Orange Creamsicle Cake is fluffy, light, and refreshing. Zesty, sweet, and topped with mandarin orange slices, this cake is everything you could want in a dessert.
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Why this Orange Creamsicle Cake Recipe is a Keeper
- 35 Minute Dessert: Put this easy Creamsicle cake together in just 35 minutes, then let chill. It’s the perfect make-ahead dessert!
- Easy Ingredients: All of the ingredients can be found in your kitchen or local grocery store.
- Family Friendly Cake: This cake is a hit with kids and adults alike and is great for birthday parties.
If you’re looking for more cake recipes, try these: Lemon Meringue Poke Cake, Butterfinger Cake, and Jello Poke Cake.
What is a Creamsicle?
Creamsicles, also called Dreamsicles, are popsicles with an orange juice pop outside and vanilla ice cream on the inside. They are manufactured by the original Popsicle company, which sells them in a variety of flavors in addition to the original orange Creamsicle.
Ingredient Notes for Easy Orange Cake
Here are some important ingredients you’ll want to note to make this orange and creamy vanilla cake. It’s like orange popsicles in cake form!
- White Cake Mix: All the dry ingredients for this easy cake you need can be found in a box of regular cake mix.
- Orange Gelatin: A few boxes of orange gelatin powder will give this cake its trademark orange flavor. Adding the orange gelatin gives the cake a pale orange color, along with its flavor.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: Some instant vanilla pudding powder, in addition to the orange gelatin, makes the cake taste just like a Creamsicle.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
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Variations and Substitutions for Orange Dreamsicle Cake
Creamsicle cake is a moist cake full of orange and vanilla flavor. It’s easy to make and can be readily adapted to suit your tastes. If you’d like to try something new with this delicious cake, here are some ideas you can try to upgrade the recipe:
- Vanilla Cake: If you want to make this recipe without cake mix, try our homemade vanilla cake recipe and flavor it with orange gelatin. Add some orange food coloring to give it a bright orange color.
- Cheesecake Pudding: For a rich and creamy cake, use a box of cheesecake pudding mix instead of vanilla pudding.
- Orange Juice: Instead of a Jello mixture, you can use fresh orange juice to add a sweet orange flavor in the cake. For a lemon cake, just replace the orange Jello mix with lemon.
- Vanilla Frosting: Instead of whipped topping, add vanilla frosting to a piping bag to ice the cake.
Special Equipment Needed
- Skewer: This is a poke cake, which means you can flavor the cake by poking holes in it after baking, then filling them in with the orange cream mixture. A skewer is the perfect tool for making a poke cake. If you don’t have a skewer, you can also use the end of a wooden spoon or even a drinking straw.
Pro Tip
It’s best to make the holes in the cake while it is still slightly warm, because as it cools the crust on top of the cake will crumble more easily.
How to Make Easy Orange Creamsicle Cake
Creamsicle cake is an easy orange layer cake made with boxed cake mix and refreshing orange and vanilla flavors. This creamy vanilla cake is the perfect fruity recipe just in time for spring, and is light and refreshing enough for every occasion, from birthday parties to afternoon tea. Read on to learn how to make an orange Creamsicle cake for your next gathering or event.
These are the basic steps for making creamsicle cake. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
1. Prep
To prep for making orange Creamsicle cake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13 baking dish or cake pan.
2. Combine Cake Ingredients and Bake
In a large bowl whisk together the cake, mix, eggs, water and oil as the box of vanilla cake mix directs, and prepare cake mix according to the box. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until the toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly.
3. Poke Holes in the Cake
Using a large straw, skewer, or end of a wooden spoon, poke holes in the top of the cake. Then, in a small bowl, whisk the boiling water and orange gelatin until dissolved, and whisk together the cold milk and vanilla pudding in a large mixing bowl. Pour the orange Jell-O into the pudding mixture, and whisk until well combined. Once the Creamsicle filling is made, pour the filling all over cake, using a spoon to get it into the holes.
4. Frost the Cake and Serve
Spread the whipped topping evenly over the top of the cake, and garnish with mandarin oranges and mint. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour. When the cake is done, slice, serve, and enjoy!
Orange Creamsicle Cake FAQs
Expert Tips for Making Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake
- Sprinkles: Top the cake with sprinkles for a fun finish.
- Candy Orange Slices: Instead of real orange slices, use candy orange slices. This will allow you to store the cake at room temperature instead of refrigerating it, letting it keep its moisture.
- Vanilla Flavor: To heighten the flavor, add some vanilla extract and orange zest to the cake batter.
- Layers: For a multi layer cake, double the recipe to add another layer.
More of the Best Orange Desserts to Try:
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Orange Creamsicle Cake
Equipment
- Toothpick
- Skewer or Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces Cake Mix, 1 box
- 6 ounces Orange Gelatin, 2 boxes
- ⅓ cup Boiling Water
- 6.8 ounces Vanilla Pudding
- 2 ½ cups Cold Milk
- 8 ounces Whipped Topping, 1 container
- Mandarin Oranges, for garnish
- Mint, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- In a large bowl whisk together the cake, mix, eggs, water and oil according to the directions on the box.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool slightly.
- Using a large straw or end of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the cake.
- In a small bowl, whisk the boiling water and orange gelatin until dissolved.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cold milk and vanilla pudding.
- Whisk the orange Jell-O into the pudding mixture until well combined.
- Pour the filling all over cake, using a spoon to get the filling into all the holes.
- Spread the whipped cream evenly over the top of the cake.
- Garnish with mandarin oranges and mint.
- Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Expert Tips
- Sprinkles: Top the cake with sprinkles for a fun finish.
- Candy Orange Slices: Instead of real orange slices, use candy orange slices. This will allow you to store the cake at room temperature instead of refrigerating it, letting it keep its moisture.
- Vanilla Flavor: To heighten the flavor, add some vanilla extract and orange zest to the cake batter.
- Layers: For a multi layer cake, double the recipe to add another layer.