Make Orange Icing

Orange icing is a fun, fresh, and delicious way to top cookies, cakes, and other desserts. There are many different types of icing that you can make into orange icing, including buttercream, cream cheese, and even fondant. The type of icing to use will depend on your tastes and needs, but orange icings can be paired with just about any flavor of cake or cookie.

Ingredients

Buttercream

• 1 cup (227 g) butter, softened
• 4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml) whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) orange extract
• Orange food colouring

Glaze

• 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
• ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) orange zest, grated
• 1 to 2 tablespoon (15 to 30 ml) orange juice

Cream Cheese Icing

• 3 ounces (85 g) cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon (2 g) orange zest, grated
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) orange juice
• 2½ cups (313 g) powdered sugar

Fondant

• ¼ cup (57 g) butter
• 16 ounces (454 g) miniature marshmallows
• ¼ cup (59 ml) water
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) orange extract
• 7¼ cups (907 g) powdered sugar
• Orange food coloring

Ganache

• 1 cup (237 ml) heavy cream, heated
• 1 cup (227 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons (4 g) orange zest, grated
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) orange-flavored liqueur

Steps

Orange Buttercream

1. Cream the butter and sugar. Combine the butter and confectioners’ sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Cream them together with electric beaters on medium speed, until the two are fully incorporated.
   • You can use a whisk if you don’t have electric beaters. Beat the butter and sugar together vigorously with the whisk in order to cream them.
   • You can also use a stand mixer to make this buttercream.
2. Add the remaining ingredients. Pour in the whipping cream, orange extract, and five drops of orange food coloring. Beat the mixture on medium speed until the ingredients are fully combined. If necessary, beat in more food coloring in five-drop increments until you achieve the desired color.
   • The food coloring is optional in this recipe, and you can leave it out entirely.
3. Make your own food coloring as an alternative. If you want the frosting to be orange but don’t want to use the artificial color, substitute the food coloring with reduced carrot juice.
   • Heat fresh carrot juice in a medium saucepan until it reduces to a paste, then use that in place of the food coloring.
4. Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag to use. For the best results, use a pastry bag to frost desserts with buttercream. If you don’t have a pastry bag, spoon the frosting into a freezer bag, push it all to the bottom left corner of the bag, and snip a small hole in the corner of the bag.
   • You can frost desserts with buttercream by using a knife, spoon, or icing knife as well, but you'll get more interesting designs and a cleaner look if you use a pastry bag.
   • This recipe makes enough icing for up to 24 cupcakes, or two cakes.

Orange Glaze

1. Whisk together the sugar and zest. To remove lumps, sift the powdered sugar into a medium mixing bowl. Then add the orange zest and whisk the two ingredients together.
   • To change the flavor of the icing slightly, you can also add or substitute different citrus zests, such as lemon, grapefruit, or lime.
2. Whisk in the orange juice. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of juice and whisk to combine. Whisk in more juice as needed if the icing is too thick. The ideal glaze consistency depends on what you're looking for:
   • For a thinner glaze that you can drizzle over cookies and cakes, add more orange juice to make the glaze a little runny.
   • For a thicker glaze that you can dip cupcakes into without it running, add less juice.
3. Apply the glaze. There are several ways that you can apply a glaze icing to different desserts. Check the recipe you're working with to see if it calls for special instructions.
   • For cakes and Bundt cakes, run a whisk or spoon through the glaze and then drizzle it over the cake, letting the glaze run down the sides.
   • For cupcakes, dip the top of each cupcake into the glaze. Let the excess drip off over the bowl, then flip the cupcake over (right-side up) and let the glaze set for about 15 minutes.
   • For cookies, use a pastry brush to brush the glaze onto the top of each cookie.

Orange Cream Cheese Icing

1. Cream all ingredients except the sugar. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, orange zest, and orange juice. With electric beaters, the whisk attachment on a stand mixer, or a whisk, cream all the ingredients together until smooth.
   • If you're using a manual whisk, use a vigorous motion to ensure the ingredients come together properly.
2. Add the sugar. Pour in the powdered sugar in half-cup increments. Continue beating until all the sugar has been added, and the icing is smooth, light, and fully incorporated.
3. Frost the dessert and let the icing set. Use an icing knife to frost your dessert with the cream cheese icing. Set the dessert aside and let the icing set for at least one, and ideally two hours. Orange cream cheese icing is great for:
   • Carrot and spice cakes
   • Gingerbread cookies and cakes
   • Zucchini bread
   • Pumpkin cookies and cakes
   • Chocolate cakes

Orange Marshmallow Fondant

1. Melt the marshmallows. Prepare a double boiler by filling the bottom of a saucepan with an inch (2.5 cm) of water. Place a glass bowl on top of the saucepan. Add the marshmallows to the top portion and melt them over medium heat.
   • Stir the marshmallows frequently to help them melt more quickly and evenly.
   • When the marshmallows are completely melted, remove the pan from the heat and place the bowl on a heat-proof surface.
2. Add the remaining ingredients. Add the orange extract and the food coloring to the hot marshmallows and gently fold them in with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Then gradually add 6¼ cups (781 g) of the powdered sugar, folding it into the marshmallow one cup (125 g) at a time.
   • As you add the sugar, the mixture will come together as a sticky dough.
3. Knead the fondant. Turn the dough out onto a flat surface. Cover the surface and the dough with a generous dusting of the remaining powdered sugar. Cover your hands with a generous layer of butter and knead the dough.
   • Continue adding more sugar and kneading until the fondant becomes an elastic dough that isn't sticky any more. The process will take up to 10 minutes.
   • If the dough starts to crack at all during the kneading, add ½ tablespoon (7.5 ml) of water.
   • Add more butter to your hands as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking.
4. Chill the fondant overnight before using. When the fondant is ready, work it into a ball. Wrap it in plastic wrap, place it in a sealable bag, and chill it in the fridge overnight.
   • When it’s time to use the fondant, allow it to warm to room temperature. Use a rolling pin to roll it out on a flat surface dusted with powdered sugar.
   • Use the fondant to cover cakes and cupcakes, or to create edible decorations. Always apply fondant overtop of a layer of buttercream icing.

Orange Ganache

1. Add all the ingredients to the hot cream. Pour the cream into a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. When the cream is boiling, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the chocolate, butter, orange zest, and liqueur, and then set the mixture aside for three minutes.
   • There are a few orange liqueurs you can use for this recipe, including orange curacao, Grand Marnier, and Cointreau.
2. Whisk and chill the chocolate. After three minutes, whisk the mixture until the chocolate is fully melted and all the ingredients are incorporated. Transfer the ganache to the fridge and let it chill.
   • Let the ganache cool in the fridge for at least 40 minutes. Stir it a few times during the chilling process.
3. Beat the ganache before using. When you're ready to use the ganache, transfer it to a mixing bowl and beat it with electric beaters. Only beat for one to two minutes, until the ganache becomes light and fluffy.
   • Ganache is a great frosting for cookies, cakes, and muffins, but it can also be used as a filling for doughnuts, truffles, and other desserts.
4. Finished.

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Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Cream Cheese Frosting
• Make Chocolate Buttercream Icing (Frosting)
• Make Homemade Strawberry Frosting
• Make Fondant
• Make Frosting
• Make Buttercream Frosting
• Fondant a Cake
• Ice a Cake
• Make Cake Icing
• Make Icing

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• Make Coffee Icing
• Make Lemon Icing
• Make a Rose With Cake Icing