Weddings are a special time where people from many different walks of life can come together. Wedding receptions offer a great opportunity to serve unique dishes and desserts that bring people together. Unique dishes can make the occasion even more meaningful and memorable. It gives people something to talk about.

Oranges are an excellent dessert ingredient that is unexpected. That can make your wedding reception stand out. Today, I’m sharing a round of orange dessert ideas you can make or serve up at your wedding.

10+ Desserts With Oranges for Wedding

You’d be surprised by the number of things that pair well with oranges. In this post, I’m going to share what some of those flavors are as well as some special and unique dessert ideas you can make that includes them to help your wedding stand out.

What Goes Good With Orange For Dessert At A Wedding

Much like many citrus fruits, oranges pair exceptionally well with so many ingredients. Here are a few:

Nuts:

almond, anise, hazelnut, and walnut

Fruit:

banana, berries, cherry, cranberry, fig, grape, grapefruit, lemon, persimmon, pineapple, and pomegranate

Herbs:

anise, cilantro, basil, clove, and mint

Spices:

chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, ginger, nutmeg, rosemary, and vanilla

What Desserts Can You Make With Oranges For Weddings

Tiramisu

If you want to offer a unique dessert at your wedding that includes orange flavors, you’ve got this beautiful Italian Tiramisu with Amaretto and Orange recipe. This no bake dessert is creamy, not too sweet, and has an unexpected (and winning) blend of coffee, amaretto, and orange flavors. Grab the full recipe here.

Orange tart

You’ve probably had many fruit tarts in your life, but have you ever had an orange tart? You’ve got to try this delicious and smooth spin on a classic treat. It’s perfect for spring or summer weddings. See the full recipe here.

Orange ice cream floats

Planning a summer wedding? You’ve got to try this version of an ice cream float. It’ll bring the perfect treat to cool down on a warm day, and especially for outdoor celebrations. We had fun with this recipe here.

Crêpe Suzette

If you are wanting a lighter dessert option to offer guests, crêpe Suzette is the way to go. This french dessert of thin pancakes is flambéed with orange liqueur and soaked in a caramelized orange sauce, offering a brilliant burst of flavor your guests will be impressed with and love. We borrowed this recipe from Bobby Flay from Food Network. If you want a unique dessert that incorporates orange flavor, this is a solid way to go.

Orange crème brûlée

This decadent dessert will make a great hit for weddings. It’s rich, creamy and surprisingly easy to make —- with only five ingredients, all of which you probably already have at home.

Impress your guests with flare and a dessert item most people only see on fine dining menus. Grab the full recipe here. The best part, it can be made in under 30 minutes!

Orange-Glazed Crullers

One reason this dessert idea is perfect for weddings is not only the incredible flavor, but also because of the make ahead dough. If you haven’t tried crullers with orange zest, you've got to try this yummy recipe. They are so good! Everyone at the wedding will scarf them up immediately.

Orange cake

If you’re looking for a delicious orange dessert, orange cake is probably the first thing that pops in your mind. For good reason too. Similar to a lemon cake or poundcake, this moist dessert option is easy to make and refreshing has everything you would hope for when it comes to desserts that is sweet, moist, and delicious. Love this orange cake recipe.

Ingredients

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 ¼ cup sugar I used fine sugar

½ cup milk

½ cup of orange juice

¼ cup oil

¼ cup melted unsalted butter

3 medium size eggs

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Butter or line with parchment paper a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

Step 2

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt set aside.

Step 3

In a different bowl, add the melted butter, oil, sugar, and beat until well combined.

Step 4

Add the eggs one at a time beating the mixture after adding each egg.

Step 5

Add the milk and whisk, then add the orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla and whisk for one minute.

Step 6

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and gently mix for a few seconds. You might see small lumps in the batter, please ignore it but don’t over mix the batter. The lumps will dissolve and won’t be seen in the cake after it is baked.

Step 7

Pour the orange cake batter in the previously prepared baking pan.

Step 8

Bake the batter for 40 to 45 minutes or until its golden and a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake, comes out clean.

Step 9

If you have used parchment paper in the pan, then pull the cake out of the pan from both side of the parchment paper and place it over a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the parchment paper and keep it on the cooling rack to cool completely.

Step 10

If you are not using parchment paper, then remove the pan from the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack, after 7 minutes remove the cake from the pan and place it over the cooling rack to cool completely.

Pavlova

Ever heard of a pavlova? Named after the famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, a pavlova is essentially a meringue cake made of whipped egg whites and sugar.

This delicious orange dessert option is perfect for festive celebrations like weddings, and ideal for those looking for something light and airy.

The outside is light, crisp, and slightly chewy. The middle is resemblant to marshmallow. So good with oranges. Here’s a great recipe for starters.

Upside down blood orange cake

This one you can do in multiple cake layers or just one layer. Love this recipe from NY Times. It’s so beautiful and decadent for weddings. Your guests will be blown away.

Ingredients

270g unsalted butter (2 sticks plus 3 tablespoons), at room temperature

130g light brown sugar (about ⅔ cup)

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 medium-sized blood oranges

122g fine cornmeal (about 1 cup)

65g all-purpose flour (about ½ cup)

8g baking powder (about 1½ teaspoons)

2g fine sea salt (about ½ teaspoon)

200g granulated sugar (about 1 cup)

4 large eggs, at room temperature

⅓ cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Step 1

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Start greasing and flouring your 9-inch round cake pans.

Step 2

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons (45 grams) butter. Add the brown sugar and lemon juice; stir until sugar melts, about 3 minutes. Scrape mixture into bottom of prepared pan.

Step 3

Grate ½ teaspoon zest from one of the oranges, then slice off the tops and bottoms of both oranges. Place oranges on a clean, flat surface, and slice away the rind and pith, top to bottom, following the curve of the fruit. Slice each orange crosswise into ¼-inch-thick wheels; discard any seeds. Arrange orange wheels on top of brown sugar mixture in a single, tight layer.

Step 4

In a large bowl, whisk together orange zest, cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together remaining 2 sticks (225 grams) butter with granulated sugar. Beat in eggs, one a time, then beat in sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the dry mixture by hand.

Step 5

Scrape batter into pan over oranges. Transfer to oven and bake until cake is golden brown for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Once the cake tester comes out clean, cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife along pan’s edges to loosen it; invert onto a platter and cool completely before serving.

Espresso chocolate mousse with orange mascarpone

Full recipe here.

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

3 large egg whites

1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon orange zest

Instructions

Step 1

For the Mousse: In a small saucepan over medium heat stir together the milk with the sugar and the espresso powder until the milk is hot, but not boiling, and the sugar is dissolved. Place the chocolate chips in a blender.

Step 2

*Pour the hot milk over the chips. Run the blender on high until combined, a few seconds. Add the egg whites and run the blender on high until light, about 1 minute. Transfer the mousse to 4 small serving cups. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until firm, about 3 hours.

For the Cream:

Step 3

In the bowl of an electric or stand mixer, stir together the mascarpone cheese and the orange juice until smooth.

Step 4

Add the cream, powdered sugar, and orange zest. Whip until the cream has soft peaks, about 1 minute.

Step 5

Whip the cream just before serving the mousse or cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Step 6

* When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

Other honorable mentions that work perfectly as dessert options for weddings are:

Orange meringue cookies - Surprise your guests with this fun vanilla and orange cookie flavor.
Orange moose - Another light dessert you can make in a large batch and then pre-portion out in shot-sized serving cups.
Frozen Orange Treats (Orange sorbet, orange ice cream, orange popsicles) - Try any of these frozen desserts to cool down on a hot summer’s day.
Orange flavored candy bar - Make a trip to the candy store and fill up a basket of candied orange for a candy cocktail bar or wedding dessert table ideas.