This easy orange creamsicle bundt cake is soft, moist, citrusy, and bursting with orange flavor in every delicious bite.
I’ve had orange cake probably once in my entire life, but I love the idea of it. It’s just a little different than then norm and I really wanted to create an easy orange cake that anyone could make.
I’d tried making one before, but could never really get a full orange flavored cake. It always lacked flavor, but not this one. This one was SO good! I was so pleasantly surprised. I gave some to my son and to my neighbors and they all just loved it.
The taste is a full orange taste with a hint of vanilla and it’ll remind you of that famous popsicle except in cake form.
It does start with a mix and that’s what makes it SO easy, but you’ll be adding things into the mix so it really doesn’t taste like a mix at all. Even my son, who is used to eating my scratch cakes all the time, couldn’t tell it started with a mix.
Why You’ll Love This Cake!
- It’s a easy dump and mix cake.
- Uses boxed cake mix for the base so it’s dependable and turns out every time.
- Orange flavor is a full flavor, but not super fake like an orange cake mix.
- Stays super moist for days.
Pro Tips
- Don’t skip the grated orange zest, it really gives it a lot of flavor!
- Want that bright orange color? A teeny bit of orange gel food coloring will do it.
Recipe
Orange Creamsicle Cake (Bundt Cake)
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 (13.25 ounce) box white cake mix (I use Betty Crocker)
- 1 (3.4 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix, dry (do not prepare the mix)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup orange juice, fresh or bottled (I used Simply Orange, no pulp orange juice)
- Zest of 1 orange, about 1 tablespoon
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract (or regular vanilla extract)
- 3 teaspoons orange extract
- Optional orange gel food coloring
For the glaze:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (½ block)
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract (or regular vanilla extract)
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt pan very well.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all of the cake ingredients and mix with an electric mixer on medium-high until well combined. (About 1 minute.)
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and spread evenly.
- Bake at 325 degrees F on the middle rack for approximately 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out either with a few moist crumbs on it or clean, but no raw batter on it.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan, on a cooling rack, for about 15 minutes, then turn out of the pan and onto the cooling rack to cool completely.
For the glaze:
- In a mixing bowl, mix the butter and cream cheese well with an electric mixer on medium to medium-high speed until smooth.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix on medium-high until smooth.
- If the glaze is too thick, add orange juice by the teaspoonful, mixing after each addition and checking the consistency. Add only a small amount at a time. If it’s too thin, it will run off the cake and pool around the bottom.
- Once the desired consistency is reached and the cake is cooled, spoon on the glaze, or use a piping bag or squeeze bottle to drizzle it onto the cake. Make sure the cake has fully baked before adding the glaze.
Notes
Nutrition
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Steps to make this cake with step-by-step photos
(The full printable instructions are in the recipe card above.)
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt pan very well.
Step 2:
In a large mixing bowl, add all of the cake ingredients and mix with an electric mixer on medium-high until well combined. (About 1 minute.)
Step 3:
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and spread evenly.
Step 4:
Bake at 325 degrees F on the middle rack for approximately 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out either with a few moist crumbs on it or clean, but no raw batter on it.
Remove from the oven and cool in the pan, on a cooling rack, for about 15 minutes.
Step 5:
Turn out of the pan and onto the cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 6:
Mix up the glaze and spoon it, use a piping bag or a squeeze bottle to drizzle it onto the cake. Make sure the cake has fully baked before adding the glaze.
Tips & FAQs:
The name comes from those nostalgic popsicles — orange on the outside, creamy vanilla inside.
Maybe, but the taste and color just might not be the same.
I wouldn’t recommend it because it adds a lot of orange flavor. Without it the cake might not have as much orange flavor.
I wouldn’t recommend it because it does add a lot of orange flavor. Without it the cake might not have as much flavor.
Yes, feel free to omit the orange food coloring, the cake will still taste the same.
Probably, however I have not tried this cake recipe out as a layer cake.
This cake should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and can last up to 5 days.
Feel free to serve this cake cold, room temperature or warmed up.
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Tried This?
If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to know what you think!
Specialk
What all the ingredients. Can’t wait to try it on Sunday. If I don’t use orange gel coloring, will it come out white or a hint of orange because of the zest and orange juice?
Kara
Hi there, if you skip the orange gel coloring, it won’t be white, but it won’t be orange either. It’ll probably be more of a golden color, but the zest and orange juice won’t color it much.
Peggy
I made this cake yesterday and love it. I made a pretty big mess with the glaze, but some of it did go on the cake. I’m sure I’ll make it again.
Kara
Hi Peggy, that’s awesome! So glad you tried it and loved it! Thank you for the great review! Also, I always seem to get glaze everywhere too. 😉