What everyone loves about this orange cake is it's a great addition to the holiday tables for fall treats especially Halloween and Thanksgiving, you can even tint the batter orange to coordinate the colorful theme.
Fall just shouts orange colors and fall cakes you may also like to try another favorite Apple Buttermilk Streusel Cake that's loaded with apples and the cinnamon crunchy topping is so addicting it's great any time of day.
Our all-decked-out holiday-themed cupcakes can be made into a full-layer cake and are perfect for hosting a dinner party.
The cake all made from scratch even stays moist for more than a few days after it's baked when you use our orange glaze when making a sheet cake.
Simple pantry ingredients make this cake sure easy to transform into cupcakes, cakes, loaf cakes, bundt style, or any shape you desire.
Whenever I make this the whole house smells fantastic and it sure is the perfect cake to bake if you're showcasing a home for sale or having guests this will surely make their mouths water.
If you love the taste of orange and desserts you may also like to try our Orange Creamsicle Dessert or Florida Butter Pecan Orange Pound Cake Loaf.
Please read our tips before starting and scroll down to the bottom for this printable recipe.
Step by Step Orange Cupcakes
- preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- grease pan using or paper line cupcakes tins and set aside
- make the batter
- make the orange simple syrup
- bake then add the syrup add while warm
- cool cake or cupcakes completely
- choose glaze or buttercream and make that
- frost and decorate
Suggestions for Serving Holiday-Themed Cupcakes
- tint the buttercream orange for fall themes
- add coordinating sprinkles on top of the frosting
- use holiday picks (turkey, Halloween, autumn pumpkins, leaves) for the cake or cupcakes
- make a shaped style cake pan instead of cupcakes
- use a bundt pan
- make a sheet cake and decorate the top to the party theme or holiday
- serve with just powdered sugar or whipped cream
- make a glaze instead of decorating with buttercream
- perfect holiday centerpiece for Halloween, Thanksgiving or taking to a summer or fall party just by changing the color of the frosting and sprinkles
Tips
- preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- place all the dry ingredients in one bowl and all the wet in another bowl
- do not overwork the batter at the end and beat in juice and buttermilk just until blended
- add chocolate or white chips to the batter for another flavor
- use lemon and lemon zest instead of orange both are wonderful flavors
Ingredients You Will Need
- butter
- sugar
- flour
- baking powder, baking soda
- salt
- buttermilk
- orange juice
- vanilla
- large eggs
- orange zest
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Delicious Orange Cake
The recipe is the perfect cupcake all year long to brighten your day with a little bit of sunshine added.
Again this cake is perfect for picnics, parties, and holidays plus can be shaped in any pan and decorated to the theme of whatever time of the year it is!
Orange Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream
Yield: 24
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min
Moist tender orange cake with orange buttercream icing is perfect all year long and can be made into cupcakes or any shaped cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 5 large eggs orange
- zest from 2 large oranges (blood oranges in season are the best in this recipe!)
- Orange Simple Syrup for drizzling on cake and cupcakes(keeps them moist):
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- Boil them together for around 3 minutes or until it thickens slightly.
- Orange Glaze for Bundt Cakes and Sheet Cakes (a very thin icing):
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2-4 tablespoons orange juice
- Decorating Buttercream Icing below:
- Orange Buttercream Frosting:
- 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups sifted powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)
- 3 tablespoons orange juice or less
- 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest, or more if you would like a stronger orange taste
- Optional for orange food coloring: (red and yellow mixed together)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare and paper line 24 cupcakes or if using a sheet pan, bundt pan or another shape, grease, and flour the pan.
- Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light, this should take around 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add one egg at a time until blended around 1 minute.
- Slowly add the flour, baking soda, and powder, salt to the butter mixture.
- Beat the orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Cupcakes: bake for 25 to 30 minutes
- Cakes: bake for around 40 minutes to 55 minutes.
- Use a toothpick to make sure the centers are clean.
- For cakes and cupcakes: while still warm, poke holes in the cake or cupcakes using a fork, and drizzle the syrup over each one with a spoon ( just a little on each cupcake you may have some leftover)
- Frost and decorate after everything cake or cupcakes are cooled.
- For the Orange Buttercream Instructions:
- In a small bowl, cream butter shortening until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the powdered sugar, orange zest, and vanilla.
- Add juice just enough to keep it in a thicker form to decorate with.
- See notes for suggestions.
Notes
Suggestions for Serving Holiday-Themed Cupcakes
- tint the buttercream orange for fall themes
- add coordinating sprinkles on top of the frosting
- use holiday picks (turkey, Halloween, autumn pumpkins, leaves) for the cake or cupcakes
- make a shaped style cake pan instead of cupcakes
- use a bundt pan
- make a sheet cake and decorate the top to the party theme or holiday
- serve with just powdered sugar or whipped cream
- make a glaze instead of decorating with buttercream
- perfect holiday centerpiece for Halloween, Thanksgiving or taking to a summer or fall party just by changing the color of the frosting and sprinkles
Tips
- preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- place all the dry ingredients in one bowl and all the wet in another bowl
- do not overwork the batter at the end and beat in juice and buttermilk just until blended
- add chocolate or white chips to the batter for another flavor
- use lemon and lemon zest instead of orange both are wonderful flavors
Pin for later
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