knife to spread the the topping flat. Allow about 1/2 inch of the orange cupcake to show below the white layer.

5. 5

   To make orange butter cream: Beat 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup shortening together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in 1/4 cup orange juice, zest of 1 orange, vanilla extract, and food coloring until well combined. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until smooth.

6. 6

   Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip, and pipe a decorative layer of orange butter cream, ending in a peak, over the cream topping on the cupcakes.