• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
    • Meet Lynn
      • Contact
  • Fresh April Sprinkles
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook

Fresh April Flours logo

April 4, 2016

Orange Creamsicle Layer Cake

Pin
Share
Email
Share
Tweet

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
A moist and flavorful layer cake full of bright and zesty orange marmalade. Sunny orange cream cheese frosting makes this creamsicle cake irresistible!A moist and flavorful layer cake full of bright and zesty orange marmalade. Sunny orange cream cheese frosting makes this creamsicle cake irresistible!

A moist and flavorful layer cake full of bright and zesty orange marmalade. Sunny orange cream cheese frosting makes this creamsicle cake irresistible!

Orange Creamsicle Layer Cake: A moist and flavorful layer cake full of bright and zesty orange marmalade. Sunny orange cream cheese frosting makes this creamsicle cake irresistible!

Do you ever get inspired by yourself? Because I think it happened to me for the first time a couple weeks ago when I hopped back into the cake world and whipped up this carrot cake for a coworker’s husband.

Like I mentioned in that post, and in my soft baked carrot cake granola and also in my carrot cake coconut macaroons, I’m not sure that I’ll ever be sharing my beloved carrot cake recipe, but I will gladly bake it for anyone who ever wants to try it!

Some things just need to stay secrets… 

Anyway, the self-spiration.

It came from that picture. I really wish I had the photography skills I have now back when I was baking cakes, because some of those pictures taken in my poorly-lit living room apartment with my phone or a point-and-shoot digital camera (yikes and more yikes) are not good, people.

Thanks for still asking me to make cakes even though I was really bad at photographing them.

Moving right along…

After that, I knew I needed to make another cake for the blog. It’s been too long! I made a cookie cake for my 30th birthday last year, but it was over a year before that that I brought you my first layer cake, my tried and true chocolate cake.

Does a sheet cake count?

Even if it does, it was time for another layer cake. For sure.

Orange Creamsicle Layer Cake: A moist and flavorful layer cake full of bright and zesty orange marmalade. Sunny orange cream cheese frosting makes this creamsicle cake irresistible!

I wanted to make something spring-y for Easter, and I knew I had some leftover orange marmalade from these fancy little things, so it was settled: some kind of orange cake. Bring on the sunshine!

Remember when I made cupcakes for my BIL’s wedding? And then talked about how some of those cupcakes were blueberry lemon, but I totally failed at blueberry buttercream for a summer blog post?

Yeah. That cupcake recipe needs to make it on the blog STAT (edit: here it is!). 

But until it does, this cake is almost identical to that cupcake base (obviously without blueberries) with just a couple tweaks to involve plenty of orange and lots and lots of crannies (not these kinds of crannies) for orange zest.

This cake is really, really easy. No fancy ingredients, nothing you can’t handle, and plenty of flavor and impressability (is that a word?) to turn you into a fabulous cake baker. So let’s break it down:

You’ll start by creaming together butter, sugar, and some orange marmalade. Butter + sugar is a pretty standard start to a cake, but I add in the orange marmalade here to help bring out ultra orange flavor. All that creaming with the orange zest really does something fancy to that base!

ROOM TEMPERATURE INGREDIENTS ARE A MUST

Next up, 4 large eggs, at room temperature. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it a million times again: room temperature eggs are always the better choice when working with room temperature butter. They incorporate much more easily into your batter.

Don’t have time to let them come to room temp? No problem. Stick them in a bowl of warm water for about 10-15 minutes. They’ll be ready in no time!

You’ll add each egg in separately and beat it into the creamed butter/sugar/marmalade. A hefty dose of vanilla extract and some additional orange zest are added to the party to really amp up the creamsicle flavor.

Orange Creamsicle Layer Cake: A moist and flavorful layer cake full of bright and zesty orange marmalade. Sunny orange cream cheese frosting makes this creamsicle cake irresistible!

Lastly, you’re going to add your flour/baking powder/salt mixture and a milk/orange juice combo. The most important step here is to alternate additions of each. You’ll start by adding about half of the flour mixture then about half of the liquid. Repeat again until everything has been added.

WHY DO WE ALTERNATE ADDING WET AND DRY INGREDIENTS?

Great question! Nerd alert:

Since the base of this cake is quite buttery and also contains marmalade and a whole 4 eggs, it’s quite wet. You can only add so much more liquid to this mixture before it just can’t absorb any more.

It’s likely to separate if there’s too much liquid introduced into this wet base before there’s anything there to help absorb it. If we start with a little bit of flour, we have a bit more of a vehicle for adding more liquid.

I have made this cake (and into cupcakes) several ways, and I always find the lightest crumb with my alternating additions method. This isn’t always the method when it comes to making a cake, but the ratios in this batter benefit from it.

Nerd alert over! Did I lose ya? Let’s get back to less nerdy cake business.

Orange Creamsicle Layer Cake: A moist and flavorful layer cake full of bright and zesty orange marmalade. Sunny orange cream cheese frosting makes this creamsicle cake irresistible!

Your cakes will only take about 25ish minutes in the oven. Not long at all! And while we’re talking about baking those beautiful layers, I have to give a little shoutout to one of my favorite cake baking tools to ever exist: homemade cake release.

Orange Creamsicle Layer Cake: A moist and flavorful layer cake full of bright and zesty orange marmalade. Sunny orange cream cheese frosting makes this creamsicle cake irresistible!

I have been using this stuff from day 2 of scratch cake baking. Day 1? I greased and floured. I just do not love that method.

I swear by this cake release, and I urge you to try it. Your cakes will literally fall out of your pans, leaving behind little to no crumbs.

Easy peasy removal + no chunks of cake missing? Pshh, yes please! You may have no problem with the grease and flour method, and in that case, please… Carry on! Just know that this is my tried and true.

After the cake comes the creamiest, orangiest, heavenliest cream cheese frosting that ever existed.

Ohhhhh my goodness, friends.

I had to stop myself from eating all of the leftover frosting. And by “stop myself,” I mean I had to throw it away, because I was on my way to eating it with a spoon. Seriously.

That’s not even a #pregnantproblem. That’s just a #frostingtoogoodproblem.

Orange Creamsicle Layer Cake: A moist and flavorful layer cake full of bright and zesty orange marmalade. Sunny orange cream cheese frosting makes this creamsicle cake irresistible!

Nothing too crazy here either: a stick of butter, a block of cream cheese, some powdered sugar, orange zest, a touch of vanilla, and a little splash of orange juice.

If you’re not so much into all that extra orange flavor (you cray!), feel free to leave out the added zest and/or replace the orange juice with milk or cream. Whatever your tastebuds are feeling works just fine.

Once your cakes are completely cool, you’re ready to assemble. If you’ve never assembled a layer cake before, please do not be intimidated. It’s not as daunting as it may seem.

MY BEST TIPS FOR ASSEMBLING A LAYER CAKE

I always start by leveling my cakes. You can do this with a serrated knife (not my favorite way) or a cake leveler. I have used this cake leveler since I began baking cakes.

It is adjustable, durable, and it doesn’t take up a lot of space. And it’s super inexpensive. It makes leveling cakes a cinch, and I prefer it to a knife a million times over.

Once you’re leveled, place one layer on a cake stand or serving plate, spread a decent amount of frosting evenly on top, place the second level (cut side down) on top of that, and refrigerate for about 10 minutes.

I like to chill the whole cake before I frost the entire thing because it sturdies everything up a bit. Otherwise, I find that things can start to slide and then it’s all kinds of messy.

Feel free to refrigerate for longer, especially if you have the time!

Orange Creamsicle Layer Cake: A moist and flavorful layer cake full of bright and zesty orange marmalade. Sunny orange cream cheese frosting makes this creamsicle cake irresistible!

Spread the remaining frosting on the top and all around the sides, pop in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to allow everything to set, and you are ready to serve up the most delightful little orange creamsicle cake your tastebuds ever laid tastes on (what?).

I made this cake twice during Easter week: once for Easter brunch and another one later in the week because I just needed to try a couple tweaks.

I took a small 6″ cake into work one day, left it in the kitchen, and it was gone within an hour. And of course, I was asked for the recipe from a handful of people that day who just could not wait for the recipe to be up on the blog!

Each bite of this orange creamsicle cake is filled with a burst of orange flavor, a soft, moist crumb, and surrounded by luscious cream cheese frosting that adds just the perfect amount of additional orange flavor to categorize this cake as “dreamy.”

Not too fancy, not too difficult, and sure to dazzle anyone who tries it! It’s perfect for spring or summer, but let’s be honest, there’s never a bad time for orange, especially when it comes in the form of cake that reminds you of that childhood popsicle you could never get enough of.

Orange Creamsicle Layer Cake: A moist and flavorful layer cake full of bright and zesty orange marmalade. Sunny orange cream cheese frosting makes this creamsicle cake irresistible!

Give it a try! I can almost guarantee you’ll be impressing yourself (and your friends) in no time!

Orange Creamsicle Layer Cake: A moist and flavorful layer cake full of bright and zesty orange marmalade. Sunny orange cream cheese frosting makes this creamsicle cake irresistible!
Print Recipe
4.82 from 22 votes

Orange Creamsicle Layer Cake

A moist and flavorful layer cake full of bright and zesty orange marmalade. Sunny orange cream cheese frosting makes this creamsicle cake irresistible!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time26 mins
Total Time41 mins
Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients

ORANGE CAKE

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour measured properly
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 1 and 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup orange marmalade
  • 4 large eggs room temperature1
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • zest and juice of 2 large navel oranges reserve 1/2 Tablespoon juice for frosting2
  • 3/4 cup milk

ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 8 ounces (1 block) cream cheese3
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • zest of 1/2 a large navel orange
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

ORANGE CAKE

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour (or use homemade cake release) two 8" round baking pans. Set aside.
  • In a medium size bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and orange marmalade on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add each egg, one at a time, beating on medium-high speed until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the vanilla extract and orange zest and beat again until combined.
  • Stir the orange juice into the milk. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl and turn the mixer speed to low. Add the flour in 2 additions, alternating with the milk/orange juice. Remove bowl from mixer and stir with a spatula until everything is completely combined.
  • Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans and bake 23-26 minutes or until lightly browned on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before assembling.

ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

  • In a medium size bowl with a handheld mixer or in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until no lumps remain (about 3 minutes).
  • Decrease mixer speed to low. Add powdered sugar, orange zest, vanilla extract, and reserved orange juice. Increase mixer speed to to high and beat until completely combined (approximately 2-3 minutes).

ASSEMBLE CAKE

  • Trim cooled cake layers to create a flat surface. You can do this with a large serrated knife or a cake leveler. Place one layer on a plate or cake stand and cover the top with cream cheese frosting. Spread evenly with an offset spatula.
  • Place second layer on top, cut surface down. For a sturdier cake, refrigerate at this point for about 10 minutes. When cake is slightly chilled, remove from refrigerator and spread more frosting on the top and around the sides. Refrigerate frosted cake at least 30 minutes before cutting so cake and frosting can set completely. Leftovers stay fresh, covered tightly, at room temperature up to 3 days and in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
  • Make ahead: prepare cakes and frosting up to 1 day in advance. Cover cakes tightly and keep at room temperature or in the refrigerator until ready to assemble. Refrigerate prepared frosting in an airtight container until ready to use. Unfrosted cake layers may be frozen, wrapped tightly, up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before assembling. Frosted cake can be frozen, wrapped tightly, up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.

Notes

  1. Room temperature eggs incorporate into batter much more easily than cold eggs. Allow to sit at room temperature for 45 minutes. If you don't have time, place eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes or until ready to use.
  2. Approximately 1/4 cup juice from each orange, for a total of about 1/2 cup for the entire cake batter recipe.
  3. Full-fat cream cheese is best.
This recipe also fits in a bundt pan. Bake time is approximately 40 minutes. Top with a simple glaze or half the recipe of the orange cream cheese buttercream.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @freshaprilflours on Instagram or tag #freshaprilflours!

Can’t get enough orange? Try my Orange Poppy Seed Scones next!

 

Related Posts

  • Orange Creamsicle CupcakesOrange Creamsicle Cupcakes
  • Glazed Mimosa MuffinsGlazed Mimosa Muffins
  • Chai Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese FrostingChai Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Sourdough Cinnamon RollsSourdough Cinnamon Rolls
  • Baked Blueberry French ToastBaked Blueberry French Toast
  • Caramel Rolls with Caramel Cream Cheese FrostingCaramel Rolls with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
Pin
Share
Email
Share
Tweet

Filed Under: Cakes, Frostings & Icings, Popular Tagged With: cream cheese, milk, orange juice, orange marmalade, orange zest

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Aria says

    April 4, 2016 at 4:23 PM

    Ooh, Lynn…this cake is GORGEOUS!! I am getting hungry RIGHT. NOW. First of all….cream cheese frosting? Yum. Then fluffy white cake with orange? Double yum. Oh, my word, I almost wish I wasn’t going to chorus tonight so that I could make this!

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      April 4, 2016 at 4:26 PM

      Haha, thanks, Aria! I have to say, you MUST try this one if you’re into orange and cream cheese frosting. It was so so hard not to eat all of it before our Easter brunch guests arrived. Have fun at chorus 🙂

      Reply
  2. Jess @ Sweetest Menu says

    April 4, 2016 at 4:39 PM

    This cake is AMAZING! I so know what you mean about bad photos, I cringe at most of my photos as it is but when I go back to the start – sheez! There sure are some yellow ones! But seriously this cake looks heavenly girl, you have got the cake skills – pinned!

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      April 4, 2016 at 4:41 PM

      Hahaha, I’m so glad you feel me on the bad pics! But I always love your photos, so don’t even think the current ones aren’t GORG! It’s a good thing we’ve all come a long way, for sure! Thanks for your sweet comment, friend! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kristy @ Southern In Law says

    April 5, 2016 at 4:06 PM

    This looks absolutely PERFECT! What a perfect cake to celebrate with!

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      April 5, 2016 at 7:47 PM

      Thanks so much, Kristy!

      Reply
  4. Amy says

    April 5, 2016 at 8:00 PM

    Yummy! I am a sucker for anything orange 🙂 I love that you used marmalade to boost the orange flavour – what a great idea! And cream cheese frosting is always the devil – the sweetest, sweetest devil. Your co-workers sure are lucky people Miss Lynn. And thanks for sharing the baking nerd-dom – you know I love it 😉

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      April 6, 2016 at 5:31 PM

      Haha, you are my fellow baking nerd lover! I loved using the marmalade because of the HUGE chunks of orange zest. Totally necessary between little bites of moist and fluffy cake!

      Reply
  5. emotionalbaker says

    April 8, 2016 at 7:20 AM

    I’m totally cake obsessed right now! I’ve got a whole list of layer cakes I want to try and now orange is on the list! This is SO gorgeous, Lynn 🙂

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      April 8, 2016 at 5:26 PM

      Thanks, Megan! I would love to see your orange cake!

      Reply
  6. Ellen says

    April 28, 2016 at 7:02 PM

    After seeing that I pinned two of your recipes, I thought that I should just sign up on your blog.

    I baked this cake the other day in a 9×13. I followed the instructions to the tee except I needed to increase the baking time. I even let all ingredients come to room temperature. The only problem I had was the cake sunk in the middle. I’m wondering if you have any suggestions on how to prevent this from happening again?

    I really love the tips you give with your recipes. Baking Bootcamp #1 was very helpful. Can’t wait to see what’s next.

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      April 28, 2016 at 7:19 PM

      Hi Ellen– thanks for following my blog and pinning my recipes! I’m sorry to hear your cake sunk in the middle, but sometimes, cake recipes aren’t meant to be baked in that large of a baking pan. This cake is pretty moist, and perhaps just isn’t proper for baking in a 9×13. The only other thing I could assume is that your baking powder wasn’t powerful enough. If it’s new or less than 6 months old, it should be fine, and I would say the culprit is making the baking pan bigger.

      Reply
      • Ellen says

        April 28, 2016 at 9:05 PM

        Well I guess that makes sense. My baking soda was purchased at Christmas time. It still tasted fabulous. I spread the frosting thicker there and nobody was the wiser.

        Reply
        • Lynn says

          April 28, 2016 at 9:08 PM

          Haha, I like your style, Ellen!

          Reply
  7. Jill says

    May 3, 2016 at 1:36 PM

    4 stars
    Hi Lynn, I made this cake recently and it was delicious. The frosting was exceptional, really tasted just like an orange creamsicle! I had a question about the cake itself. The texture of my cake was very moist and dense, it didn’t have the light and airy crumb that I see in your photos. I’m wondering if this could be because I added too much orange juice, the two oranges I juiced were really large. Would you be able to provide an exact measurement for how much orange juice to add to the cake batter?

    thanks!

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      May 3, 2016 at 1:57 PM

      Hi, Jill! Thanks for the feedback and for giving my cake a try! Unfortunately, in the world of recipes, your orange may not give the same amount of juice as my orange. That said, a general rule of thumb is about 4-6 Tablespoons of juice per orange. What I wrote on my recipe at home is that I had about 1/2 cup TOTAL of orange juice, meaning I got about 4 Tablespoons (1/4 cup) per orange. There’s a good chance that if you added a ton more than this that your cake could have been denser. If you’d like to give it another go, yes, I would recommend using 1/2 cup TOTAL for the cake batter. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  8. Jill says

    May 3, 2016 at 2:25 PM

    Thanks for the quick reply! Yes, I probably added at least 1 cup of orange juice! I’ll definitely be making this cake again with the correct amount. 🙂

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      May 3, 2016 at 2:26 PM

      You’re welcome! Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
  9. Bertina says

    May 4, 2016 at 12:13 PM

    Hi Lynn,

    My question is, could you make this cake fully assembled a day before?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      May 4, 2016 at 12:43 PM

      Hi Bertina, you can absolutely make this cake ahead of time. It should be fine at room temp, unless it is warm where you are. In that case, keep it in the fridge until about an hour before serving.

      Reply
  10. Stephanie says

    May 5, 2016 at 12:11 AM

    Does it make a difference if you use cake flour?

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      May 5, 2016 at 6:06 AM

      It might. It’s always best to stick to the recipe, especially when it comes to the flour. If you have to make the substitution, know that 1 cup of cake flour is equivalent to 1 cup of all purpose flour minus 2 Tablespoons. Enjoy!

      Reply
  11. Rosali says

    May 5, 2016 at 5:21 PM

    Could this be made in a buntl pan?

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      May 5, 2016 at 5:33 PM

      Hi Rosalie– I’m sure that it can, although I am unsure of baking time. Maybe about 40 minutes? I would try 32 minutes or so and go from there. Let me know if you try it!

      Reply
      • Rosali says

        May 11, 2016 at 1:17 AM

        5 stars
        I tried this in a buntl pan ! This is a wonderful cake with just a orange glaze on top! Turned out beautiful and is very good! Cooked at 350 for Approx 40 to 45 min !

        Reply
        • Lynn says

          May 11, 2016 at 6:23 AM

          I’m so glad you came back to let me know! Thanks so much, Rosali. I will add a note to the recipe about the bundt pan.

          Reply
  12. Monica says

    May 7, 2016 at 10:04 AM

    Hi Lynn,
    I made tha cake last night, I haven’t ice it yet because my party is not until 5pm.
    Can I ice the cake and keep it in the fridge until 5pm?
    Would it get hardish?
    Thanks.
    Monica.

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      May 7, 2016 at 4:33 PM

      Hi Monica– just now seeing this! It would have been fine to leave it in the fridge. Just set it out for about an hour before you want to serve it.

      Reply
  13. Laura Dembowski (@piesandplots) says

    May 10, 2016 at 3:53 PM

    I love cakes too and now you’ve made me crave one. I need to try that carrot cake. WIll you make one for me??? The flavors in this orange cake sound wonderful!

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      May 10, 2016 at 5:39 PM

      Haha, Laura, I would love to make everyone I know my carrot cake. I hope you try this orange cake– it quickly became a favorite here!

      Reply
  14. Valentina Celant (@TheBakingFairy) says

    May 12, 2016 at 11:42 AM

    Absolutely stunning, and the flavors sound divine! As for the cake release, the one you pictured is the one my MIL swears by, but I recently discovered the Pam baking nonstick spray which has butter and flour in it and it’s awesome! I’ll be pinning this beautiful cake 🙂

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      May 12, 2016 at 5:48 PM

      Thanks, Valentina! I LOVE that cake release– I’ll have to look out for the Pam kind. I won’t ever go back to grease/flour ever again!

      Reply
  15. Linda @ 2 Cookin' Mamas says

    May 12, 2016 at 5:01 PM

    You said orange and I said I’ve got to make this! Then you added orange to the cream cheese frosting too and I’m ready to dive right in! This cake looks deliciously awesome!

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      May 12, 2016 at 5:49 PM

      Haha, RIGHT?! Orange all up in everything, I say! Thanks Linda 🙂

      Reply
  16. Lucy says

    May 12, 2016 at 7:39 PM

    What a gorgeous cake! Creamsicles were my favorite treat as a kid, so I know I will love this. Pinning!

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      May 12, 2016 at 8:30 PM

      Thank you, Lucy!

      Reply
  17. Nickee says

    May 27, 2016 at 7:57 AM

    Where is your adorable cake stand from?!

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      May 27, 2016 at 11:20 AM

      Pier 1! Love that place for food props!

      Reply
  18. Nickee says

    May 27, 2016 at 1:34 PM

    Awesome, thanks for the reply! And early congrats on baby to be ???? He’s a lucky little guy!

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      May 27, 2016 at 6:11 PM

      Aww, thank you so much, Nickee! You are so sweet.

      Reply
  19. Suzanne says

    June 6, 2016 at 2:17 AM

    MMMMMMmmmm! I’m such a fan of Orange Creamsicles! What a beautiful cake!

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      June 6, 2016 at 5:15 PM

      Thanks, Suzanne! If my cake got together with your cupcakes, that would be one solid dessert spread!!

      Reply
  20. Katelyn says

    June 23, 2016 at 7:51 PM

    5 stars
    Any tips on making this into cupcakes? I made this cake and it’s amazing!

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      June 23, 2016 at 8:21 PM

      HI Katelyn– so glad you enjoyed the cake! I would follow the baking times and yield based on my triple lemon cupcakes recipe (https://freshaprilflours.com/2016/06/01/triple-lemon-cupcakes/). That recipe is half of this orange cake recipe and the lemon icing might be better/sturdier for cupcakes than the one in this orange recipe. Just replace the lemon curd with orange juice or zest, if you’d like. I hope that makes sense! Let me know if you have any other questions.

      Reply
  21. Jill says

    June 26, 2016 at 2:07 PM

    5 stars
    I just made this cake and everything turned out perfect except the frosting. Mine is more of a texture between frosting and glaze. My cream cheese was reduced fat (all I had at home) but I didn’t think it would make that much difference. Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      June 27, 2016 at 7:32 AM

      Hi Jill– the frosting is definitely on the softer side, but to call it a glaze sounds a bit too thin to me. Do you live somewhere that is pretty hot right now? I found my frosting to be a bit thin with the windows open when I made this cake and it was much sturdier with the AC on. If you ever feel your frosting is too thin, you can always add more powdered sugar to thicken it up, or reduce the amount of liquid from the get-go. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  22. price2015 says

    July 2, 2016 at 1:13 PM

    Dear Friend,

    I am a very experienced baker. I followed the recipe perfectly. I used 8″ cake pans and thought that the batter was a lot for that size; nonetheless, I figured it was correct. While baking, the cake overflowed over my oven. I had to bake it five more minutes and it is cooling but looks like it is going to sink. I’m frustrated.

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      July 2, 2016 at 1:31 PM

      I’m so sorry you’re not having luck with this recipe. I have made this cake 3 times and it’s been fine for me. Are you in a high altitude by any chance?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        October 2, 2016 at 6:12 PM

        I am at a high altitude(4500ish) and am having the same problem–overflowing alllllll over. I also thought the pans looked too full but trusted the recipe. Disaster! It’s still baking, but with one minute left it looks nowhere close to done. What would have been different? And are your 8″ rounds usually almost full when you pour the batter?

        Reply
        • Lynn says

          October 3, 2016 at 9:05 AM

          Hi Jessica– so sorry to hear the cake didn’t work out for you! If you look at the pictures in the post, there’s a photo of exactly what my cake pans look like when they’re full. Those are 8″ rounds.

          Reply
          • Jessica says

            October 3, 2016 at 5:14 PM

            Yes, mine were definitely fuller than that. Strange! Might the altitude have something to do with how much the batter fluffed up? It took 10-15 extra minutes to bake and was very moist and dense. Pretty good flavor, though, and the frosting is DIVINE

          • Lynn says

            October 3, 2016 at 6:22 PM

            That is SO strange!! I have no experience with high altitude baking, so I’m not sure where exactly it is affected. I know it’s in the leavening, but I thought for sure that would happen in the oven. I’m glad you liked the buttercream– that’s my favorite part!!

  23. price2015 says

    July 2, 2016 at 1:48 PM

    Amarillo is around 3600 feet. I’ve baked without adjusting my recipes for years Lynn. I’ve lived in Colorado and Wyoming and I know what is needed. Maybe my oranges were too juicy. Thanks for your quick response. I guess I’ll make a dump cake. I will still taste good.

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      July 3, 2016 at 5:35 PM

      I have had another reader question the amount of juice that should come from the oranges, so I made a note in the recipe about the proper measurement, if that helps for the future!

      Reply
  24. Ellen says

    July 16, 2016 at 5:29 PM

    5 stars
    Great cake. I have to say I made it in 2 Wilton 9 inch pans and it rose to the top. Thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      July 22, 2016 at 3:51 PM

      So glad you liked it, Ellen! Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply
  25. Rachel says

    April 27, 2017 at 8:44 PM

    5 stars
    The end result was good but I was sweating it during the baking time as I was nervous it was going to bubble over (like the others here I followed the instructions instead of following instinct). I would recommend either an 8×2 (extra tall) cake pan or 9×1.5 cake pan. For whatever reason my baking time took about twice as long as listed. My oven often takes longer than the time listed but this one was surprisingly long. I did take the cake into work and it was a big hit with my coworkers.

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      April 28, 2017 at 8:24 AM

      I’m glad it worked out! All of my pans are standard 2″, so thanks for letting me know smaller ones are a little tricky with this one.

      Reply
  26. Jan says

    May 19, 2017 at 5:23 PM

    Crap I wish I had some cream cheese in the house to make this right NOW! That looks super awesome! Pinned for later! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      May 20, 2017 at 11:00 AM

      As soon as you get some cream cheese, you MUST make this cake!

      Reply
  27. Juanita Gillis says

    June 26, 2017 at 10:51 AM

    Made this cake twice now, and disappointed both times. Cake taste pretty good but to dense. Icing excellent.

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      June 26, 2017 at 7:18 PM

      I’m sorry to hear that, Juanita! It is a denser cake.

      Reply
  28. Catherine says

    September 25, 2017 at 10:11 PM

    Hi. Can I substitute the milk with buttermilk? Looking forward to making this cake.

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      October 5, 2017 at 7:23 AM

      Hi, Catherine– you can try, but I’m afraid with all the orange juice and orange zest, you’ll be left with an overload of acid and nothing for it to activate, therefore, an extra tangy cake. Adding all that orange juice and zest sort of turns the milk to buttermilk anyway, so I’d be hesitant to put any extra acid in there. If you try it, of course, let me know!

      Reply
  29. Deb says

    December 29, 2017 at 9:09 PM

    I followed the recipe carefully and the cake turned out tasty but too dense for me. The icing is great though.

    Reply
  30. Ann says

    February 18, 2018 at 12:32 PM

    5 stars
    Made this according to your instructions and it turned out PERFECT. I had a friend ask for orange cake for his birthday and found your recipe on Pinterest. Easy to make too. Now my teenage daughter wants one for her birthday. Great recipe.

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      February 18, 2018 at 1:50 PM

      So glad you enjoyed it, Ann! Thanks so much for letting me know.

      Reply
      • Joyce says

        February 24, 2020 at 5:04 PM

        In the ingredients you list reserve 1/2 tablespoon of orange juice for the frosting then in the frosting recipe there is no mention of the orange juice ? WHY

        Reply
        • Lynn says

          February 24, 2020 at 5:50 PM

          Hi, Joyce— I mention adding the reserved juice in step 2 of the frosting instructions. Hope that helps!

          Reply
          • joyce says

            February 24, 2020 at 6:20 PM

            Thank you so much for the help. I just found this recipe today and my son had mentioned that he liked creamsicles cause he bought an orange flavored Fanta last night so I started wondering if there was an orange cake and I saw this recipe and wrote it down to try

          • Lynn says

            February 25, 2020 at 9:05 PM

            I hope you all enjoy it!

        • joyce says

          February 24, 2020 at 6:14 PM

          Never mind I found it in the instructions, but not in the ingredients in the frosting sorry bout that

          Reply
  31. Sandra says

    February 23, 2018 at 6:38 PM

    I made this. The jury is out. I altered recipe by accident and used more butter in the cake than you called for. I have had a cake similar to this my sister made for my birthday. Trying to duplicate the recipe she used and then realized this cake was going to have considerably more butter in it. I put a can of crushed pineapple in the cream cheese frosting also to elaborate on your recipe. I will say if anyone does this be sure to use pineapple in natural juice and drain it for 15 min or so before adding to the icing. Otherwise disaster, and the dressing runs off the cake! My loving sister and I covet a farm journal cook book that I bought in 1972. It is in storage right now. Your wonderful sounding cake may be our new go to cake.

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      February 24, 2018 at 6:35 AM

      So glad you liked it and it still worked out despite the extra butter! If you can find freeze-dried pineapple, that would be your best bet for adding to buttercream next time (see my recipe for strawberry buttercream: https://freshaprilflours.com/2017/07/19/fresh-strawberry-cake-with-strawberry-buttercream/).

      Reply
  32. Maxine says

    November 20, 2018 at 7:27 PM

    Love the recipe can’t wait to try it! One question, could you take out the orange marmalade ?

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      November 21, 2018 at 9:05 AM

      You could try, but I’m not sure how the recipe would fare. I’ve never tried it without.

      Reply
  33. Julie Pierce says

    December 22, 2018 at 4:40 AM

    Hello Lynn,
    I am intrigued by your mention of a 6in version of this cake. Based on this recipe, what proportions would a 6inch cake use?
    Thanks for your help. This looks so delicious!

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      December 23, 2018 at 7:47 PM

      Hey, Julie! I would cut the recipe in half.

      Reply
      • Julie Pierce says

        December 24, 2018 at 2:27 AM

        Thanks Lynn; easy.
        P.S. Just took the two layers of this cake – recipe as written- out of the oven. Smells heavenly. One of our deserts for Christmas lunch!

        Reply
        • Lynn says

          December 27, 2018 at 6:38 AM

          I hope it was perfect!

          Reply
  34. Katlyn Boyles says

    March 3, 2019 at 8:12 PM

    5 stars
    Hello! I made this cake today and it is absolutely delicious. My daughter loves oranges so I tested it out for her smash cake and used three 6″ pans. I am very new to baking so I do have a couple questions. I live at a high elevation and the cake ended up dense and I had to cook it twice as long. Do you have any recommendations to try with my second batch? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      March 5, 2019 at 7:53 PM

      Hey, Katlyn! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake. I have no experience baking at higher altitudes, but I always direct readers here in case there are things here you haven’t tried: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-bake-at-high-altitudes-101352

      Reply
      • Katlyn Boyles says

        March 5, 2019 at 8:09 PM

        Thank you for the information!

        Reply
  35. shweta bhogal says

    June 6, 2019 at 5:23 PM

    Hi,
    I tried this recipe and when i was making the batter, when i added eggs my batter separated. I made sure everything was at room temperature and i added one egg at a time. Any reason why?

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      June 6, 2019 at 8:28 PM

      Hmm, I’m not too sure I can tell you exactly what went wrong without being there. I’ve not had that issue myself.

      Reply
  36. Jackie says

    July 31, 2019 at 1:53 PM

    4 stars
    Hello
    I made these cake and the flavor it’s amazing. The only thing is that it was not fluffy. Any advice on this ?

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      August 2, 2019 at 8:19 PM

      Hey, Jackie! It’s not a light and fluffy cake. It sounds like you did it right!

      Reply
  37. Becky says

    September 4, 2019 at 4:23 PM

    5 stars
    This cake was a dream to make! It was just what I was looking for. It baked up nice and even was so easy to do! I love orange marmalade so to be able to put it into a cake was fabulous! The taste was heavenly, not over powering just a perfect cake on a summer day! Thank you so much!

    Becky

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      September 4, 2019 at 7:32 PM

      Thank you so much, Becky! This means so much to me– and I appreciate you coming back to review it.

      Reply
  38. Lucy says

    September 14, 2019 at 12:32 AM

    5 stars
    I love this cake! Made it for two separate occasions. I’ve been asked if it could be made into a lemon cake? WOuld it turn out bitter if I was to substitute all the orange add ins for lemon?

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      September 15, 2019 at 7:55 PM

      Hey, Lucy! I’m sure it would be great. I’d suggest using lemon curd in place of the marmalade and probably remove an egg since lemon curd has egg yolks in it. This just purely speculation, though, and I might direct you to my triple lemon cupcakes recipe and just bake those as a cake!

      Reply
  39. Treat Simply.Com says

    March 28, 2020 at 3:15 PM

    5 stars
    The cake tastes fantastic, and the light orange filling and orange cream cheese frosting are the perfect complement to the flavorful orange cake layers.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to joyce Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Meet Lynn

Mom, self-taught baker, cookbook author, biscotti lover, and sprinkle enthusiast. Read More


Search

Never Miss A Recipe

Subscribe to our newsletter.

Browse by Category

Sift Through Archives

My Cookbook

ChowDownBuyNow
COPYRIGHT © 2019 · FRESH APRIL FLOURS · PRIVACY POLICY

DMCA.com Protection Status