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Review RecipeOrange Crush Cupcakes
Orange creamsicle cupcakes take a favorite flavor and create an easy-to-make and moist cake topped with creamy orange frosting.
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These Orange Crush Cupcakes are what happens when you take a shortcut and still end up with something that tastes like you went all out. They’ve got that bright, bold orange flavour thanks to a hit of fizzy soda in the batter, and they stay unbelievably soft and moist. Topped with a creamy frosting, they taste like a creamsicle in cupcake form—no zesting, juicing, or fussing around. J
Turn this recipe into a moist and delicious Orange Crush Cake.
Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box of white cake mix
- 1 (12-ounce) can of orange soda (your favorite brand)
- 1 teaspoon of orange flavor (optional)
- 3 (14-ounce) containers of white whipped frosting
- 3-5 drops of orange gel food color
OTHER SODA POP FLAVOR CUPCAKES:
Boosting The Orange Flavor
The soda gives these cupcakes a soft citrusy base, but the flavour can mellow out a bit as they bake—totally normal with soda-based cakes. If you want that bold, nostalgic Orange Crush hit to come through, a little extra help goes a long way.
Add one teaspoon of pure orange extract to the batter—it’s optional, but it gives the flavor more depth and helps it hold up after baking.
No extract? No worries. Stir one tablespoon of fresh orange zest into the batter for a natural citrus boost.
Want to go all in? Add one teaspoon of orange extract or two teaspoons of zest to the frosting to lean into the creamsicle vibe.
Tips For Moist Cupcakes
Use a hand mixer on low speed and mix just until the batter is combined—about 1 minute. That’s it. Overmixing knocks out the air bubbles you need for a light, fluffy crumb and can leave you with dense, dry cupcakes. The goal is to mix until smooth, then stop.
Keep an eye on them—15 minutes is usually spot on. You want a toothpick to come out clean, but if the tops start browning or feel firm, they’ve gone too far. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cupcakes at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
To avoid the cupcake sticking to your cupcake liner, you can spray the inside of your liner with baking spray or purchase non-stick liners. These usually are specifically labeled as non-stick.
Piping The Frosting
Hold the bag ½ inch above the center surface of one of the cooled cupcakes.
Using even pressure, gently squeeze the bag in a circle to cover the surface of the cupcake.
Storing These Orange Cupcakes
Store Orange Crush Cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or in the fridge for up to five days.
Want to get ahead? Freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for up to two months. Thaw, frost, done. Too easy.
These Orange Crush Cupcakes prove you don’t need a long ingredient list or fancy steps to make something that gets people talking. With that soft, soda-infused crumb and creamy vanilla frosting, they deliver big flavour with minimal effort. Perfect for birthdays, summer BBQs, or just because—you’ll want to keep this one in your back pocket
More Cupcake Recipes
- Cherry Cupcakes
- Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
- Cookie Monster Cupcakes
- Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
- Hostess Cupcakes
Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes
Orange creamsicle cupcakes take a favorite flavor and create an easy-to-make and moist cake topped with creamy orange frosting.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Servings 24
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces white cake mix
- 12 ounces orange soda, or your favorite brand
- 1 teaspoon orange flavor, optional
- 42 ounces white whipped frosting
- 3 to 5 drops orange gel food color
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 regular-size muffin pans with cupcake liners.
- Add the cake mix to a medium size mixing bowl.
- Pour the orange soda over the cake mix.
- Add the orange flavor/extract if using.
- Using a handheld mixer on low speed, mix for about 1 minute until completely incorporated. (Be sure not to overmix the batter)
- Fill the prepared muffin pan ⅔ full. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes away clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
- Add the whipped frosting to a small mixing bowl. Add 3 to 5 drops of the orange gel food coloring and stir well until the color is uniform.
- Add the tinted frosting to a decorator’s bag fitted with a Wilson 2A (large round) decorator’s tip or a gallon size Ziploc with a small corner of the bag snipped off.
- Hold the bag ½ inch above the center surface of the cupcake. Using even pressure, gently squeeze the bag in a circle to cover the surface of the cupcake. Repeat for the remaining cupcakes.
Notes
- Parchment paper liners can help prevent the cupcakes from sticking to the liners.
- When mixing the cupcake batter, it is very important to keep the mixer on low speed and not overmix. Overmixing can cause the cupcakes to turn out very dry.
- Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cupcakes at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
Nutrition
Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 242mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
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