Orange Crush Cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the Cupcakes:
1 box orange cake mix
1 cup Orange Crush soda
3 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oilFor the Orange Cream Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup unsalted butter, softened 4 cups powdered sugar ¼ cup Orange Crush soda 1 teaspoon orange extract Orange food coloring (optional)For Garnish:
Orange slices or orange zest (optional)
Instructions:
For the Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with 24 cupcake liners. 
Prepare the batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 box of orange cake mix, 1 cup of Orange Crush soda, 3 large eggs, and ½ cup of vegetable oil. Beat on medium speed until the batter is smooth and well combined, about 2 minutes. 
Fill the cupcake liners: Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full. 
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. 
Cool: Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. For the Orange Cream Frosting:
Cream the butter and cream cheese: In a large bowl, beat 8 ounces of softened cream cheese and ½ cup of softened unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar: Gradually add 4 cups of powdered sugar, beating on low speed until combined. Mix in Orange Crush and extract: Add ¼ cup of Orange Crush soda and 1 teaspoon of orange extract. Beat on high speed until the frosting is fluffy. If desired, add a few drops of orange food coloring to enhance the color. Assemble the Cupcakes:
Frost the cupcakes: Once the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe or spread the orange cream frosting on top of each cupcake. Garnish: If desired, garnish with orange slices or a sprinkle of orange zest for an extra burst of flavor and decoratio
