Orange Creamsicle Buttercream with Vanilla Beans
Posted: 03/07/2012
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This Orange Creamsicle Buttercream tastes just like a frozen creamsicle and is perfect on graham crackers, sugar cookies and cakes!
I’m back with ANOTHER vanilla bean recipe. I just cannot get enough.
One of my favorite childhood drinks was a homemade Orange Julius. We made them at home with frozen orange juice concentrate, milk, sugar, ice, and vanilla. The vanilla is what makes this drink special.
My mom suggested doing a vanilla bean Orange Julius with the fantastic vanilla products that Beanilla sent me, but I wanted to do something a little different. Now, I realize it might be a little confusing that I am talking about an Orange Julius and calling this recipe Orange Creamsicle Buttercream. They have the same flavors and I feel like Orange Creamsicle is more recognizable. Am I wrong? Do people know about Orange Juliuses? Julius’s? Julius’? Juliui?
Now I’m confused and in need of a grammar lesson.
Getting back to the point, I love taking fantastic flavors and making them into a buttercream. This frosting tastes amazing on cookies, cake, or cupcakes, but….I’ve been busy, just too busy to bake.
Little E loves graham crackers, and really, who doesn’t? I always have them on hand, and they caught my eye while I was making this frosting. Frosted graham crackers are a perfect little treat. The graham crackers make a perfect base because they aren’t too sweet, which is a good thing with a super sweet frosting.
Feel free to use the frosting on cake, too. This recipe makes about two cups of frosting which is plenty for a 9 x1 3 cake.
I use vanilla bean paste for this recipe. If you’re not familiar with it–here’s what Beanilla has to say about it:
“We are all familiar with vanilla extract, the most popular flavor in the world. Now we offer the same full-bodied vanilla flavor with a unique twist: the addition of the distinctive vanilla seeds in a rich concentrated paste. Use vanilla bean paste’s thicker viscosity to flavor cakes, puddings, cookies, custards, icing, frostings, whipped cream, ice cream or anywhere the flavor and appearance of vanilla bean is desired. Using vanilla bean paste saves the effort of scraping the seeds from the whole vanilla bean.”
To sum things up, it’s the cat’s meow. I was new to it, but I love it. I love to see those little vanilla bean specks.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
This Orange Creamsicle Buttercream tastes just like a frozen creamsicle and is perfect on graham crackers, sugar cookies and cakes!
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream
Instructions
- In a large bowl, blend all ingredients except milk together using an electric mixer. Add milk in one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Spread on cake, cupcakes, cookies or graham crackers.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 2tablespoons, Calories: 167kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Sodium: 3mg, Sugar: 27g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Husband’s take: He loved this orange creamsicle frosting too. I was surprised, because he’s more into all things traditional. I told him how shocked I was that he liked it, and he said “Well, don’t get me wrong, I like plain vanilla frosting better.” He was probably worried that my next concoction would be really off the wall.
Disclaimer: I received free products and was compensated for this post but all opinions of the vanilla are 100% my own. As always. I’m really crazily in love with vanilla beans and Beanilla is the only place I buy them.
Ashley says
Hi,
You said you made a half batch of this orange buttercream. How much did the half batch make? I’m looking for a small amount… like 1/2 cup or so for on a small 8×4 loaf.
Rachel Gurk says
A half batch will likely make about 1 cup of frosting.