Orange Soda Cupcakes
These orange soda cupcakes taste like a summer day sitting by the pool eating a creamsicle! Made with orange jello and buttercream frosting you'll quick find yourself reaching for another!
Servings: 24 Cupcakes
Calories: 188kcal
Equipment
- Orange Cupcake Liners
- Paper Straws
- Piping Bag and Icing Tip
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Mixing Bowl Large
Ingredients
Cupcake Ingredients:
- 1 white cake mix
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 ¼-1 ¾ cups orange soda
- ¾ package of orange flavored Jello
- Orange food coloring if desired
- Orange cupcake liners Get them at Walmart or on Amazon
Frosting Ingredients
- 2 sticks salted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla
- ¼ package of orange flavored Jello
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon half and half or whole milk
- 2 tablespoons orange soda
- Orange food coloring
- 1 large piping bag 1 large round frosting tip
- Paper straws optional
Instructions
Directions for Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Spray or line a standard muffin tin.
- Add cake mix to a large mixing bowl. Using a hand or stand mixer, add in your oil, egg whites, water, and ¾ cup of Jello, and mix on medium until well incorporated.
- Add batter into the muffin tin until each is about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Directions for Frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand or stand mixer, cream the butter, and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla, and ¼ cup of Jello.
- Mix the half and half or milk and orange soda together. (If you don’t, the orange soda on it’s own will break your frosting)
- Slowly mix in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, while adding a bit of the liquid mixture from Step 6 in between each cup. Continue to mix for 1 minute or until creamy. Add in your orange food coloring (if desired).
- Prepare piping bag and fill bag with frosting and frost your cupcakes. Add your straw if desired.
Notes
- Don't skip cooling completely before frosting. Buttercream melts fast, and even slightly warm cupcakes will cause the frosting to slide right off. Give them at least 30 minutes on a wire rack before you pipe.
- Mix the soda and half and half together before adding to the frosting. This is the single most important tip for this recipe. Orange soda on its own will break a buttercream. Combining it with the half and half first prevents that from happening.
- Use a piping bag for the best results. You can spread the frosting with a knife, but a large round tip creates that tall, swirly bakery-style finish that makes these look as good as they taste. A 1M or 2D tip works beautifully.
- Fill the liners no more than ⅔ full. Overfilling causes the batter to overflow and creates flat-topped, dense cupcakes. Use an ice cream scoop for consistent sizing across all 24.
- Room temperature butter makes a better frosting. If your butter is too cold, the frosting will be lumpy. If it's too soft or melted, it won't hold its shape when piped. Aim for butter that dents easily when pressed but still holds its form.
- Add food coloring at the very end. Mix the frosting completely before adding color so you can adjust the shade accurately. Add a couple of drops at a time — it's easier to add more than to lighten it back up.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Cupcake | Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 159mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg