Best Orange Cream Cheese Frosting (with Grand Marnier Liqueur)
This is the best orange cream cheese frosting recipe you’re going to find. Why? It’s simple, easy to make and includes Grand Marnier–that’s why!
Sometimes you just want a little change.
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The other day I made a pumpkin carrot cake, as I often do, but this time I made it in a 2 layer cake form. I added a little less white and brown sugar, omitted the coconut and only added two dashes of cinnamon. For some reason, I thought about flavoring the cream cheese frosting with orange. This is probably because I found frozen orange zest that needed to be used!
You could actually switch out the orange for any citrus flavor. Use lemon rind, lemon liqueur and lemon oil for a lemon frosting! There are so many possibilities. You can also add the frosting to this moist pineapple carrot cake, too!
You may also enjoy this Whole Orange Cake~
If you love orange flavored desserts, I really think you’ll be smitten with this frosting! Try it on vanilla cupcakes, a carrot sheet cake, or any other way you use cream cheese frosting.
Let’s just say it passed the taste test from me, my husband and lots of neighbors.

Best Orange Cream Cheese Frosting (with Grand Marnier Liqueur)
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 4 oz butter (at room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 Tbsp Grand Marnier liqueur
- 2 drops orange oil
- 1 tsp orange zest (freshly grated )
- 14 oz powdered sugar
Instructions
- Beat the cream cheese and butter until well-mixed.
- Add vanilla, liqueur, orange oil and orange zest, then add the powdered sugar. Mix slowly, increasing the speed until all of the sugar is incorporated and frosting is smooth. If too thick add a little milk or water.
- Use as desired.
Notes
- Note: this frosting does contain alcohol
Nutrition
You can make the following cake as I did (with the following changes) or use the frosting as you like.
Changes I made to the cake: 25g less white sugar, 10 g less brown sugar, omit coconut, only 2 dashes of cinnamon. Bake 25 to 30 minutes before checking with a cake tester.

Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Muffins
- 2 c flour all purpose/plain
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon good quality (don't use generic brands)
- 4 eggs organic, preferably
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar dark
- ½ cup butter melted
- ½ cup olive oil (not extra virgin)
- 2 cups carrots grated
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin canned or fresh, cooked
- 1 cup shredded coconut (organic is best, propylene glycol free)
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
- 4 oz butter at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 4 cups confectioner's sugar powdered
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes
- Sift the first 5 (dry) ingredients into a bowl and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar for about 2 minutes, then add the oil and butter, and mix well. Next, add the grated carrots, pumpkin and coconut and mix until combined.
- Now add the sifted ingredients and stir until mixed well.
- Put paper cupcake liners in a pan, then fill with batter about 2/3 full.
- Bake at 350º F (175º C) about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Place on cooling rack; meanwhile, make the icing.
Make the Frosting
- Beat cream cheese and butter; then beat in the vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Pipe or spread onto pumpkin muffins, as desired.
Notes
- Omit the frosting for an even healthier muffin.
- Use an organic coconut product without added sugar or propylene glycol.
- Add 1 cup (170 g) of: raisins, or cranberries, or chopped nuts
- You can also easily add a teaspoon of cinnamon, with a little nutmeg or even mixed spice.
Nutrition
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best orange cream cheese frosting
This cake is delicious, it would be even better with an espresso made with the Bialetti moka coffee pot!
Christina,
I just wanted you to know that your cream cheese(mariner Liquor filling) was a hit at my schools’ auction!
I ended up adding the filling on all 8 layers of the chocolate cake frosted with chocolate buttercream frosting, To your credit and suggessions, thank you so much. I wish I could post a picture of the cake but I am not on Facebook or instagram.
Darryl Goff
Oh good! I’m so glad it turned out well, Darryl! You can always email me a photo (on my Work with Me page) Thanks so much for letting me know! :)