Easy Orange Glaze Icing (Recipe for Cakes & More!)

Orange glaze icing will take your desserts from good to FANTASTIC! 

This delectable, tangy icing bursts with bright orange flavor. It’s the perfect finishing touch to any sweet treat. 

Imagine the sweet aroma of freshly baked goods filling the air. 

As you approach the kitchen, your eye is drawn to a tray of citrus-infused pastries.

The secret to their tantalizing taste? It’s all in the orange glaze icing. 

It’s quick and easy to make. Plus, it’ll bring to life everything from plain pound cakes to morning muffins.

Orange Glaze Icing 

Wanna know the best way to amplify the flavor of any baked good? Use a decadent and flavorful icing. 

And this sweet, zesty orange glaze icing is the perfect choice. 

It’s a beautiful balance of tart citrus and sweet sugar. And it adds enough moisture to rescue even the dryest, accidentally-overbaked bakes.

Drizzle it over your favorite desserts. Or give your breakfast pastries a burst of citrus. However you use this icing, you will not be disappointed!

Best Oranges to Use

• Valencia Oranges: Valencia oranges are favored for their sweet and juicy flavor. They have balanced levels of sweetness and acidity. So, they are a fabulous choice for creating a flavorful orange glaze.
• Cara Cara Oranges: They have a sweet and tangy flavor, which can add a refreshing taste to the glaze.
• Blood Oranges: Blood oranges have unique red flesh. This lends a beautiful color to the glaze. They have an almost-tart flavor with berry undertones, adding depth and complexity to the icing.

Ingredients

• Confectioner’s Sugar – A.K.A powdered sugar. This sugar is best for glaze because it dissolves easily leaving no chunks. 
• Oranges – There’s no orange glaze without oranges! Valencia oranges and Cara Cara are my favorite picks.

How to Make Orange Glaze Icing 

1. Combine the ingredients.

• Whisk the Confectioner’s sugar and 1 tablespoon of orange juice in a bowl. Add in 1/4 teaspoon of orange zest.
  • You can adjust the sweetness and citrus intensity to your preference. Just add more or less sugar, juice, or zest. 

• Whisk the mixture until it becomes smooth, ensuring there are no lumps. 

• Gradually add more orange juice while whisking to achieve the desired consistency for the glaze.

2. Enjoy!

This versatile glaze adds a delightful burst of orange flavor. Yum, yum, yum!

If you have any remaining orange zest or juice, store them in airtight containers. So, you can use them for future recipes or as a garnish for other dishes. 

Get creative by experimenting with variations! 

• Add a splash of vanilla extract for a Dreamsicle flavor. 
• Substitute lemon, lime, or grapefruit juice for a different citrus twist. 
• Mix orange juice with cranberry juice for a festive fall glaze. 
• Whisk 1 teaspoon of melted butter into the mixture. This yields a thicker icing.

Enjoy the tangy and sweet goodness of this homemade orange glaze!

Tips for the Best Orange Icing 

• Fresh Oranges: Use fresh-squeezed orange juice and zest for the most vibrant and authentic orange flavor. Avoid using bottled or pre-packaged orange juice, as it may lack a fresh taste.
• Orange Extract– Add a dash of orange extract for an extra punch of orange flavor. You could also use food-grade orange oil. 
• Zesting Techniques: Use a microplane or fine grater to zest your oranges (or other citrus). Be careful to only grate the outer colored part of the peel. Avoid the bitter white pith beneath.

Serving Suggestions

There are so many ways to use this orange glaze icing! These are some of my favorites:

• Drizzle over cakes: Pour the glaze over cakes to enhance the flavor. It also adds a glossy, juicy finish.
• Enhance pastries: Add a finishing touch to pastries like orange danishes, sweet rolls, or turnovers.
• Dip donuts: Dip homemade or store-bought donuts into the glaze. Allow the icing to coat the surface for a burst of orange flavor.
• Add to sweet bread: Brush the glaze onto freshly baked orange bread, brioche, banana bread, lemon loaf, or muffins. 

Orange tastes fantastic with many other tastes… not just orange. It tastes amazing with chocolate, vanilla, caramel, and most fruit flavors. 

Let your imagination run wild! 

(Now, I’m thinking about a dark chocolate cake with this orange glaze icing. YUM.)

How to Store 

To store orange glaze icing, follow these steps:

1. Allow the glaze to cool to room temperature before storing it.
2. Transfer the glaze to an airtight container, such as a jar or a resealable plastic container.
   • Ensure the container is clean and dry to prevent moisture from affecting the glaze.
3. Seal the container tightly to create an airtight environment. This prevents the glaze from drying out or absorbing unwanted odors.
   • You can lay a layer of plastic wrap directly over the glaze for added protection. 
4. Label the container with the date and contents for easy identification. 
5. Place the glaze in the fridge. 

It should last for up to 2-3 weeks in the fridge. Check the glaze periodically for any signs of spoilage.