Orange Crush Cupcakes

"Orange is the happiest color"
-- Frank Sinatra

We have had orange jerseys for 4 soccer seasons now:  The Orange Devils (W - 1st grade), The Thundering Vipers (W - 2nd grade), The Orange Cheetahs (W - 4th grade), and now, finally, The Orange Crush (B - 4th grade)!  I mean, how come no one came up with that in previous years?  Isn't that a great, intimidating name for a soccer team?  You can "crush" the competition!  Of course, our coach thinks we should have a different name every week, ie. the Orange Orangatans.  Really??? That's not intimidating at all.  And how do you know who to cheer for?  I can't keep remembering a different name every week (or even every half as is seems like it was this past week).   But the kids have called themselves the crush from week one.  And I promised them that I would bring in Orange Crush to drink when they won a game.  

Unfortunately, the Orange Crush was not the team doing the crushing this season.  There may have been a win in there, but the important thing is that they have improved over the season.  And for the last game of the season, they tied (the tying goal, along with TWO others (!!!) was scored by B himself!!!

So, a well-earned tie score.  What better way to celebrate than with these Orange Crush cupcakes that I found from LIVE LOVE LIZ?

The key I think to these cupcakes, is not actually the orange crush, but actually the orange jello flavoring that is added.  I was really hesitant to put it in, and actually only tried a couple of tablespoons until I tasted it and decided it did actually need the five tablespoons as in the recipe.

As for the frosting, I almost wish I had just done a plain vanilla frosting.  There is jello flavoring in this as well, and it left a really gritty kind of  texture.  I'm not sure how else you would get the flavoring in there unless you used an extract.  This may require some more testing to get a more acceptable flavoring.

(I obviously used the wrong filter on my camera because it looks more yellow than orange.  Don't judge me.  I'm a nurse, not a photographer.)

Also, forgive the soccer cupcake papers, but I felt they were completely acceptable since it was for a soccer game!  I also had a jar of orange crystal sugar, so I sprinkled that on for good measure.  All in all, a success.  And the way the kids gobbled them down, they had no complaints.

From my board "Cupcakes take the cake."