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Orange Crush Cupcakes are perfect for any summer party or barbecue. They have Orange Crush soda in the cake mix and in the frosting. These cute cupcakes are packed with orange flavor!
Recipe Ingredient Notes
To make Orange Crush Cupcakes, you will need the following ingredients:
- 16.25 ounces white cake mix white or orange cake mix will work, 1 box
- 3 eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup orange crush
- 5 Tablespoons orange Jello dry gelatin mix
- ¼ teaspoon orange food coloring
- ⅛ teaspoon orange extract
- 8 orange fruit jell slices cut into thirds (optional for topping cupcakes)
For the buttercream frosting, you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 cup butter softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon orange crush
- 2 Tablespoons orange Jello dry gelatin mix
- few drops of orange extract (optional for more flavor)
- 2-3 drop of orange food coloring for more intense color
Equipment Needed
For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:
How to Make Orange Crush Cupcakes
Cupcake Instructions
- Heat oven to 350℉ and line muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Beat together cake mix, eggs, oil, orange crush, jello, orange food coloring and orange extract. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until well blended.
- Fill cupcake liners about ⅔ full. Bake for 17 – 18 minute or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and remove from baking tin, cool completely.
Frosting Instructions
- Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add in jello mix and mix together well. Then add in powdered sugar, orange crush, orange extract and orange food coloring. Beat until well creamy and smooth. If it’s too dry add more orange crush. If it’s too runny add a little more powdered sugar.
- Pipe or spread the icing onto each cupcake.
- Top with an orange jell slice (optional)
Storage Tips
To store cupcakes, make sure to let them completely cool. Unfrosted cupcakes are easier to store after baking, then frosted cupcakes.
- Container: Always store cupcakes in an airtight container to prevent the air from drying them out and contamination. We like to store cupcakes in this container.
- Counter: Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored at room temperature (and out of sunlight) for one day.
- Refrigerator: You can keep cupcakes in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Before eating, allow them time to come back to room temperature before serving. If you ice them with the cream cheese frosting, we recommend refrigerating them.
Enjoy More Delicious Cupcake Recipes
Cupcakes are a delicious treat for kids and adults alike. Check out our comprehensive list of cupcake recipes!
- Bite Size Carrot Cakes
- Cherry Cobbler Cookie Cups
- Confetti Cupcakes
- Melted Witch Cupcakes
- Mini Pumpkin Poppers
- Mini Spooky Spider Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes
- Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes
- Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes
Orange Crush Cupcakes Recipe
These easy Orange Crush cupcakes use boxed cake mix and citrus soda for a moist, flavorful treat perfect for any party.
Serving cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcake Ingredients
- 16.25 ounces white cake mix, white or orange cake mix will work, 1 box
- 3 eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup orange crush
- 5 Tablespoon orange Jello dry gelatin mix
- ¼ teaspoon orange food coloring
- ⅛ teaspoon orange extract
- 8 orange fruit jell slices, cut into thirds (optional for topping cupcakes)
Orange Crush Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon orange crush
- 2 Tablespoon orange Jello dry gelatin mix
- few drops of orange extract , (optional for more flavor)
- 2-3 drop of orange food coloring for more intense color
Instructions
Cupcake Instructions
- Heat oven to 350℉ and line muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Beat together cake mix, eggs, oil, orange crush, jello, orange food coloring and orange extract. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until well blended.
- Fill cupcake liners about ⅔ full. Bake for 17 – 18 minute or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and remove from baking tin, cool completely.
Frosting Instructions
- Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add in jello mix and mix together well. Then add in powdered sugar, orange crush, orange extract and orange food coloring. Beat until well creamy and smooth. If it's too dry add more orange crush. If it's too runny add a little more powdered sugar.
- Pipe or spread the icing onto each cupcake.
- Top with an orange jell slice (optional)
Notes
They should be fine frosting them the night before if you are short on time. The fridge would keep them fresh. Or you could make the cupcake portion the night before and then frost the next morning.
Nutrition
Calories: 256 kcal · Carbohydrates: 36 g · Protein: 2 g · Fat: 12 g · Saturated Fat: 8 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 41 mg · Sodium: 221 mg · Potassium: 22 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 27 g · Vitamin A: 266 IU · Calcium: 48 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
I made these twice. The first time I made them orange, but the second time I changed all of the orange ingredients to strawberry (red), and used a pillsbury gluten free confetti cake mix for my daughter’s birthday and they turned out AMAZING!
Wow, these Orange Crush Cupcakes, looks great and the recipe seems to be very simple.
Would it work to bake and frost the night before and store in refrigerator overnight? I’m serving these at a toddler party that starts at 10am and want to do as much the night before as I can.
They should be fine frosting them the night before if you are short on time. The fridge would keep them fresh. Or you could make the cupcake portion the night before and then frost the next morning.
can you make a cake instead
I’m sure you could. We have only made this recipe into cupcakes.
Can the Orange Crush Cupcakes be make as a cake in a
9 x 13 pan?
It should work fine in a 9 x 13 inch pan.
My frosting keeps coming out grainy.
Hi! Thanks so much for the recipe!! Do the cupcakes come out light and airy or do they have a little weight to them? Cake mix recipes tend to be airy… I want to have one for a change that is a tad more dense (so you can feel like you have something in your hand and your teeth will feel like it has a welcomed visitor in its mouth cavity). Thx in advance. Any suggestions to make a tad more dense?
They are pretty airy. We haven’t tried making them more dense, but our friends at Betty Crocker suggested these methods: There are several ways to modify a boxed cake mix to make it more dense. You can try any of the following: adding a 1 oz. package of pudding (any flavor that complements the cake’s flavor profile), adding 1-2 egg yolks (along with the eggs called for on the box), or substituting milk for the water called for on the box. If you try it, let us know how it goes!