Clementine Buttercream Cupcakes

In case you haven’t noticed, now that I’ve figured out that I can make dairy free buttercream…I’m hooked. The options are endless and I plan on exercising all of them! (Enter maniacal laugh here.)

So bear with me, I’m sure to run across something else soon that will grab my attention and I’ll be off on that for a while. Like, I don’t know, maybe the perfect dairy free and gluten-free macaroni and cheese, maybe cheesecake, possibly even dairy free and gluten-free puff pastry. One can only dream…

Clementine Buttercream Cupcakes

1 15oz. Box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix

1/2 Cup Dairy Free Butter

2/3 Cup Water

3 Eggs

2 teaspoon Pure Orange Extract

Rind of  3 Clementines

3/4 Cup Dairy Free Butter

3 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

2 teaspoons Pure Orange Extract

Rind of 2 Clementines

2 Tablespoons Non-Dairy Creamer

Preheat oven to 350 degrees for conventional 325 degrees for convection (I use convection)

For The Cake Batter:

Cream butter in a mixer on medium, scraping down once, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium, add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Add the cake mix, 2 teaspoons extract, rind of 3 clementines, and water. Mix on low for 30 seconds, scrape down bowl. Mix on medium for 2 minutes, scraping bowl at the 1 minute mark.

Line 12 muffin tins with paper and fill each muffin cup 3/4 of the way.

Bake in pre-heated oven for 19 minutes (convection)  or until the middles are just done. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting on wire rack.

For The Buttercream:

Cream butter in a mixer on medium, scraping down sides once, until light and fluffy. Turn off mixer and add the powdered sugar, salt, rind of 2 clementines, and 2 teaspoons extract. Mix until it comes together, it will be lumpy.

Slowly add the creamer 1 teaspoon at a time while the mixer is on medium. Once all of the creamer has been added, mix for 1 minute.

Frost or pipe.

I piped mine, sprinkled with yellow sugar and topped with an orange chocolate that I made with leftover chocolate from my Orange & Sea Salt Chocolates recipe.