Easy Orange Creamsicle Brownies

If you love the classic combination of sweet orange and creamy vanilla, these Easy Orange Creamsicle Brownies are about to become your new favorite shortcut dessert. They start with a box of orange cake mix, which means you get all that cheerful citrus flavor without squeezing approximately 47 oranges into your kitchen. The brownies are soft, chewy, and topped with a simple orange-vanilla cream cheese frosting that tastes just like an Orange Creamsicle in dessert form.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Only a few ingredients. Cake mix, eggs, oil, and a handful of frosting ingredients are all you need.
• No mixer needed for the brownies. A sturdy spatula or wooden spoon gets the job done.
• Bright orange flavor. The orange cake mix gives the brownies their citrusy base, while fresh orange zest wakes up the frosting.
• Creamy, tangy frosting. Cream cheese, orange zest, and vanilla make the perfect contrast to the sweet brownies.
• They’re ridiculously easy. Because sometimes you want homemade dessert without behaving like you have all afternoon.

Making Easy Orange Creamsicle Brownies

1. Prepare the Pan — Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides to use as handles later. Lightly coat the parchment with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Make the Brownie Batter — In a large bowl, whisk together the canola oil and eggs until combined.

Add the orange cake mix and stir with a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon. The batter will be very thick. That’s exactly what you want.

Press the batter evenly into the prepared pan using your hand. The batter won’t stick to your hand, making it surprisingly easy to smooth into the corners and get an even layer.

3. Bake — Bake for 20 minutes, or until the brownies are set.

Place the pan on a wire rack and allow the brownies to cool completely before frosting. I know. Waiting is terrible. But frosting warm brownies is a good way to turn your beautiful frosting into orange cream cheese soup.

4. Make the Frosting — Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.

Add the orange zest, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until well combined.

Reduce the mixer speed to LOW and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once the sugar is incorporated, increase the speed and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.

5. Frost and Chill — Spread the frosting evenly over the completely cooled brownies.

For the neatest, bakery-style cuts, refrigerate the frosted brownies for 30 minutes before slicing.

Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the brownies from the pan, then cut into squares and serve.

Pro Tips

• Don’t worry about the thick batter. Cake mix brownies are supposed to be thick. Pressing the batter into the pan with your hand is the easiest way to get it into the corners.
• Cool completely before frosting. Otherwise, your frosting may soften or slide right off.
• Make sure the cream cheese is softened. It will blend much more smoothly and give you a creamier frosting.
• Chill before cutting. Thirty minutes in the refrigerator makes a noticeable difference when you’re after those pretty, clean edges.
• Use fresh orange zest. It adds a surprisingly big boost of orange flavor to the frosting.

Looking for More Cake Mix Brownies?

If you love ridiculously easy desserts that start with a box of cake mix, be sure to search Sweet Ordeal for more cake mix brownie recipes. At this point, we may as well admit we’re a bit obsessed. Here’s a list in the series so far:

• Strawberry Cake Mix Brownies
• Dark Chocolate Raspberry Brownies
• Lemonade Cake Mix Brownies
• and the list goes on as ideas pop into my head.

If you tried and love this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment below. Thank you so much.

Easy Orange Creamsicle Brownies

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