Okay, I am doing an Orange Hostess Cake. I would like to stay as true to the Orange Hostess Cupcake as possible. What should I do? The cake is plain yellow, the filling I was going to do the roux buttercream. I am stuck on how to do the orange topping that the cupcake has for the cake, that holds all the orange flavor and I have hit a road block on how to achieve that flavor and look.

Thanks in advance!

There are several ways you could achieve that top layer, you could use regular rolled fondant, MMF, rolled buttercream fondant or even tinted white modeling chocolate or ganache. Since the finish on those cupcakes is kinda matte, you might even be able to do poured fondant layers...totally a matter of preference...

In place of any type of liquid in whichever recipe you choose, I would use a lorann oil in orange or creamsicle/dreamsicle flavor since orange extract (in my opinion) leaves a little to be desired and you want that orangy flavor punch on your top layer. (if it were me personally I would make the cream center a creamsicle flavored bc also but thats up to you)

If you decide to go this route with the chocolate, I would use an oil based flavoring and coloring to alleviate siezing issues with the chocolate.

Finish it off by piping the curly-q strip down the center and youre done!

Thank you, and great tip on the creamsicle/dreamsicle flavoring.