This orange creamsicle cake is a fun dessert that tastes like a favorite childhood treat. It’s an incredibly easy recipe that’s always a crowd-pleaser!
Please tell me you’ll make this orange creamsicle cake sometime this summer. (Or, if you’re reading this in a few months, sometime this fall/winter/spring.)
Because it’s soooo good! And I really want everyone to enjoy a trip back to ice cream trucks and summers spent running through sprinklers just like I did with my first bite.
An easy orange cake is filled with a creamy, cheesecake-y filling and topped with whipped cream frosting. It tastes like the classic frozen treat in cake form!
Why you’ll love this orange creamsicle cake
- It’s easy to make!
- It uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients
- The cake starts with a box mix so it’s almost foolproof
How to make Orange Creamsicle Cake
You’ll start with the filling.
- Beat room temperature cream cheese with granulated sugar
- Add eggs
- Beat to combine
Set the filling aside and make the cake.
- Combine the cake ingredients in a large bowl
- Beat until smooth
Note: The orange in the cake comes from orange jello. The jello alone didn’t give as much orange flavor as I’d like so I also added orange zest. The zest is optional but I recommend adding it for more flavor.
- Pour half of the batter into a baking dish.
- Dollop the filling over the batter (you don’t need to smooth it or anything—just try to distribute it evenly)
- Top with the remaining cake batter and bake for about 1 hour
After you bake the cake, cool it to room temperature and then you’re ready to frost it.
You can refrigerate the cake overnight without frosting it if you prefer to divide the work up over a couple of days. Just be sure to cool it to room temp before popping it in the fridge.
How to make whipped cream frosting
The frosting on this orange creamsicle cake is a stabilized whipped cream frosting. If you prefer, you can omit the cream cheese in it but the frosting won’t hold its shape as long.
- Beat room temp cream cheese and powdered sugar until creamy
- Gradually add heavy cream and beat until stiff peaks form, then add the vanilla
- Beat to combine
Then it’s just a matter of frosting your cake, slicing it, and serving it. (And resisting eating a few too many slices.)
How to make whipped cream that holds its shape
If you opt to frost your cake with regular whipped cream rather than the version stabilized with cream cheese detailed in the recipe card, I have a few tips for ensuring it holds its shape as long as possible.
- Chill your bowl and beaters for at least 30 minutes before you make the whipped cream
- Be sure your heavy cream is also chilled really well
- Use a product labeled “heavy cream” or “heavy whipping cream.” DO NOT use “whipping cream”
Following those tips should give you a light, fluffy, and reasonably stiff final product, perfect for spreading or piping or dolloping!
And that’s it! However you choose to frost your cake, summer dessert is set! Break out this orange creamsicle cake and you’ll be the star of every BBQ you attend 🙂
A few more summery desserts
Raspberry Cupcakes
Fresh Strawberry Pie
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
Did you make this orange creamsicle cake? Hooray! Let me know what you think with a comment and a rating below. Then post a pic on Insta! Tag @theitsybitsykitchen so I can see your beautiful creations!
Orange creamsicle cake is a fun and easy dessert for summer or any time of year!
- 12 ounces full-fat cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 (16.25-ouncbox white cake mix*
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- finely grated zest of 1 orange optional but recommended
- 1 (3-ouncbox orange jello
- 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream well chilled
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- Combine the cream cheese and granulated sugar in a small mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs and beat until well combined. Set aside and make the cake.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 13-by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Combine the cake mix, water, vegetable oil, eggs, orange zest, and jello in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Pour the cream cheese filling over the cake batter, distributing it as evenly as possible. Pour the remaining cake batter over the filling.
- Bake for 58 to 68 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack before frosting.
- Once the cake has cooled beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Turn mixer to high and gradually beat in the heavy cream. Beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks, then beat in the vanilla.
- Spread the frosting over the cake, then slice and serve.
Recipe Video
- *I used Betty Crocker
- Store leftovers, covered with plastic wrap, in the fridge for up to 3 days or tightly wrapped in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- You can refrigerate the cake overnight without frosting it if you prefer to divide the work up over a couple of days. Just be sure to cool it to room temp before popping it in the fridge.
Jasmine says
Hi Kelsie this cake looks amazing and I wish I had cream cheese in the house so I could bake it right now! But I wonder why you say not to use whipping cream for the frosting (use use heavy cream instead)? Thanks!
Kelsie says
Hi Jasmine! Whipping cream won’t set up as stiffly as heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) so it doesn’t work as well in frostings; it’s better for dolloping on pie, or when you don’t need it to hold its shape. Hope that helps!
grace says
creamsicles are my favorite ice cream novelty to this day! love your cake idea. 🙂
Kelsie says
Thank you!
Kelly | Foodtasia says
Kelsie, I’m loving this cake! I love orange desserts and I’m always dreaming about those orange creamsicles from my childhood!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
This looks SO good! I love Creamsicles when I was a kid. Still do, but it’s been ages since I’ve had one. This looks better — no worries about it melting down your chin. 🙂 Thanks!
Ben|Havocinthekitchen says
Oh my! Orange creamsicle ice cream is my favourite fruit ice cream flavour, so I do love this cake; it’s like the sun on your plate, and it looks so refreshing, too. Can I request to develop a recipe for an orange creamsicle ice cream cake now, please? 🙂 It will be so delicious!
Marissa says
I had to pop over from your Instagram feed to check out this recipe. Love that color! And creamsicles were a favorite treat of mine as a kid too. Love this even more delicious version!
Haylie / Our Balanced Bowl says
Ooooh Kelsie! This is like my dream cake! Looks so delicious, moist and light!! Perfect for Summer cookouts!
Marie says
So bright and fun. Perfect for Summer.
Mimi says
Almost foolproof?!! I could probably mess this up! But it’s sure tempting!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
A summer favorite, cake style! Love it Kelsie. May need to add this one to our 4th of July menu!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
As a young kid I do remember the ice cream truck, but they weren’t around regularly. Luckily, there was a corner store close by where I could get all the yummy snack. Creamsicles were always a favourite so this cake would be devoured in 2 seconds flat, lol. Love it! Pinned 🙂 Happy Monday, my friend.
Ashika | The Gardening Foodie says
Wow this looks great Kelsie, such a great summer dessert. Bright and refreshing…I would love to give this a try 🙂
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
I used to LOVE creamsicles as a kid, and truthfully, I still do. This cake is SO fun. My kids would be thrilled by it! Have a wonderful week! XO
David @ Spiced says
What a fun cake idea, Kelsie! We’ve got an ice cream truck that rolls through our neighborhood occasionally, and it’s always fun to hear the ding-a-ling. (The name is “Mr. Ding-a-Ling.” Seriously!?) I do love a good creamsicle, but now I’m thinking I need to skip the ice cream version and go for a slice of this cake instead. It looks and sounds fan-freakin-tastic, my friend!
Kim Lange says
Love this for summer and what a refreshing sweet treat to serve guests or family! Orange creamsicle is definitely one of my summer favorite flavors! Pinning! xo
Laura says
This flavor does bring back memories, Kelsie! We loved those orange-covered frozen pops! And bought them from the ice cream man! Yum! I love the stabilized whipped cream, I almost always make my whipped cream with mascarpone or cream cheese these days just so it doesn’t weep all over everything. Which would make me weep.
Carlee says
My dad is going to love this! I love that there is a filling in the cake too… yum!
Kelly @ Kelly Lynn’s Sweets and Treats says
Perfect for summer! My hubby would love this because he LOVES creamsicles!! Such a fun summer time dessert 🙂
Milena says
I have to try this one! I love milkshake IPAs that taste like orange creamsicle and would love to dig in a large slice of this cake next time I enjoy one, I am sensing quite a delicious experience!
Joanne says
Pretty much the cake of my dreams as creamsicles are my fav childhood Lolli!! Love this Kelsey!!